Hydrocarbon-chemical industries

Loss of containment due to mechanical failure or misoperation is a major cause of chemical process accidents. The publication. One Hundred Largest Losses A Thiiiy Year Review of Propeity Damage Losses in the Hydrocarbon Chemical Industry, 9th ed. (M M Protection Consultants, Chicago), cites loss of containment as the leading cause of property loss in the chemical process industries. 

A common cause of a BLE T] in plants of the hydrocarbon-chemical industry is exposure to fire. With an external fire below the liquid level in a vessel, the heat of vaporization provides a heat sink, as with a teakettle evolved vapors exit tnrough the relief valve. But if the flame impinges on the vessel above the liquid level, the metal will weaken and may cause the vessel to rupture suddenly, even with the relief valve open. The explosive energy for a BLE T] comes from superheat. This energy is at a maximum at the superheat hmit temperature. (SLT is the maximum temperature to which a hquid can be heated before homogeneous nucleation occurs with explosive vaporization of the hquid and accompanying overpressure.) The SLT... 

J H Marsh and McLendon (M M, 1997), every five years, reviews and analyzes the 100 largest properly damage losses in the hydrocarbon- chemical industries that occurred over the previous 30 years. Most of the losses involved fires or explosions, flood, windstorm, and pressure rupture losses. 

M M, 1997, Large Property Damage Losses in the Hydrocarbon-Chemical Industries A Thirty-year Review, J H Marsh and McLennon, New York, NY. 

One Hundred Largest Losses—A Thirty Year Review of Property Damage Losses in the Hydrocarbon-Chemical Industries, 9th edition, M M Protection Consultants, Chicago, 1986. 

Nevertheless, accidents and unintended chemical releases pose serious financial risks to the chemical and petrochemical industry. In 1984 there were five major accidents in the hydrocarbon-chemical industries, totaling an estimated loss of 268 million. Hundreds of lesser accidents occur yearly. The total annual cost to the industry of accidents and unintended chemical releases is difficult to quantify. It includes significant costs owing to interruption... 

Figure 1-9 Loss distribution for onshore accidents for 5-year intervals over a 30-year period. (There were also 7 offshore accidents in this 30-year period.) Source Large Property Damage Losses in the Hydrocarbon-Chemical Industries A Thirty-Year Review (New York J H Marsh McLennan Inc., 1998), p. 2. Used by permission of Marsh Inc.

A Thirty Year Review of One Hundred of the Largest Property Damage Losses in the Hydrocarbon-Chemical Industry, 11th ed. (Chicago Marsh and McLennan Protection Consultants, 1988). 

Marsh McLennan s Large Property Damage Losses in the Hydrocarbon-Chemical Industries—A Thirty-Year Review reported the property damage was 23 million and the business interruption loss associated with the incident was estimated at 44 million. 

A Thirty Year Review of Large Property Damage Losses In the Hydrocarbon-Chemical Industries is periodically published. M M Protection Consultants compiles and develops excellent two- to five-paragraph summaries of major losses in industries all over the world. Nearly all of the losses involve fires and explosions. [21]... 

A booklet entitled Large Property Damage Losses in the Hydrocarbon-Chemical Industry—A Thirty Year Review continues to be an excellent source of information on major incidents. This publication is prepared by Marsh s Risk Consulting and offers a paragraph or two on large property losses from incidents occurring around... 

Another report. Marsh. McLennan s "Large Property Damage Losses in the Hydrocarbon—Chemical Industries—a Thirty Year Review," estimated that there was approximately 7.35 bilhon worth of property damage during that 30-year period. That estimate does not include the cost of business intermption, extra e enses, fines, penalties, employee injuries, or liability claims. Of that amount, approximately 51.8 million were attributed to operational errors that led directly to the losses. ... 

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