Hello Hlg111,
The results of my research are as follows:
BUNCEFIELD OIL DEPOT
December 2005
Overflowing petrol blamed for Buncefield depot blast
?HUNDREDS of tonnes of petrol gushed unnoticed for 40 minutes from a
faulty tank before it ignited and caused the huge explosion at the
Buncefield oil depot in December, an investigation has found.?
?Some of the unleaded petrol evaporated to form a shimmering white
cloud, which investigators said was clearly visible from CCTV
footage.?
?The cloud was then ignited by an unknown source, perhaps a spark from
a generator at a nearby car park, pumphouse, or even a passing car,
triggering the largest explosion in Britain since the Second World
War.?
The report from the Buncefield, Hertfordshire, investigation board
stopped short of considering blame to avoid prejudicing any criminal
prosecution or civil legal action that might result from the incident.
But it did confirm that a filling gauge on a fuel tank at the
Buncefield terminal got stuck, allowing an estimated 300 tonnes of
petrol to spill out.
Hi-tech systems that should have automatically stopped fuel being
pumped into the tank also failed, the report added.
?? about 300 tonnes of unleaded petrol leaked out. He said a large
vapour cloud would have formed. "Closed circuit television footage
show a white mist emerging at 5:38am and spreading out.?
"Seismological evidence shows that the main explosion occurred at
06.01:32. Eyewitness accounts also describe the main explosion being
followed by a number of smaller explosions."
Read the complete article here:
The Scotsman
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=698542006
Read more here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Hertfordshire_Oil_Storage_Terminal_fire
=========================
Bellingham, Washington
June 10, 1999
?On June 10, 1999, the Olympic Pipeline ruptured in Whatcom Falls Park
near Whatcom Creek, leaking 237,000 US gallons (897 m³) of gasoline
into the creek. The pipeline carries gasoline, diesel and jet fuel
from refineries near Ferndale to locations as far south as Portland,
including all the fuel for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The
vapor layer from the spill overcame an 18 year old man who was fishing
in the creek. An explosion was somehow set off and burned over a mile
(1.6 km) of the creek bed and sent a black smoke cloud over 30,000
feet (10 km) into the air. Two younger boys died the next day due to
extensive burns from proximity to the blast. Although some buildings
were destroyed, due to road closures and evacuations around the creek,
there were no further fatalities. The explosion resulted in over $45
million in property damage. Several years later, the families of the
pipeline victims sued Olympic Pipeline Company and settled for around
$100 million in damages, which they pledged would help support
pipeline safety and provide legal representation for pipeline accident
victims.?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellingham,_Washington
At about that time, Bellingham firefighters were already investigating
reports of a gasoline smell in the creek. They found a vapor cloud 10
feet in the air. It shimmered, much like the horizon on a hot day.
http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000wOW
=========================
Bear Creek, Georgia
May 30, 1997,
?Bear Creek, Georgia: On May 30, 1997, Colonial spilled approximately
18,900 gallons (450 barrels) of gasoline, some of which entered an
unnamed creek and its adjoining shoreline in the Bear Creek watershed
near Athens, Ga. During the spill, a vapor cloud of gasoline formed,
causing several Colonial employees to flee for safety. This spill
resulted from a calculation error related to a regular procedure. No
one checked the calculations, nor did Colonial have a procedure in
place to check such calculations.?
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:VN8TDACsnDsJ:www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/cwa/colonialfs.pdf+epa+vapor+cloud+gasoline+spill+OR+leak&hl=en&gl=cl&ct=clnk&cd=1
=========================
Vapor Cloud Explosion
January 7, 1983
Newark, New Jersey, United States
?Pipeline gasoline was being received into a 42,000-barrel internal
floating roof tank at a products terminal when an overfill occurred,
spilling about 1,300 barrels into the tank dike. A slight wind (1 to 5
mph) carried the developing vapor cloud about 1,000 feet to a drum
reconditioning plant where an incinerator provided the ignition source.
The resulting explosion caused $10,000,000 damage to the terminal
and up to $25,000,000 in over 2,000 claims to rail rolling stock and
adjacent properties. Although dikes contained the burning spill to
the tank that was overfilled, two adjoining internal floating roof
tanks and a smaller transmix tank ignited and eventually were
destroyed along with 120,000 barrels of product. Since the burning
tanks presented little exposure to other facilities, the fire was
allowed to burn itself out.?
