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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Fire on the methanation unit of a refinery

Event

Event ID
827
Quality
Description
In a petrochemical plant, a fire occurred on the methanation unit (95% H2 + 5% CO -> CH4 + H2 + H2O) of a steam cracker.
A seal break on a flange of the circuit caused of the accident.
No casualties were reported.
The internal operational plan was started.
Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Hydrogen Release and Ignition
Nature of the consequences
Fire (No additional details provided)
Macro-region
Europe
Country
France
Date
Main component involved?
Flange (Gasket)
How was it involved?
Leak & Formation Of A Flammable H2-Ch4-Mixture
Initiating cause
Unknown
Root causes
Unknown (No additional details provided)
Root CAUSE analysis
INITIATING CAUSE: a seal break on a flange of the circuit.

Facility

Application
Petrochemical Industry
Sub-application
Methanation process
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected
methanation unit
Location type
Open
Location description
Industrial Area
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
0
Number of fatalities
0
Post-event summary
No casualties were reported.

Event Nature

Release type
gas mixture
Involved substances (% vol)
H2
CO
CH4
Presumed ignition source
Not reported

References

Reference & weblink

ARIA data base <br />
event no. 2174

JRC assessment