Washington State Issues Record Fine in Tesoro Refinery Explosion

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) determined that the explosion that killed seven workers at the Tesoro petroleum refinery in Anacortes, Washington could have been prevented. L&I fined the company $2.39 million for 39 “willful” violations and five “serious” violations of state workplace safety and health regulations. This is the largest fine in the agency’s history.

A heat exchanger at the refinery ruptured around 12:30 a.m., April 2, 2010, releasing hydrocarbon vapor that then ignited. The incident occurred during maintenance on the Naphtha Hydrotreater (NHT) process unit. During routine operations involving an on-line switching of unit heat exchanger feed trains, a feed-effluent heat exchanger catastrophically failed, due to high temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA), releasing a hot, pressurized flammable hydrocarbon/hydrogen mixture. Seven workers, five men and two women, died as a result. It is the worst industrial disaster in the 37 years that L&I has been enforcing the state’s workplace safety law, the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act.

The heat exchangers were nearly 40 years old and were subjected to extreme heat and pressure, wide temperature and pressure swings, extensive chemical exposure and a near doubling of production over the years. These are all stresses that can damage this equipment, including causing cracking.

From Washington L&I press release.

NTSB Says Corrosion Found on Marshall, Michigan Ruptured Pipe

Close-up view of the section of pipe containing rupture

In testimony to a U.S. House of Representatives committee today, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman provided an update on the progress of the NTSB's investigation into an oil spill in Marshall, Michigan in July. Investigators found corrosion on the exterior surface of the accident pipe piece and the second pipe piece, and found surface cracks and indications of corrosion on the ruptured pipe. Government investigators estimate that between 800,000 and 1 million gallons of oil spilled as a result of the Marshall pipeline rupture.

For the full trascript of Ms. Hersman's testimony, see here.

For more information on the pipeline incident, see here.

U.S. Probes Gulf Oil Fire Involving Paint Crew

Federal authorities are investigating the cause of a blaze that broke out Thursday (Sept. 2) while a 13-member painting and cleaning crew was working aboard an oil and natural-gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Coast Guard helicopters planned this weekend to survey the site of Mariner Energy Inc.’s Vermilion Block 380 platform, about 100 miles off the Louisiana coast, to determine whether the platform was leaking oil.

From SSPC's PaintSquare News.

Plains All American Pipeline to Pay $44.25M for Oil Spills

Cleanup in Homochitto National Forest in Mississippi;
photo courtesy of the US EPA.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Justice Department announced that Plains All American Pipeline and several of its operating subsidiaries have agreed to spend approximately $41 million to upgrade 10,420 miles of crude oil pipeline operated in the United States. The settlement resolves Plains’ Clean Water Act violations for 10 crude oil spills in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and requires the company to pay a $3.25 million civil penalty

Approximately 6,510 barrels (273,420 gallons) of crude oil were discharged from various pipelines and one tank owned and operated by Plains into navigable waters or adjoining shorelines in the states of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Most of the spills were caused by corrosion on the pipelines.

The $3,250,000 civil penalty will be paid to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.

From the EPA website.

Corrosion Found on Enbridge Pipeline Prior to Leak

Federal regulators say earlier tests found corrosion along the pipeline that sent thousands of gallons of oil rushing into the Kalamazoo River this week and that, as recently as two weeks ago, its owner was talking about replacing pipe sections. No cause for the spill has been released, and it was not immediately known whether problems found in the earlier testing were in the area of the spill, or whether that part of the pipe was targeted for replacement.

Enbridge's Line 6B response website here.

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration corrective action order here (PDF, 322k).

National Transportation Safety Board announcement here.

From Detroit Free Press.

Onshore Oil and Gas Industry Leads Industrial Maintenance Coatings Segment

According to the “U.S. Paint & Coatings Industry Market Analysis (2008-2013),” which was published by The American Coatings Association (ACA) and The Chemark Consulting Group, Inc., industrial maintenance coatings accounted for approximately five percent of the volume of paint sold in the U.S. and about six percent of the total value of paint sales.

U.S. Census data revealed that total industrial maintenance shipments for 2008 were 73.3 million gallons equaling $1,225.3 million. This represents a slight decrease in volume of three percent and a one percent decrease in value over 2007.

Commercial architectural is the fastest-growing end-use segment of industrial maintenance coatings. This segment also commands the highest gross profit margins, according to the report.

From Coatings World.

Onshore Oil and Gas Industry Leads Industrial Maintenance Coatings Segment

According to the “U.S. Paint & Coatings Industry Market Analysis (2008-2013),” which was published by The American Coatings Association (ACA) and The Chemark Consulting Group, Inc., industrial maintenance coatings accounted for approximately five percent of the volume of paint sold in the U.S. and about six percent of the total value of paint sales.

U.S. Census data revealed that total industrial maintenance shipments for 2008 were 73.3 million gallons equaling $1,225.3 million. This represents a slight decrease in volume of three percent and a one percent decrease in value over 2007.

Commercial architectural is the fastest-growing end-use segment of industrial maintenance coatings. This segment also commands the highest gross profit margins, according to the report.

From Coatings World.

FAQ: The Science and History of Oil Spills

Interesting information about oil spills in a FAQ format at livescience.com.

Shale Gas

Interesting video explaining the process of shale exploration here.

Shale gas has become an increasingly more important source of natural gas in the United States over the past decade. ... Although shale gas has been produced for more than 100 years in the Appalachian Basin and the Illinois Basin of the United States, the wells were often economically marginal. Higher natural gas prices in recent years and advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal completions have made shale gas wells more profitable. Shale gas tends to cost more to produce than gas from conventional wells, because of the expense of massive hydraulic fracturing treatments required to produce shale gas, and of horizontal drilling. However, this is often offset by the low risk of shale gas wells.

From Wikipedia.

Plans on Schedule for First New Refinery in U.S. since 1970's

From Energy Pipeline News:

The US currently has 150 existing refineries, 141 operating with nine idle. Hyperion Resources began construction of the nation's first new oil refinery since 1976 on 3,800 acres of farmland near Elk Point, South Dakota.

The Dallas-based developers say that they plan to get shovels into the ground in 2011, and that Hyperion will be refining Canadian tar sands crude into gasoline and diesel by 2015.

Opposition groups such as Save Union County and the Sierra Club plan to ask the Environmental Protection Agency to step in and review concerns about air permits.

Learn the latest on distribution integrity management plans (DIMP)

As part of Pipeline Integrity Month in January 2010, NACE International is bringing the Data and Integrity Management Workshop to Houston.  This half day event will cover topics on external corrosion direct assessment (ECDA) and data integration management plans. The Data and Integrity Management Workshop is being held in conjunction with PIMS Houston 2010: Investigating the 80% Rule. The combined events allow you to save on travel costs while learning how to reduce the risk of corrosion and other defects impacting pipeline integrity and safety in one location.   With registration to the Data & Integrity Management Workshop the Pipeline Integrity Web Series in January 2010 is FREE (a $200 value).   Technical Program Highlights: -   Integrated Engineering with Guided Wave and Other        Advanced Assessment Techniques -   Quality Data Collection Recognition -   ECDA: Direct Examination - Data Collection        During Excavations -   ECDA and Data Integration -   Gas Distribution Integrity Management Plan (DIMP) -   Cased Crossing Monitoring and Criteria When: January 25, 2009 Time: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Where: JW Marriott Houston 5150 Westheimer Houston, Texas 77056  Quick Links: Travel Hotel Events Event Sponsor:                               Register Today! Register by January 5th and save $75!

Massive Oil Spill Results in Improved Wildlife Viscosity

More here.