2010 Tesoro Anacortes Refinery disaster

The 2010 Tesoro Anacortes Refinery disaster was an industrial accident that occurred at the Tesoro Anacortes Refinery in Anacortes, Washington on April 2, 2010. Seven workers received fatal burns in an explosion and ensuing fire when a heat exchanger violently ruptured after a maintenance restart.[1]

Tesoro Anacortes Refinery disaster
The Tesoro Anacortes Refinery
Date2 April 2010
Time00:30 PDT
LocationTesoro Anacortes Refinery, Anacortes, Washington
Coordinates48.493°N 122.565°W / 48.493; -122.565
Causerupture of a heat exchanger
Casualties
7 dead

Explosion

At 12:30 a.m. on April 2, while personnel were performing post-maintenance heat exchanger restart operations, a heat exchanger on an adjacent bank catastrophically and violently ruptured. The pressure-containing shell of the heat exchanger burst at its weld seams, expelling a large volume of very hot hydrogen and naphtha, which spontaneously ignited upon contact with the surrounding air.[1] The ensuing explosion was so violent that many in Anacortes felt the shock wave across Fidalgo Bay. A giant fireball lit up the sky above the refinery, and a plume of black smoke was pushed toward the town by a southeast wind. It took about 90 minutes to put the fire out.[2][3]

Aftermath

Tesoro agreed to pay millions to families of the victims, but as of 2020 the company continued to fight a fine and government accusations that it willfully put its workers in harm's way.[4][5]

The Tesoro refinery had been fined $85,700 in 2009 for 17 "serious" safety violations — meaning there was a risk of "death or serious physical injury" from each violation. Those fines were later reduced to three violations and a $12,250 settlement.[6]

According to the final report released by the CSB, the explosion was caused by high temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA), which severely cracked and weakened carbon steel tubing and led to the rupture. As a result, the CSB recommended the state adopt more rigorous process safety management attributes and features based on the team's regulatory analysis. The Nelson curve for carbon steel was also reduced, prohibiting the use of the material in processes that operate in temperatures above 400 degrees Fahrenheit.[7]

The accident was the state's worst industrial disaster in 50 years. A similar incident occurred in November 1998, when six men were killed in explosion at the Equilon Puget Sound Refinery in Anacortes.[4][8]

See also

References
  1. "Investigation Report: Catastrophic Rupture of Heat Exchanger (Seven Fatalities)" (PDF). csb.gov. U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. May 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  2. Sarah Jean Green, Zach Broom (2 April 2010). "Five dead in Anacortes refinery explosion and fire". Seattle Times. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  3. Tibbits, George (1 April 2010). "3 dead, 4 hurt in blast, fire at Wash. refinery". Associated Press.
  4. Ryan, John. "Four Years After Deadly Blast, Tesoro Mostly Unscathed". kuow.org. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  5. Bernton, Hal (2020-12-21). "Washington farm company fined $2 million after 2 workers die of COVID-19". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  6. Sarah Jean Green, Zach Broom (2 April 2010). "Five dead in Anacortes refinery explosion and fire". Seattle Times. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  7. Stayton, Mark (2 May 2014). "Chemical Safety Board releases final report on deadly refinery explosion in Anacortes". Skagit Valley Herald. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  8. "Explosion and fire at the Equilon Puget Sound Refinery in Anacortes kill six refinery workers on November 25, 1998". HistoryLink.org. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
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