Incident at the SJV Refinery, Case Study
Curtis Acree
Columbia Southern University
As an emergency response coordinator for a refinery it is vital to understand what hazards are associated with the products found in a crude oil refinery. Routine and non-routine maintenance will need to be done in order to maintain a working and operating oil refinery. This can create complicated situations or scenarios, because numerous contractors may be brought in for different repairs. This can lead to accidents in some cases because of the wide range of things going on in the refinery. Training and communication will be vital for a safe work environment with multiple entities working. Documentation of the training will also be crucial.
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One area that should be looked at is the amount of contractors working at the refinery. With multiple contractors and their employees working I would have one central point of contact for all and work assignment areas should be set daily based on progress from previous work completed. All shift handover should require all leads with the main refinery focal person. This would let every agency know the progress of work and at that time adjustments could be made before the next shift started if necessary. This would also open the lines of communication so that everyone was aware of what was going on. I would also require that all training for the contractors be completed before starting work on the project. This would eliminate the possibility of one shift working longer and things being missed at handover because of any training completed prior to coming on shift. All handover would also be required to be filled into a daily log to the work status and at what stage the current job was in. This would be an extra measure to assist the JSA prior to work starting for the shift. . It also seems that the equipment should be brought up to date with pressure gauges, new seals, and piping components. This would have negated the release, the workers would have had a visual indication that the lines were still under pressure. Also because the ERT wasn’t able to isolate the gas feed lines this highlights a need for extra training. This training should include the key shutoff locations around the refinery. The training should also encompass the chemicals and their hazards that are associated with the refinery. As our text book states it, “Without the knowledge acquired from the study of hazardous materials, emergency responders are severely limited when they must select a course of action during the performance of duty”. (Meyer, 2014). A quick response checklist would also help eliminate any guessing for most situations. It
Exxon Mobil is a great example of a corporate giant. It all started in 1870, when JD Rockefeller founded U.S. Standard oil a company that will go on to be the most profitable in the world. In 1911 the company split up into 34 different companies, amongst these companies was Vacuum oil company that will later be called Mobil Oil and Jersey Standard which was renamed to Exxon corporation. In 199 the two companies decided to work together again, this was the birth of Exxon Mobil.
The Shell Oil Company involves a group of energy and petrochemicals companies that operate globally. Shell employs over 92,000 employees and operates in more than 70 countries and territories. Shell is considered a prominent gasoline provider, offering products that range from energy fuels, lubricants for businesses, and petrochemicals for detergents, packaging, carpets, and computers. The Shell corporation is also making strides to embrace renewable energies “by creating hybrid energies with traditional fuels such as natural gas” (Shell Global, n.d.). Shell is building hybrid power plants that combine renewable energies, including those produced by sun and wind, with traditional fuels. By investing in emission-free energies, Shell seeks to improve its operations and competitive posture as renewable technologies advance.
There are three exploratory oil rigs that have been drilling under contract for several years along the Angola coast. Each oil rig owned by a United States drilling company. The case study focuses on a small oil rig called the “Explorer IV” housing 180 staff, 30 of these being American expatriate workers or “Expat”, and the top administrator in authority regarding life on the rig is an Expat himself. The purpose of the oil rig’s purpose is for drilling oil and to house all of the staff drilling and operating the rig. The rig is approximately 200 feet by 100 feet so cramped and tight living spaces is to be expected. However, there is a difference in living quarters, quality of food, medical care, and means of transportation between the Angolan’s and the Expats.
“On March 23, 2005, at 1:20 pm, the BP Texas City Refinery suffered one of the worst industrial disasters in recent U.S. history. Explosions and fires killed 15 people and injured another 180, alarmed the community, and resulted in financial losses exceeding $1.5 billion.” (U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, 2007) There are many small and big decisions and oversights that led to the incident. Underneath all the specific actions or inaction is a blatant disregard for addressing safety violations and procedures that had been pointed out to BP even years before this event. The use of outdated equipment and budget cuts also contributed to the circumstances that allowed this accident to happen.
