PA Refinery Blast Released 2.5 Tons Hydroflouric Acid; Failed Pipe Half The Thickness Of Credit Card

Philadelphia dodged several potential catastrophes during a dramatic June 21 refinery blast, which released about 5,239 pounds of deadly chemical and launched pieces of shrapnel as large as a truck hurtling across the 1,300-acre refinery complex, according to a federal findings released Wednesday.

The disaster at Philadelphia Energy Solutions complex began with the early morning failure of an elbow section of pipe that had corroded to half the thickness of a credit card, according to investigators for the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB). In a matter of minutes, the fire triggered three successive explosions, the largest of which blew a fuel tank into massive projectiles, including one weighing 19 tons that traveled 2,100 feet and landed on the opposite bank of the Schuylkill.

The failure of a section of pipe was similar to a 2012 accident at a Chevron refinery in Richmond, Calif., after which the CSB recommended that refinery operators inspect all components of the piping systems. That was not done at PES, said Kristen Kulinowski, the CSB’s interim executive.

The agency’s report is the first to confirm the release of toxic hydrofluoric acid, a material used as a catalyst in the alkylation unit that was destroyed in the blast. “The board remains concerned that the next time there is a major explosion at a refinery that uses HF for alkylation, workers and those living nearby will not be so lucky,” Kulinowski said. “By their nature, refineries are high hazard operations and it is imperative that they are run and managed with the most robust of safety management systems.”

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https://www.post-gazette.com/business/powersource/2019/10/16/Aging-thin-pipe-cause-Philadelphia-refinery-fire/stories/201910160138