Event
- Event ID
- 251
- Quality
- Description
- An explosion occurred on a unit producing hydrogen for the nearby refinery. A gas supply pipe failed because of corrosion and a released hydrogen resulting in an explosion.
The following fire was extinguished in 10 minutes by the public service fire brigade. Two workers were lightly injured. Noise of the explosion was heard offsite for well over a mile. Some minor damage offsite. - Event Initiating system
- Classification of the physical effects
- Hydrogen Release and Ignition
- Nature of the consequences
- Macro-region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Date
- Main component involved?
- Pipeline
- How was it involved?
- Leak & Formation Of A Flammable H2-Air Mixture
- Initiating cause
- Material Degradation (Internal Corrosion / Erosion)
- Root causes
- Unknown (No additional details provided)
- Root CAUSE analysis
- The INITIATING CAUSE was a material failure due to corrosion.
Facility
- Application
- Petrochemical Industry
- Sub-application
- Generic refinery process
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
- hydrogen pipeline, H2 production unit (unspecified)
- Location type
- Unknown
- Location description
- Industrial Area
- Operational condition
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of injured persons
- 2
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Official legal action
- Authorities recommended to avoid the fumes or to evacuate the vicinity.
- Emergency action
- None
Event Nature
- Release type
- gas
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Presumed ignition source
- Not reported
- Deflagration
- N
- High pressure explosion
- N
- High voltage explosion
- N
References
- Reference & weblink
Event description in the French database ARIA<br />
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/8248/<br />
(accessed October 2020)<br />Snapshot from the site of the Major Accidents at Chemical/Refinery Plants in Contra Costa County<br />
https://www.cchealth.org/health-and-safety-information/hazmat-programs/… />
(accessed January 2025)
JRC assessment
- Sources categories
- ARIA
