Animation of Explosion at Tesoro's Anacortes Refinery

An explosion and fire led to the fatal injury of seven employees when a nearly forty-year-old heat exchanger catastrophically failed on April 2, 2010.

[@overhang88]

After binge watching many of these USCSB videos I have concluded that refinerys explode a lot!

[@GameVilleofficialpage]

Same here. They are so interesting!

[@janetsminten8196]

They don't really... they are generally very safe but these videos are all about disasters so you're only seeing the ones that do have accidents...

[@NiceMuslimLady]

Not really. There are a LOT of refineries...actually, places that have explosive dust are quite a bit more explosive.

[@zonkeymaker]

Janet Sminten i wouldn’t call them “very safe” but they also don’t regularly explode. If they were very safe there wouldn’t be so much safety talks at work lol

[@deepdivedisco4779]

Me too. I noticed that a lot of these explosions happen in the heat exchangers.

[@garywatson]

Your reconstruction videos are very informative and a valuable service. I'd like to see you guys do a lot more of them.

[@lairdriver]

These videos are prepared for and by Government officials. You'd see these videos at the NTSB, any Government investigation into a disaster like this hires a reconsideration team and they create the graphics and physics.

[@sunnmann3284]

I second the motion

[@BigHenFor]

Seriously, not only do they educate industry but are really useful for educating students of chemical engineering and the public in general. We need more.

[@charr8334]

I lived about 10 miles away when this happened and the sound and feel of it was crazy. Like half of the people in our apartments came out to see what the heck happened.

[@Syclone0044]

Kilo Byte Lmaoooooo😂😂😂😂

[@totallyfrozen]

Kilo Byte Watching KZbin.

[@PupSentinel]

Lived on Whidby in Oak Harbor at the time, I was only 14-15 at the time, but I remember it being on the news and seeing the plant from the Swinomish Casino just a few miles away. I think we stayed in the hotel shortly after the disaster.

[@texasred2702]

I was at Everett Naval Station in 2010 and we heard it all the way down there.

[@charr8334]

@@texasred2702 dang!

[@vincentserrano3568]

My Stepdad worked at The refinery for over 15 years. I remember the call that woke him and my mother up and I remember them being on the phone with other people trying to figure out who was out in the field that night. My stepdad grew up in town there and refinery life is in the blood of all those people. It could have been anyone, every man and woman rotates through all the jobs there at the refinery. My stepdad would have been out there the next week. Working on those same tanks. It was a really hard time for all of us, for my mom especially. My stepdad and several others retired over the next few months.

[@pausmth]

That's always one of the hardest parts of watching these videos. As a chemist I find them fascinating and wish there were even more videos, until I think about the cost of that. I really do wish they would stop making videos due to lack of source content. Unfortunately that seems unlikely. I just wanted to thank you for giving me a perspective (and reminder) on these videos that is easily forgotten when you are not directly involved. Hope all is well for you now and you are having a good day!

[@petero.7487]

Actually, some of these videos would be useful for science classes in school: Dust explosions are something few even would think possible -- I'd have never thought flour or confectioner's sugar could explode.

[@RobGcraft]

Peter O. Confections sugar? What about the other types of sugar

[@ToxicallyMasculinelol]

@@RobGcraft confectioner's sugar explodes because it's so finely granulated. this gives it a very high surface area to volume ratio, which means it combusts more violently and rapidly. regular granulated sugar is equally flammable, but neither is all that flammable. the issue with combustible dust is that there can be huge amounts of it in a tight space where it's mixed with the air. so rather than just a pile of sugar catching fire, you get a fire that spreads through the air, and it spreads and expands very rapidly because the dust is so fine. the finer the dust, the faster it burns, and the faster it burns, the faster the combustion byproducts expand. which is essentially an explosion. there is some minutiae about what really defines an explosion, there's a strict line between detonation and deflagration, but in practice they can seem like the same thing, because a fireball doesn't need a massive shockwave to do extreme damage. a giant, rapidly expanding fireball below the speed of sound is potentially more dangerous than a grenade that breaks the sound barrier. anyway that's the deal with dust. if you have a flammable material, and you're gonna be cutting it up into super tiny particles that can float in the air in high concentrations, then you need to take a lot of precautions to prevent it from combusting, or you need to clean it up. both from the air and from surfaces.

