Rayong: Blaze at IRPC 'under control'

[webfact]

RAYONG
Blaze at IRPC 'under control'
The Nation

RAYONG: -- Explosions rocked a petrochemical plant of PTT affiliate IRPC in Rayong's Muang district late yesterday, generating big, thick column of smoke and toxic gas.

Local residents living near the plant on Sukhumvit Road, were evacuated after the blasts, which took place at about 6pm. As of the press time, there were no reports of casualties.

Firefighters and water trucks rushed to the scene and managed to control the fires that erupted after the explosion. However, they were not able to get into the factory at press time as they were unsure if it was safe.

Wichien Jungrungrueng, director general of the Pollution Control Department, said the plant on fire had treated combined gas oil and he assigned a chemical emergency team already in the area to inspect the site.

Meanwhile, Nuttaphon Nuttasomboon, director general of Industrial Works Department, said the spot where the blast started was suspected to be a gas storage site.

"Now the fires are under control but the stench from the smoke, which is very toxic, is still present. Therefore local residents living in the area were evacuated for their safety," he said.

The bad odour and explosions may have been caused by organic compounds stored in the factory, which were volatile and highly flammable.

Sumetha Wichienpet, chief of the emergency team, told reporters that people should avoid inhaling sulphur dioxide gas generated from the blaze from sulphur tanks in the factory. But the gas should have no immediate affects on humans, if inhaled.

Saran Rungkasiri, chief operating officer for PTT's downstream petrochemical business group, said the fire broken out at IRPC's combined gas and oil plant and was under control.

"But, we cannot assess how long the plant will suspend its operation. We are waiting for an inspection report."

IRPC president Sukrit Surabotsopon said the starting point of the fire was a tank that prepared raw material to be supplied to a diesel unit.

IRPC, which PTT owns 38.5 per cent of, operates a refinery with capacity of 215,000 barrels a day. IRPC (formerly TPI) also produces a variety of petrochemical products such as olefins, aromatics, polymer and polyol in Rayong. It also has a wharf and goods discharging services.

-- The Nation 2014-06-10

[Oryx816]

Hope everyone in the area stays safe.

[Thai at Heart]

Safety First everyone.

[Now or Never]

The petrochemical plant of PTT affiliate IRPC in Rayong's Muang district

has been a problem for a long time.

The residents of Rayong have long complained about the pollution from this plant.

It's about time something was done about this problem.

[ChrisY1]

Another "safe" facility......?

There are, most likely, dozens of lesser dangerous incidents at these facilities each week that do not get reported....

Maintenance is usually lax.....

[Chao Lao Beach]

Deleted, as publishing facts and figures can make problems.

Edited June 10, 2014 by Chao Lao Beach

[UbonRatch]

"But the gas should have no immediate affects on humans, if inhaled."

YEAH RIGHT!!!

"Short-term exposures to high levels of sulfur dioxide can be life-threatening Exposure to 100 parts of sulfur dioxide per million parts of air (ppm) is considered immediately dangerous to life and health" (Source: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=251&tid=46 )

What's the level in the air currently, pal?

<deleted>ocks.

[Paulzed]

Sounds like PTT hasn't applied any "lessons learnt" from the Montara incident.

Oil and Gas plants operate under extreme temperatures and pressures with many toxic, inflammable and hazardous chemicals and if Safety procedures and regulations are not adhered to, the results can be disastrous, to people and the environment.

The Thai's need to take this type of industry seriously, not just have the Mai Pen Rai attitude about everything.

[Soutpeel]

Sounds like PTT hasn't applied any "lessons learnt" from the Montara incident.

Oil and Gas plants operate under extreme temperatures and pressures with many toxic, inflammable and hazardous chemicals and if Safety procedures and regulations are not adhered to, the results can be disastrous, to people and the environment.

The Thai's need to take this type of industry seriously, not just have the Mai Pen Rai attitude about everything.

So what lessons learned from Montara haven't they implemented then ?

[Soutpeel]

Another "safe" facility......?

There are, most likely, dozens of lesser dangerous incidents at these facilities each week that do not get reported....

Maintenance is usually lax.....

So your suggesting refineries don't burst into flames anywhere else in the world due to lax maintenance, and you have already jumped to the conclusion it was lax maintenance, why bother doing incident investigation's then just ask ChrisY1 he knows everything

[chotthee]

"But the gas should have no immediate affects on humans, if inhaled."

YEAH RIGHT!!!

"Short-term exposures to high levels of sulfur dioxide can be life-threatening Exposure to 100 parts of sulfur dioxide per million parts of air (ppm) is considered immediately dangerous to life and health" (Source: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=251&tid=46 )

What's the level in the air currently, pal?

<deleted>ocks.

No immediate effect. You may die after 10 seconds on SO2.

[Paulzed]

Sounds like PTT hasn't applied any "lessons learnt" from the Montara incident.

Oil and Gas plants operate under extreme temperatures and pressures with many toxic, inflammable and hazardous chemicals and if Safety procedures and regulations are not adhered to, the results can be disastrous, to people and the environment.

The Thai's need to take this type of industry seriously, not just have the Mai Pen Rai attitude about everything.

So what lessons learned from Montara haven't they implemented then ?

As per attached

Progress-Report-Sep-2012.pdf

[Paulzed]

Sounds like PTT hasn't applied any "lessons learnt" from the Montara incident.

Oil and Gas plants operate under extreme temperatures and pressures with many toxic, inflammable and hazardous chemicals and if Safety procedures and regulations are not adhered to, the results can be disastrous, to people and the environment.

The Thai's need to take this type of industry seriously, not just have the Mai Pen Rai attitude about everything.

So what lessons learned from Montara haven't they implemented then ?

