(230b) Bp Amoco Texas City Incident

Abstract

Lessons from Texas City Michael P. Broadribb

A major incident occurred in March 2005 on the Isomerization Unit at the BP refinery in Texas City, Texas, one of the largest refineries in the USA.

An explosion occurred when heavier than air hydrocarbon vapors combusted after coming into contact with an ignition source, probably a running vehicle engine. The hydrocarbons originated from liquid overflow from a blowdown stack following the operation of the Raffinate Splitter overpressure protection system caused by overfilling and overheating of the tower contents. The severity of the incident was increased by the presence of many people congregated in and around temporary trailers, which were sited close to the process unit.

This paper will explain how and why the incident occurred, the general lessons learned, the actions taken to prevent recurrence, and highlight some wider messages for the industry.