------------------
Vapor Cloud Explosion
September 30, 1984
Basile, Louisiana, United States
$30,000,000 $43,000,000
?Failure of a threaded 1-1/2 inch drain connection on a rich oil line
at the base of an absorber tower in a large (135 MMscfd) gas
producing plant allowed the release of rich oil and gas at 850 psi at
-40°F. The resulting vapor cloud probably ignited from the ignition
system of engine driven recompressors. The 75 foot high by 10 foot
diameter absorber tower eventually collapsed across the piperack
and on two exchanger trains. Breaking pipelines added more fuel to
the fire. Severe flame impingement on an 11,000-horsepower gas
turbine driven compressor-waste heat recovery and super-heater
train resulted in its near destruction.?
------------------
December 21, 1985
Naples, Italy
?Twenty-four of the 32 tanks at a large government owned marine
petroleum products terminal were destroyed by a fire that began
with a tank overfill. Twenty-seven thousand tons (715,000 barrels)
of gasoline and fuel oil was being oil loaded into tanks, which
reportedly were equipped with high-liquid-level gauges.
A large spill developed followed by a vapor cloud, which was ignited
by an unknown source. Almost immediately 20 of the tanks were
involved in a massive fire covering 3.7 acres. The devastating
explosion destroyed the terminal buildings and extensively damaged
nearby industrial and residential structures. Tank piping failed, contributing
more fuel to the fire. The main firefighting control center
as well as electric and engine-driven fire pumps and foam lines
were disabled. Efforts to extinguish the fire were handicapped by
intense heat radiation and by debris from the explosion.?
See Largest Property Damage Losses Chart on page 9 in this publication.
Includes: Date, Location, Plant Type, Event Type, and PD Loss ($MM)
Note: VCE stands for vapor cloud explosion
Source:
The 100 Largest Losses 1972-2001
Marsh Risk Consulting
Published 2003
Download here:
http://www.marshriskconsulting.com/Load/article_452602.pdf
=========================
3 WORKERS KILLED BY FIRE IN INDIANA GASOLINE SPILL
Published: August 3, 1985
?A gasoline leak from a ruptured pipeline erupted today into a
200-foot fireball that killed three people working to clean up the
spill."
NEw York Times
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C07E4D91038F930A3575BC0A963948260
=========================
Related information:
Vapor cloud explosion: ?An explosion resulting from the ignition of a
cloud of flammable vapor, gas, or mist in which flame speeds
accelerate to sufficiently high velocities to produce significant
overpressure.?
?The probability of an explosion from a gasoline pipeline, even in the
event of a large leak or spill, is remote. Although a flash fire and
subsequent pool fire can result from a large gasoline spill, the
probability of a true explosion with overpressures that cause damage
and injury by blast effects is remote.?
EPA
http://www.epa.gov/region6//6en/xp/lppchap6.pdf
=========================
Search terms:
Gasoline OR petrol spill vapour OR vapor clouds OR cloud explosion
Gasoline spill OR spills OR leak OR leaks vapour OR vapor cloud explosion
I hope the information provided is helpful!
Best regards,
Bobbie7 |
Clarification of Answer by
bobbie7-ga
on
21 Jul 2006 10:47 PDT
Hello again Hlg111,
I located the following incidents:
Denver Stapleton airport - November 25, 1990
?About 0915 mountain standard time, on Sunday, November 25, 1990, a fire
erupted at a fuel storage and dispensing facility about 1.8 miles from the
main terminal of Stapleton International Airport at Denver, Colorado. The
facility, referred to as a fuel farm, was operated by United Airlines and
Continental Airlines. From the time firefighting efforts were initiated
immediately after the fire erupted until the fire was extinguished, a total
of 634 firefighters, 47 fire units, and 4 contract personnel expended
56 million gallons of water and 28,000 gallons of foam concentrate. The fire
burned for about 48 hours. Of the 5,185,000 gallons of fuel stored in tanks
at the farm before the fire, about 3 million gallons were either consumed by
the fire or lost as a result of leakage from the tanks. Total damage was
estimated by United Airlines to have been between $15 and $20 million. No
injuries or fatalities occurred as a result of the fire.?
