Lessons from Silver Eagle: Metallurgical Failure, Inspection Oversight, and the Critical Role of Integrity Planning On 4 November 2009, a catastrophic explosion rocked the Silver Eagle Refinery in Woods Cross, Utah. The source: a sudden and violent rupture of a 10-inch carbon steel discharge line from the South Reactor (R30101) within the Mobil Distillate Dewaxing Unit (MDDW), releasing a large …
Credit: CSB On April 3, 2017, a catastrophic failure occurred at the Loy-Lange Box Company in St. Louis. A pressure vessel—the Semi-Closed Receiver (SCR), which stores hot condensate at 100 psig—violently ruptured. Propelled like a missile, it tore through the facility, launched through the roof at 120 mph, and crashed into a neighbouring building 520 feet away, killing four people …
The Importance of Integrity Operating Windows (IOWs) in Inspection Programmes
Training | Oct 22, 2024
On April 2, 2010, the catastrophic failure of a heat exchanger at the Tesoro Anacortes Refinery in Washington led to a deadly explosion, killing seven workers. The root cause was identified as High-Temperature Hydrogen Attack (HTHA), a damage mechanism that degrades steel when exposed to hydrogen at high temperatures and pressures. Although the equipment was operating under conditions deemed safe …
Mastering Technical Report Writing for Pressure Equipment Inspection and Assessment – In the field of pressure equipment inspection and assessment, the ability to produce a clear, accurate, and thorough technical report is an invaluable skill. These reports play a crucial role in documenting compliance, conveying the condition of critical equipment, and providing recommendations for maintenance or repair. A well-crafted report …
FITNESS FOR SERVICE ASSESSMENTS (FFSAs) UNDERSTANDING THE FOLIAS FACTOR We like to keep things simple on our FFS training courses at Wilkinson Coutts. In FFS codes, the term shells describes pipes, vessels, and tanks collectively. The FOLIAS factor (M) is a critical component in assessing these shells. So, what is it? It’s just a stress concentration factor to acknowledge …
HF Damage Mechanisms – the threat to your assets. The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board have issued the final report on a significant fire and related explosions that occurred in June 2019 at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Refinery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (CSB). The cause of the accident, which shut down a refinery that could produce …
What are the PSSRs and what do they cover? The Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR) cover the safe design and use of pressure systems with the aim to prevent serious injury from the hazard of stored energy (pressure) as a result of the failure of a pressure system or one of its component parts. The regulations are …