BP AMOCO EXPLOSION MARCH 05

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BP AMOCO EXPLOSION MARCH 05 15
DEAD 100 INJURED 30 PUBLIC INJURED 8 IN CRITICAL
CONDITION
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Details Available so far Location was Texas
City, about 35 miles southeast of Houston. BP
AMOCO Refinery is on 1,200 acres with 30 refinery
units and is 71 years old. It is the USAs third
largest refinery. It is BPs largest plant, and
the USAs third largest.
Explosion was a believed to be the result of an
Unconfined Vapour Cloud Explosion from a release
of Benzene/Heptane from a Raffinate Splitter on a
180 kL/hr Isomerisation Unit.
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This photographer captured a before and after
photograph of the initial blast.
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Most of the damage to the process unit was
thermal (from the fire which ensued after the
explosion).
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The fire was extinguished by nightfall. A
portion of the plant was reduced to a pile of
smouldering, gnarled metal (L.A. Times)
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Of those killed, 11 worked for companies
servicing a different part of the Refinery
entirely.This photo shows the temporary offices
at the bottom, and a storehouse near the top of
the photo. Several people died in this
temporary office trailer which was used for
Safety Briefings, Progress Meetings,and
ConsultationamongSupervisors. The
temporaryoffices was within 50 metresof the
blast zone
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The decision on where to place such trailers
would be a big part of the investigation, Im
sure BP Spokesman Bill Stevens (NY Times)
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Chemical Safety and Hazard Board Investigator
John Bresland noted two blast-proof control
rooms at the site suffered minimal damage
(Houston Chronicle)
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It is believed that a car being started may have
provided the source of ignition for the
explosive vapour cloud
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The heat from the fire was so intense that
several cars in the nearby parking lot exploded
into flames.
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Pedro Albaladejo (spare parts dealership nearby)
said the explosion sounded like a bomb going
off. This picture shows the initial blast
damage to the Storehouse, adjacent to the
portable offices.
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The initial blast appears to have been the cause
of most of the loss of life and equipment damage.

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Internal damage to buildings for up to 8 kms was
experienced. Ceilings were damaged in
offices.The blast forced schoolchildren to
cower under their desks (Wires)

Windows were blown in At local homes several kms
away, and windows were rattled up to 8 kms away.
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The total cost of this incident is expected to
reach US 1 Billion