National Transportation Safety Board
http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/1991/A91_103.pdf
==============================
January 21, 1968
Shell Pernis Refinery - Netherlands
?Hot oil and water emulsion in oil refinery slop tanks at Shell?s Pernis
refinery in the Netherlands reacts with volatile portion of hydrocarbon
slop, causing violent vapor release and boilover. Ensuing refinery fire
rages over 30 acres. Two killed, 85 injured. At the refinery, two wax
cracking units, a naphtha cracking unit, a sulfur plant, and 80 storage
tanks are destroyed or damaged. Off-premises damage occurs as far as
9.5 miles from the site. Total estimated financial losses range from $97
million to more than $120 million.?
http://www.civicleagueforncc.org/ap_a_rtd.pdf
==============================
Olympic Pipe Line
May 2004
?A pinhole-sized leak caused by wear unleashed thousands of gallons of
gasoline that fueled the Olympic Pipe Line fire and explosion near
Westfield Shopping town Southcenter early Sunday, investigators said
yesterday. But the source of the spark that ignited the gas remained
unknown.?
??The leak of 3,300 to 10,000 gallons of gas occurred at the company's
Renton pumping station on Lind Avenue Southwest, just east of the
Southcenter warehouse complex.?
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/174862_olympic25.html
?The Olympic Pipe Line Co. shut down its entire system to contain a
leak at a small branch of a petroleum pipeline that exploded here
yesterday morning.
Fire investigators say they are unsure what caused the blast, but
speculated that an electrical spark could have ignited fumes that were
caused by an already leaking pipeline. Gasoline was flowing through
the pipeline at the time of the accident.?
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/174688_pipeline24.html
==============================
Storage Tank Explosion and Fire in
Glenpool, Oklahoma
April 7, 2003
Download complete report here:
http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2004/PAR0402.pdf
==============================
Rupture of Enbridge Pipeline and Release of Crude Oil
near Cohasset, Minnesota
July 4, 2002
Download complete report here:
http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2004/PAR0401.pdf
==============================
I already mentioned the Bellingham disaster however this comprehensive
report supplies additional details.
Pipeline Rupture and Subsequent Fire in Bellingham, Washington
June 10, 1999
Download complete report here:
http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2002/PAR0202.pdf
==============================
Oil pipeline explosion kills over 100 people in Nigeria
22-06-03
http://www.gasandoil.com/goc/company/cna32876.htm
==============================
Williams Pipe Line Company Liquid Pipeline Rupture and Fire Mounds
Views, Minnesota
July 8, 1986
?Unleaded gasoline was released from the longitudinal seam of an
8-inch steel pipeline operated by Williams Pipe Line Company on July
8, 1986, in Mounds View, MN. Gasoline flowing down neighborhood
streets ignited about 20 minutes after the break and spread through
the neighborhood. Two persons were severely burned and later died. One
other person suffered serious burns. Property damage was estimated at
$1.4 million and both soil and water pollution occurred as a result of
the 493 barrels spilled. The pipeline, installed in 1957-58 was being
operated at 1,434 psig. (2) OPS was criticized for the lack of a field
force to respond to such accidents. This resulted in a dramatic
increase in the number of inspectors assigned to each of the five
regions. Also, as a result of this accident, a number of legislative
proposals were introduced in Congress to improve pipeline safety,
including some which would require use of instrumented pigs, although
the Williams failure could not have been prevented by pigging.?
http://ops.dot.gov/init/rsrch/2001PigConf_OPSpaper.htm
==============================
Houston Fuel Oil Terminal Co
Aug 2002
?Storage tank containing 30,000 bbls of residual fuel oil explodes at Houston
Fuel Oil Terminal Co., a 50%-owned Shell joint venture specializing in
oil handling and storage in Houston, Texas. The explosion and fire produced
a dark, billowing cloud of soot and smoke that rose more than a
mile into the air. It took five hours and 20 fire and foam trucks to extinguish
the blaze. About a dozen workers were evacuated from the site
during the fire. Although the tank did not collapse, the roof caved in.
?We were very fortunate there were no injuries to our people and that
we were able to quickly isolate the fire to one tank,? said Willis Rossler,
CEO of the company. There were about 80 other tanks in the area,
located along the Houston Ship Channel, which was shut down for a
few hours during the blaze. The cause of the explosion was believed to
be a failed joint on a pipe supplying the tank. Property damage was
estimated in the ?millions of dollars.?
http://www.civicleagueforncc.org/ap_a_rtd.pdf
==============================
April 16, 1980 - Williams Pipeline Company gasoline line exploded and
burned at Roseville,
Minnesota.
January 30, 1980 - There was a petroleum products rupture and fire of
the Puerto Rico Pipeline
Company in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
July 23, 1985 - The Continental Pipe Line Company line ruptured and
burned in Kaycee, Wyoming.
Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council
http://www.efsec.wa.gov/oplarchive/DEIS/Appdx/app'a.pdf
==============================
Thank you for your patience.
Sincerely,
Bobbie7
|
