Tosco avon refinery epa released a chemical accident investigation report on the task avon refinery in martinez, calif. Obtaining leak free bolted joint operation by returning to. A huge plume of smoke rose above the chevron refinery inrichmond, as firefighters battled the blaze. The blast took the life of michael glanzman, a hydrocracker operator. The refinery is an independent oil refiner and marketer of petroleum products in the united states. The hydrocracker upgrades lowquality heavy gas oils from the atmospheric or vacuum distillation tower, the fluid. The excursion was not brought under control because the stage 2 reactors were not depressured and shut down as required when the reactor temperatures exceeded the 800of temperature limit specified in the written operating procedures. Environmental protection agency today released the chemical accident investigation report on a january 21, 1997 explosion and fire at the tosco avon refinery in martinez, california.
Explosion at bp grangemouth hydrocracker, march 22, 1987 reactive chemicals. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading tosco avon refinery martinez, california refinery fire incident. By the 1990s, a history of poor maintenance and understaffing gave the refinery a reputation for being a hazardous workplace. Epa chemical accident investigation report tosco avon. Hydrocracker effluent pipe rupture, tosco, avon refinery, bp texas city lsomerisation unit explosion. The refinery is located on 2,200 acres, has approximately 650 fulltime employees, and has a crude oil capacity of 166,000 barrels per day. Join facebook to connect with fred vigil and others you may know. Hydrocracker construction rotterdam exxonmobil basestock. California oil refinery history california energy commission. Improved unit operations allows flexibility between gasoline and diesel production by maximizing yield cuts.
On february 23, 1999, a fire occurred in the crude unit at tosco corporation. The quarter that this accident occurred was the most profitable one on record. Hydrocracking is an important source of diesel and jet. Tosco now tesoro avon, ca june 6, 2000 a fire at the coker unit. Some of the injured were inside or near contractor trailers close to the hydrocracker unit. Refineries highlighted in light blue are currently idle and labeled idle.
Workers were attempting to replace piping attached to a 150foottall crude fractionator while the process unit was in operation. On 21 january, 1997, an explosion and fire occurred at the tosco avon refinery in martinez, california, when a section of effluent piping ruptured in a hydrocracker unit releasing flammable gases which instantly ignited. Pennzoil rouseville, pennsylvania, refinery 33 and the 1997 tosco avon refinery that documented the following. By the 1990s, a history of poor maintenance and understaffing gave the refinery a. Testimony of kim nibarger health and safety specialist. About 50 meters long and, with added platforms, 11 meters wide, the vacuum fractionation tower is the largest piece of equipment placed on the foundation intact. A safety video about the fatal april 2, 2010, explosion and fire at the tesoro refinery in anacortes, washington.
Oil well snubbing operation explosion oil exploration. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. The exxonmobil neardisaster you probably havent heard of. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A tosco operator was killed and 8 tosco and 38 contractor personnel were injured.
Oil workers killed by company neglect a wordpress site. Rmp marathon refinery hazardous materials programs. Tosco avon refinery martinez, california refinery fire incident kindle edition by csb chemical safety board. On february 23, 1999, a fire occurred at the tosco avon refinery in martinez, california. Ultramar diamond shamrock to buy toscos avon refinery. San francisco facts are emerging slowly about the massive january 21 explosion and fire at the tosco avon refinery in martinez, california, that killed one worker and injured 44 others. A new law in focus as india seeks to reclaim its shiprecycling glory. At least 64 people died at refineries in the 10 years before the bp explosion. Non highlighted refineries are no longer in operation and labeled closed. The unit breaks down diesel fuel for use as gasoline. During removal of the piping, naphtha was released onto the hot fractionator and ignited. The cause of the explosion and fire was a runaway temperature spike in a reactor and subsequent rupture of effluent.
Hydrocracker effluent pipe rupture, tosco, avon refinery, california, usa, january 21, 1997 bp texas city isomerisation unit explosion, texas, usa, march 23, 2005 incidents that define process safety. A hydrocracking unit, or hydrocracker, takes gas oil, which is heavier and has a higher boiling range than distillate fuel oil, and cracks the heavy molecules into distillate and gasoline in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst. Obtaining leak free bolted joint operation by returning to basics. Formerly known as the tesoro refinery, ultramar golden eagle refinery, tosco avon refinery, and phillips avon refinery. Operating practices the british r101 airship disaster, france, october 5, 1930 hydrocracker effluent pipe rupture, tosco, avon refinery, california, usa, january 21, 1997 bp texas city lsomerisation unit explosion, texas, usa, march 23, 2005 11. Bosses try to blame workers in oil blast the militant.
The militant 21797 facts emerge on oil explosion in. The disastrous fire particularly horrified county residents, where tosco had been the center of a controversy over refinery oversight laws for more than two years. On november 22, 2016, an isobutane release occurred in the sulfuric acid alkylation unit at the exxonmobil refinery in baton rouge, louisiana which resulted in four serious injuries to workers an. Oil workers killed by company neglect huge explosion rocks richmond oil refinery thousands ordered indoors 3 hurt responding to blast. Cnn 1 dead in explosion, fire at california refinery. Improving hydrocracker unit operations with the smart refinery the hydrocracker unit is an essential process for the overall refinery profitability in converting low value heavy feedstock into higher value fuels such as diesel and gasoline. Epa chemical accident investigation report, tosco avon. An explosion and fire occurred in the hydrocracker unit at the facility on jan.
The chemical safety and hazard investigation board csb recently released its final report on the fire saying that it could have been prevented by better management supervision of safety. At arco in channelview, texas in 1990, 17 workers were killed in an accident and in 1998. After explosion, tosco handed biggest fine for state. On february 23, 1999, four workers at the avon refinery in concord were burned to death after they tried to replace a leaky oil pipe. The san francisco chronicle reported 6 that one tosco employee, anthony creggett, claimed shortly after the fire that plant managers had refused a request by four workers to shut down the hightemperature distillation tower during the repairs on the pipe. Workers were attempting to replace piping attached to a 150foottall fractionator tower while the process unit was in operation. Naphtha was released from the flushing oil tank and caught on fire. Breaking major explosion at valero plant oil refinery fire crews scramble to the scene. The following is a list of all refinery deaths that the texas tribune and the houston chronicle could confirm after an exhaustive search that included osha records, government investigation reports, newspaper archives and legal filings. Breaking major explosion at valero plant oil refinery. A fivestory processing unit had burst open, spewing industrial ash over a mile away that some mistook for snow and propelling a 40ton hunk of equipment into the air. Rotterdam, april 2017 exxonmobil successfully completed the heavy lift of its vacuum fractionation tower for the hydrocracker at its rotterdam refinery this april.
An operator checking temperature readings on a panel located at the. Lower returns from the refinery compared with toscos other plants. The blast from the explosion blew out the windows of one trailer and the flames prevented workers from exiting the trailer door. In 1997, an explosion and fire in the avon hydrocracker killed one worker and injured about 25 others ogj, jan. In 1997 and again in 1999 the tosco avon refinery in california experienced fatal accidents. Tosco settles lawsuits related to refinery explosion oil. The men were part of a repair crew working on a 100foot tower, who were trapped after a fireball erupted.