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Natech Accident
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Type
Natech Accident
Date
2003/12/26
Time
05:26
Natural Hazard
Bam Earthquake, Iran, Islamic Republic of, 2003
Site
Roghan-e-Jonoub chemical plant, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Status
Published

Units Involved

  1. Name
    Unanchored on-grade storage tanks
    Type
    Storage: Atmospheric storage tank
    Description
    Three broad unanchored tanks containing oil (H/D>0.7)
  2. Name
    Elevated storage tanks
    Type
    Storage: Atmospheric storage tank
    Description
    Three elevated lubricant oil tanks
  3. Name
    Unanchored oil barrels
    Type
    Storage: Other

Event Sequences

  1. Name
    Leakage of liquid from roof-to-wall junctions
    Unit
    1. Unanchored on-grade storage tanks
    Description
    Three out of six on-grade steel oil tanks suffered leakage from roof-to-wall junctions due to liquid sloshing.
    Substances Involved
    1. Name
      Oil
    Initiating EventCritical EventMajor Event
    Natural Hazard: Liquid sloshing
    Liquid sloshing was initiated by the earthquake motion. No other damage mode (elephant foot buckling, rupture of rigid piping, etc.) was observed for these tanks.
    Release: Liquid release to ground
    		-
  2. Name
    Leakage of liquid from elevated storage tanks
    Unit
    2. Elevated storage tanks
    Description
    Elevated tanks containing lubricant oil suffered leakage due to the failure of pie connections.
    Substances Involved
    1. Name
      Oil
    Initiating EventCritical EventMajor Event
    Component (Non-structural): Damage to couplings between tanks and pipeline
    Component (Structural): Damage to support columns
    The supporting frames suffered structural damage, but did not collapse.
    Component (Structural): Damage / deformation of tie-bars
    Many braces buckled and some connections were ruptured.
    Component (Non-structural): Puncture
    A tank shell was punctured by a tank tower column due to poor detailing of the connection of the tank to the pier.
    Release: Liquid release to ground
    The breaking of pipe-tank connections was the main reason for the oil spill.
    		-
  3. Name
    Leakage of liquid from unanchored barrels
    Unit
    3. Unanchored oil barrels
    Substances Involved
    1. Name
      Oil
    Initiating EventCritical EventMajor Event
    Component (Structural): Overturning / toppling
    Barrels fell down due to the earthquake.
    Release: Liquid release to ground
    Leakage of liquid from some barrels that fell down.
    		-

Consequences

Human Health Impacts
No immediate risk for human health was reported.
Environmental Zones Impacted
Inland (e.g. grassland, cropland, forest)
Environmental Impacts
The oil spills posed a noticeable enviromental pollution threat to the affected site.
Economic Impacts
The company suffered extensive damage due to the earthquake. Production had to be stopped due to the unavailability of several units.
Built-up Areas Impacted
Industrial areas (e.g. factories)

Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned on Equipment
Rigid tank-pipe connections broke, highlighting the importance of using flexible connections in earthquake-prone areas.

Better detailing of the connection of the tank to the pier could have avoided vessel puncturing when the support columns buckled.
ID: 49, Created: Vincenzo ARCIDIACONO, 2014-09-04 17:08:08 – Last Updated: Elisabeth KRAUSMANN, 2017-07-14 16:47:10

Attachments

NoDescriptionFile Size
1.ESHGI - Performance of industrial facilities in the 2003 Bam, Iran, earthquake 1.87MB
2.ESHGI - The Behavior of Special Structures During the Bam Earthquake of 26 December 2003 3.10MB
Last update: 2024/04/17 | Top