Chevron response to fire threat probed

[alp227]

Source: SF Chronicle

Investigators looking into the fire at the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond suspect that heat insulation around a leaking pipe contributed to the disaster by masking the extent of the danger until it was too late, The Chronicle has learned.

By underestimating the size of the leak, initially believed to be about 20 drips per minute, officials kept operating the refinery's large crude unit, where crude oil is separated under heat reaching 1,100 degrees.

When the insulation was being removed to make the repair, what the company assumed was a small leak "broke loose" and a large amount of hot and volatile diesel-like hydrocarbon spurted out and quickly ignited, said Randy Sawyer, chief of the Contra Costa County hazardous materials unit.

The company has been criticized for running the plant for two hours Monday afternoon after a worker first spotted the leak. The company's account of the events, released Thursday, did not address the nature of the leak other than to say it was being evaluated at the time of the blast with fire crews on standby.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Chevron-response-to-fire-threat-probed-3777488.php

[Le Taz Hot]

1. I was listening to KPFA (Berkley)

the other day and and there was a panel discussing the town hall meeting that Chevron had quickly called in response to the explosion.

Apparently, Chevron tried to blame the explosion on -- are you ready? -- the environmentalists! Apparently, the big mean environmentalists fought against some sort of "improvements" on the facility which were environmentally unsound. They were called on their bullshit as those improvements had nothing to do with the thing that caught fire. (Am I getting too technical here?)

Additionally, there were air quality control people from the City of Richmond who claimed that there was minimal environmental impact. Pretty hard to believe considering the plume of black smoke billowing from the plant and people going to the emergency room claiming they were having a hard time breathing. There were a few other politicians who basically sat there and watched the floor, never asking questions and never answering them.

Only a fraction of the public were allowed to speak and they called an end to the meeting early.

[lunatica]

2. That's OK. We, the "environmentalists" will just pay more for gas

Problem solved. They don't have to dip into their profits to fix their incompetence. Just like the Gulf of Mexico.

What's to complain about?

[Dustlawyer]

3. Having litigated these refinery fires/explosions (BP Texas City where 15 killed + 1,000's

injured) I know these plants will fire a worker w/o safety glasses etc., but when it comes to Process Safety (keeping the equipment up and shutting down at the 1st sign of a leak), that costs money so they cut corners. They knew that hydrocarbons were flowing through that pipe. Containment of the Product is their number one job! They budget what it costs for killing their own workers (BP), and make decisions based on $.

[Smilo]

4. Isn't it strange how these refineries always seem

to have something go wrong about the same time each year.

Poor maintenance track record - hmmm don't think so, more like keeping the price high and gouging the American public again.