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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Fire and explosion at the hydro-desulphurisation unit of a refinery

Event

Event ID
1005
Quality
Description
The explosion and fire happened in a diesel hydro-treatment unit used to desulphurise raw diesel be means of hydrogen.

The facility was expected to begin full commercial operations later in 2020.
Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Hydrogen Release and Ignition
Nature of the consequences
Macro-region
Asia
Country
Malaysia
Date
Main component involved?
Unknown
How was it involved?
Leak & Formation Of A Flammable H2-Hc-Air Mixture
Initiating cause
Unknown
Root causes
Unknown (No additional details provided)

Facility

Application
Petrochemical Industry
Sub-application
Hydrodesulphurisation process
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected
unknown
Location type
Open
Location description
Industrial Area
Operational condition
Pre-event occurrences
The plant had not yet reached commercial oepration.

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
2
Number of fatalities
5
Post-event summary
The fire caused operations at the refinery to be stalled for almost two years and resumed in 2022.

Lesson Learnt

Corrective Measures

The bus company requested the valve manufacturer to investigate the solenoid valve and to issue a report.

Event Nature

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

References

Reference & weblink

JRC assessment