Chevron pipe was in bad shape, feds say

[alp227]

Source: SF Chron

Federal officials investigating the Chevron refinery fire in Richmond say they have removed an 8-foot section of the pipe that had thinned dangerously before it failed last month and have sent it to a private materials lab to be analyzed.

U.S. Chemical Safety Board investigators observed that the wall of the 5/16th-inch-thick, 8-inch-diameter pipe leading away from the No. 4 Crude Unit had "lost most of its original thickness." They said Monday that the section will be analyzed for corrosion or other factors that may have led to its rupture and the Aug. 6 fireball.

Don Holmstrom, the Chemical Safety Board's western regional manager, said the probe will focus on whether Chevron followed industry standards in deciding to leave the pipe in place last year when the refinery was shut down for maintenance.

Chevron decided to replace a nearby 12-inch-diameter line during that refinery shutdown because it was corroded. The company considered replacing the 8-inch line but in the end kept the pipe in place.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Chevron-pipe-was-in-bad-shape-feds-say-3854828.php

[jberryhill]

1. We Agree!

That Chevron is run by assholes.

[Arctic Dave]

2. "Run to Fail" is an industry operating procedure.

Failures happen almost daily but few make headlines.

[Dustlawyer]

3. These oil companies like Chevron, BP, and Shell make 20-40 billion a year, but won't spend the

money for maintainence. They don't care if it kills their workers, like BP, they budget for that (10 million to pay family, pay defense costs, and still haave some left to run commercials rehabbing their image),it's cheaper! Tort reform has gutted the penalties that kept them safe. In Texas in the aftermath of the BP Texas City explosion that killed 15, they had the Texas legislature change the laws so that no one could sue them if they blow up their plants. It would only be Worker's Comp benefits, even if the injured or dead worker did not work for the oil company that caused the blast. We have gone back in time! We need Union protection again except they have brainwashed these guys to vote Republican and accept that some of them must die for their employer to pay Dividends!