As per attached

http://www.au.pttep.com/news/2012

[Soutpeel]

Sounds like PTT hasn't applied any "lessons learnt" from the Montara incident.

Oil and Gas plants operate under extreme temperatures and pressures with many toxic, inflammable and hazardous chemicals and if Safety procedures and regulations are not adhered to, the results can be disastrous, to people and the environment.

The Thai's need to take this type of industry seriously, not just have the Mai Pen Rai attitude about everything.

So what lessons learned from Montara haven't they implemented then ?

As per attached

http://www.au.pttep.com/news/2012

All you have posted is the link to the PTTEP Aussie website, where are the lessons learned you referred to ? Montara was an offshore drilling incident, this is a refinery incident, which currently has not been investigated as to the actual root cause, but none the less you have made as statement that lessons learned from a drilling incident have not been implemented at a refinery

So will ask again what specific lessons learned from montara have not been implemented in this refinery incident ?

[Benmart]

Another "safe" facility......?

There are, most likely, dozens of lesser dangerous incidents at these facilities each week that do not get reported....

Maintenance is usually lax.....

So your suggesting refineries don't burst into flames anywhere else in the world due to lax maintenance, and you have already jumped to the! conclusion it was lax maintenance, why bother doing incident investigation's then just ask ChrisY1 he knows everything

I prefer the attack and discrediting of the post with supportive information and not attacking the poster.

My mother told me that if I rolled my eyes, people would think I had a mental disability. She was right.

Edited June 10, 2014 by Benmart

[Soutpeel]

Another "safe" facility......?

There are, most likely, dozens of lesser dangerous incidents at these facilities each week that do not get reported....

Maintenance is usually lax.....

So your suggesting refineries don't burst into flames anywhere else in the world due to lax maintenance, and you have already jumped to the! conclusion it was lax maintenance, why bother doing incident investigation's then just ask ChrisY1 he knows everything

I prefer the attack and discrediting of the post with supportive information and not attacking the poster.

My mother told me that if I rolled my eyes, people would think I had a mental disability. She was right.

I agree and the poster concerned provided no supportive information, assumptions are not supportive information, whether or not you have a mental disability, I am sorry I can't comment on this, maybe talk to your doctor, not your mother

[wotamess]

My God! This is the slowest website...

Anyhow - General Sort-it limits LPG pricing:

erm...

Really?

IRPC - really clever buggers, mean that sincerely; they'll find a profit in a bag of nuts (biblical): they have found ways of keeping shareholders happy no matter what comes - ok; who let the new guy play?

Edited June 10, 2014 by wotamess

[Paulzed]

Do you work in the oil and gas industry?

[Thai at Heart]

The perception in PTT around Rayong has always been that IRPC is the black sheep of the operation having been bought from I forget his name.

There are many legacy employees from those days still there and the attitude to safety and a little bit of palm greasing is a little different to PTT proper.

[wotamess]

Do you work in the oil and gas industry?

Sorry, I need a PhD in brown sticky smelly &lt;deleted&gt; to see an obvious burn-out. Co-incidence? Or are you still putting out carrots & sherry come Christmas Eve (I do, but let's not get into it:P).

[Paulzed]

Do you work in the oil and gas industry?

Sorry, I need a PhD in brown sticky smelly <deleted> to see an obvious burn-out. Co-incidence? Or are you still putting out carrots & sherry come Christmas Eve (I do, but let's not get into it:P).

I don't celebrate Christmas Santa Clause is a feed of crap and so is the Easter Bunny!!

[khunken]

The perception in PTT around Rayong has always been that IRPC is the black sheep of the operation having been bought from I forget his name.

There are many legacy employees from those days still there and the attitude to safety and a little bit of palm greasing is a little different to PTT proper.

It wasn't bought. It was a (Thaksin) forced acquisition at less than market price at the time.

The owner was Prachai Leophairatana who was allowed to keep TPI Polene.

[webfact]

Fire-affected production unit at IRPC plant closed for 90 days



RAYONG: -- The vacuum gas oil hydro treating (VGOH) unit at the IRPC petrol chemical plant in Rayong which caught fire on Monday following a gas leak was today ordered closed for 90 days by Rayong governor.

Governor Thanee Samart said today (Tuesday) that the closure of the unit was intended to enable authorities concerned to find out the cause of the explosion which caused the VGOH unit to catch fire.

Damage to the unit and its subsequent closure will scale down the daily production of benzene by 1.3 million litres and 360 tonnes of properlene.

Pollution Control Department head Vichien Choongroongruang, meanwhile, said that initial checks of the air quality at the scene and adjacent areas showed that the amounts of toxic substances such as benzene, styrene, and sulphure dioxide are still within acceptable standards.

Mr Sukrit Surabotsophon, president of IRPC Corp, said that the company was in the process of assessing the damage caused to the production unit. He however said that other production units unaffected by the fire were operational as normal.

The entire facility was insured at US$1.2 billion, it was reported.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/fire-affected-production-unit-irpc-plant-closed-90-days/


-- Thai PBS 2014-06-10

[Thai at Heart]

The perception in PTT around Rayong has always been that IRPC is the black sheep of the operation having been bought from I forget his name.

There are many legacy employees from those days still there and the attitude to safety and a little bit of palm greasing is a little different to PTT proper.

It wasn't bought. It was a (Thaksin) forced acquisition at less than market price at the time.

The owner was Prachai Leophairatana who was allowed to keep TPI Polene.

Not quite the case it was massively bust. Bust beyond after 97. The creditors wanted their money and it needed refinance. Sorry. He lost. That's business.

[leggo]

Drove past this afternoon on Sukhumvit and didn't notice or smell anything!

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