Williams Geismar Olefins Plant - Louisiana -USA - Heat Exchanger Rupture and Fire. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is an independent Federal agency whose mission is to drive chemical safety change through independent investigations to protect people and the environment. This case study examines the June 13, 2013 catastrophic equipment rupture, explosion, and fire at the Williams Olefins Plant in Geismar, Louisiana, which killed two Williams employees. The incident occurred during nonroutine operational activities that introduced heat to a type of heat exchanger called a “reboiler” which was offline, creating an overpressure event while the vessel was isolated from its pressure relief device. The introduced heat increased the temperature of the liquid propane mixture1 confined within the reboiler shell, resulting in a dramatic pressure rise within the vessel due to liquid thermal expansion. The reboiler shell catastrophically ruptured, causing a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion (BLEVE)2 and fire.
This incident killed two employees and the plant remained down for 18 months.Heat exchangers are one of the most critical equipment in refineries with long life time. Their maintenance and cleaning (de-fouling) operations should be carried out periodically without any compromise. When a company does not effectively implement its written safety management programs, it indicates a weakness in its process safety culture.
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