Failure tanker

Crude oil and gas from offshore platforms are evacuated by pipeline or alternatively, in the case of oil, by tanker. Pipeline transport is the most common means of evacuating hydrocarbons, particularly where large volumes are concerned. Although a pipeline may seem a fairly basic piece of equipment, failure to design a line for the appropriate capacity, or to withstand operating conditions over the field life time, can prove very costly in terms of deferred oil production. 

On heating up, thermal expansion of a liquid in sealed piping, equipment or a container may exert sufficient hydraulic pressure to cause rupture or failure. (Hence specific filling ratios are followed with containers, e.g. road tankers.)... 

Close tanker valve Operation omitted (08) Tanker valve not closed 4.2.1 Failure to close tanker valve would result in pressure not being detected during the pressure check in 4.2.1... 

Vent and purge lines Operation omitted (08) Operation incomplete (09) Lines not fully purged 4.2.4 Failure of operator to detect pressure in lines could lead to leak when tanker connections broken... 

Close tanker valve Independent check on action. Use checklist Ensure operator is aware of consequences of failure Valve position indicator would reduce probability of error... 

Anon., CISHC Chem. Safety Summ., 1974-5, 45—46, 2-3 Two horns after a road tanker had crashed, causing the load of liquid ethylene to leak, one of the tyres of the tanker burst and ignited the spill, eventually causing the whole tanker to explode. The tyre failed because it froze and became embrittled, and it is known that such failure of steel-braced tyres gives off showers of sparks. This could therefore be a common ignition source in cryogenic transportation spillage incidents. 

Pacific Ocean, Tanker, Explosion/Fire Tanker structural failure... 

Structural failure of 121,000 dwt. Crude oil tanker during incorrect ballasting led to a release of contents resulting in explosions and fires. 

After discussion on this block has been completed, other blocks are subject to a similar examination. The loading of the tanker will be interesting, and will raise issues of possible overfilling, containment of spillages, drive-away accidents (when the tanker drives off before proper disconnection of hoses) and failure of plant operating procedures, as well as many of the fire scenarios dealt with previously. 

Corrosion has a tremendous effect on the environment in the sense corrosion-related failure of oil pipelines or gas pipelines or oil tankers can have very detrimental effect on the environment in the form of water and air pollution, leading to the demise of aquatic life. Corrosion-related accidents can in principle destroy natural fauna or flora since these are irreplaceable. 

There are many sources of petroleum pollution in the seas and oceans. These include failures of tankers and drilling platforms as well as dumping of ballast and clearing waters. 

In 1974 there was the failure of the American tanker Transheron , which had on board 25,000 tons of petroleum. About 3,500 tons of petroleum flowed out from the holes in the tanker in only the first week. A huge petroleum slick covered the area of ten square kilometers and moved slowly towards the coastal city of the South Indian State of Kerala. 

The sad list of tanker failures could go on, but their share in petroleum pollution of seas and oceans is not big. Three times more petroleum is released due to dumping of the water used in washing tanker tanks into the sea or oceans. Also, four times more pollution comes from the waste water of petrochemical factories and almost the same amount of petroleum is released by the disasters that occur at sea platforms. 

In 1993, the oil tanker Braer went aground, discharging about a 100,000 ton cargo onto the ecosystem of Shetland Islands to the north of Scotland. The accident resulted from the failure of a marine propulsion system after seawater was ingested in the storm. The blame for this rests on the cost-cutting practices endemic in the industry. 

Liquefied gas is another major hazard. In the recent (1984) Mexico City explosion, 500 or more people were killed. A road tanker accident in Spain in 1978 killed 150. A tank failure in Ohio, USA, in 1944 killed 130. 

Most BLEVEs occur with storage vessels, rail or road tankers containing a pressure liquefied gas if they are exposed to a fire or mechanical load, for example following crash or derailment. Furthermore a BLEVE may result from a spontaneous vessel failure. 

The failure of a filling or unloading line attached to a road tanker of, say, 18 ton, capacity has been identified as an event which is representative of the foreseeable sizes of release from a typical installation. Severance of the line, e.g. by tanker moving while it is being filled or unloaded, would cause the release of sulphur trioxide. The SO3 released will spread in a pool, reacting violently with any water present, either in or on the ground, until all the water is used up. The result will be the production of a large cloud of dense sulphuric acid mist. Once the readily available water has been used up, the pool of sulphur trioxide will continue to emit sulphuric acid mist fumes from reaction with moisture in the air. This will continue until all the sulphur trioxide is used up or remedial measures have been taken. Trials by ICI with 65% oleum... 

The flame tanks had varying success in the subsequent fighting on Luzon. Sometimes they burned out the enemy other times they were stymied by their vulnerability to the heavier Japanese weapons. There were few mechanical difficulties and, in spite of heavy rains, no ignition failures. Although infantrymen and tankers were enthusiastic about the flame tanks ability to rout the enemy from strong positions, these combat tests indicated that the thinly armored light tank was not a satisfactory mount for the flame thrower. ... 

Fire of fuel tanker (oiler) Operation Fire Fuel tanker (oiler) Oil Improper drain Id Failure control (drain without bonding fire), human error... 

Gas-oil tanker Gasoil Reaction - Human error, control failure... 

In 1993, an oil tanker named "Braer" carrying 84,700 tons of Norwegian Gullfaks crude oil and about 1500 tons of heavy bunker oil following its engine failure ran aground in severe weather conditions and lost its entire cargo of oil [17]. 

What were the percentages of incidences of oil tanker spills greater than 700 tons for the following causes hull failure, grounding, and equipment failure ... 

Rail and Road Tanker Failure Modes and Failure Consequences... 

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