Any problems, questions or equipment issues should be addressed as well as established procedures that may need correction. Emergency responders should also be evaluated to ensure proper practice and procedures were followed and to address any further training that may be needed. Use of ICS should be a focus of the evaluation because of its importance in responding to incidents. Two common mistakes for emergency responders are failure to implement ICS and failure to fully understand the concept and its application (Phoenix Police Department, n.d., slide 17). Proper use of ICS must be used and fully understood in order to reap the benefits of having an efficient, flexible and standardized incident management plan; otherwise tasks and responsibilities are likely to be overlooked during a response to any incident especially those involving the high stress of a terrorist
1. Lorenzo’s parents used the scientific method to solve the situation of lorenzo dying by coming up will solution to his ALD problem and stayed up late every night for years straight just to find a cure for ald and to save their child and all the other kids that suffer from ald and save their lives and many other life that may yet come and suffer from ald
finding new ways to drill for oil and also refine it more efficiently to ensure that
In every industry especially in the highly technical product such as lubricating oil, one particular company always stands out as the leader. They might have the highest sales and the largest customer base. But whether they are leader in the market or not their position in the market can always be under threat. It is understand form the case study that, Castrol might face a huge competition in the market. In order to improve the position of Castrol oil in the marketplace, they should follow some policy guidelines. In an open market economy where entry to market is less, industry leadership can be changed very quickly. Even established brands can be displaced with new one. So a company like Castrol with a leading market share over the world
According to an online article from Thought Company, the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill polluted the waters of Prince William Sound, coated more than a thousand miles of pristine coastline and killed hundreds of thousands of birds, fish, and animals. This crisis has become a symbol of human-caused environmental disasters all over the world. Many years after the accident, and despite billions of dollars spent on cleanup efforts, crude oil can still be found under the rocks and sand on the beaches of southwest Alaska, and the effects of the spill are still apparent in the lasting damage done to many native species. (West, 2017) This specific incident was a major crisis that acted as a prodrome for the oil industry. For the purpose of this assignment it is important that we take a look at the details of this event. From there, we will look at how Exxon handled the
Disaster Recovery Planning is the critical factor that can prevent headaches or nightmares experienced by an organization in times of disaster. Having a disaster recovery plan marks the difference between organizations that can successfully manage crises with minimal cost, effort and with maximum speed, and those organizations that cannot. By having back-up plans, not only for equipment and network recovery, but also detailed disaster recovery plans that precisely outline what steps each person involved in recovery efforts should undertake, an organization can improve their recovery time and minimize the disrupted time for their normal business functions. Thus it is essential that disaster recovery plans are carefully laid out and carefully updated regularly. Part of the plan should include a system where regular training occurs for network engineers and managers. In the disaster recovery process extra attention should also be paid to training any new employees who will have a critical role in this function. Also, the plan should require having the appropriate people actually practice what they would do to help recover business function should a disaster occur. Some organizations find it helpful to do this on a quarterly or semi-annual basis so that the plan stays current with the organization’s needs.
According to Investopedia the global competition resulted in less market share for the American car manufactures and caused a threat to company profit results because more foreign brands entered the American market. The total shares for General Motors fell from 28.2% in 2000 to 17.6% by 2014. The American manufactures were struggling to compete against better, more efficiently manufactured products from international companies and lower per-car costs have allowed foreign manufactures to gain bigger portions in the American market. Because their shares dropped so drastically they had to cut down on operating costs, they reduced their workforce by more than 40% eliminating brands and restructured employee compensation to create more effective
In logistic industry, they have been through lots of challenge in worldwide market. As the containerization of the global economy scopes, a phase of development and explanation, ports find themselves inserted in ever changing commercial environment where logistics is the forefront. Thus, this industry reaches a phase of maturity and rationalization due to the process of logistic on land.
Regulation compliance, employee safety, fire safety, ergonomics, industrial hygiene, hazardous waste removal, training procedures, and management relations are samples of features taken into consideration during a Safety Major’s day. Though there are numerous specializations safety professions can choose, a base knowledge in all fields is essential for a successful career. Therefore, I intend to pursue a continuation of safety certifications that will demonstrate a persistent ability to learn about my career. For the initial duration of my profession, I hope to obtain an Environmental Health and Safety specialist entry level position for an established organization. If the opportunity arises, I will promote within the same organization until
When a disaster has occurred it is vital that all emergency response components work together in order to battle the disaster in an optim...
Developing emergency training programs make sure that in case of an accident, workers know exactly what to do and act according to the emergency plan to avoid panic and confusion. Consistency in these training is important because it will keep the workers’ skill harp in how to deal with situations.