A dynamic HAZOP case study using the Texas City refinery explosion

Isimite, Joseph; Rubini, Philip; Isimite, Joseph Ogochukwu

Abstract

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. The catastrophic explosion that occurred at Texas City on 23 March 2005 during the start-up of the raffinate splitter resulted in an estimated 15 deaths and 180 injuries. Since the incident, several studies have investigated the root causes of the disaster. Some contributing factors to the incident include wider organisational, process safety management, and human elements. There have also been some attempts to model the sequence of events before the incident, and the consequences of the resulting fires and explosions. This study provides a dynamic model of the sequence of events leading up to the incident and replicates the reported process variables during the isomerisation unit start-up on the day of the incident. The resulting simulation model is used as the framework for a dynamic hazard and operability (HAZOP) study.

Citation

Isimite, J., Rubini, P., & Isimite, J. O. (2016). A dynamic HAZOP case study using the Texas City refinery explosion. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, 40(March), 496-501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlp.2016.01.025

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 27, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jan 30, 2016
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Mar 1, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 1, 2016
• Journal: Journal of loss prevention in the process industries
• Print ISSN: 0950-4230
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-3352
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 40
• Issue: March
• Pages: 496-501
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlp.2016.01.025
• Keywords: Texas City, Dynamic simulation, HAZOP, Process hazard analysis
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/411888
• Publisher URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950423016300237
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: A dynamic HAZOP case study using the Texas City refinery explosion; Journal Title: Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jlp.2016.01.025; Content Type: article; Copyright: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.