[@RobGcraft]

Toxically Masculine thank you, and... how long did it take you to type this!?

[@OmmerSyssel]

@@RobGcraft Show some respect for practical knowledge. Arrogant kiddies sure is waste of resources. Please take a long walk on a short pier

[@BenCadorette]

@@OmmerSyssel ^misinput

[@cjk2468]

11 years ago today, RIP. I remember that night vividly

[@mattlogue1300]

Whenever you hear "startup" or "shutdown", take heed. Systems are most dressed then.

[@MeaHeaR]

Suits orr Tuxedoughs ¿¿¿

[@mediocreman2]

​@@MeaHeaRTuxedo

[@MeaHeaR]

@@mediocreman2 soots me 🧑🏿👍🏿

[@safetypacha]

One more tragedy however one more learning to operate rest of the plants safer. Every line personnel and service engineering personnel have to see and get the awareness. Very useful and effective educational tool. Thanks CSB Team.

[@rkbkirin5975]

"The heat exchangers had a history of developing leaks during start up, something refinery personnel had come to see as 'normal'" Yipes, really?! If anything at a refinery is freaking leaking, the safety inspectors should be called in.

[@stevee7774]

Pshhhh.. nah, it’ll be alright.

[@jeroengoetstouwers8574]

You'd be sadly surprised how common it is. Even running with certain leaks. As shutting down a specific pipe or vessel to repair its leak might cause the rest of the facility to have stop production and thats to costly. In the end its only for the money, safety first is only on paper

[@mediocreman2]

*yikes

[@julieekamps8182]

rip uncle darrin 😭😭😭😭 I miss him so much 😭😭 i lost my aunt 2 months ago 😢( his wife) i love u both so much rest in peace my loves 😭😢❤

[@phuturephunk]

I'm so sorry. :(

[@gary851]

God bless theirs souls!

[@yashk1964]

RIP

[@theredneckpirate5792]

Sorry for your loss RIP

[@miguelzavaleta1911]

Hopefully resources like this can help us prevent future accidents. Sorry about your uncle.

[@leandroguedes1484]

I'm Brasilian, and i used to the videos of CSB in my job. It's perfect.

[@wertiaaudit5746]

How to do business in Brazil

[@midwestrenewablesllc]

I would also like to see more videos from you guys. They are the most informative and well laid out safety videos on youtube. Please make them more often!

[@lemonfields5483]

These videos are really useful. They underscore the importance of chemical safety very well. Would like to see a few more of these for other accidents as well.

[@slit4659]

I'm a Retired UA 342 Steamfitter Welder..... Anacortes is in 290 territory...I'm outta Calif... Alameda and Contra Costa we Covered.... I've worked in many refineries....And I've NEVER SEEN THOSE EXCHANGERS or BUNDLES pulled every 6 MONTHS...The only time I've seen them Pulled is on SHUTDOWNS and that could be YEARS APART....That's Bolier maker work but as a Pipe fitter we sometimes Unhooked the Pipe to the Exchanger...Most times you hardly see a company operator.....Thier sitting in a control shack or out doing whatever....I think that Plant was a SHELL REFINERY that Blew up in Anacortes....They ALL BLOW UP... I'VE seen the Aftermath from a few Fires....At CHEVRON in Richmond Calif and Shell in Martinez Calif.... Besides Fires I've seen Chemical Releases from Union 76 in RODEO Calif by Crockett Calif and Dow Chemical in Pittsburg Calif...I was at Dow when a Release went off and they evacuated the Plant....We went to Antioch about about 5/6 miles away....On the way to Antioch you could look back at Dow from the Frontage Road and there was a GAS CLOUD ALMOST A MILE LONG....These Fires and Gas Releases go on all the Time....I Retired in 95 and they didn't Report the Fires and Releases to much...BUT NOW THEY DO because they got CAUGHT SO MANY TIMES.....AT DOW in the old days you just went in the Plants in Street clothes and in small Releases you held your Breath and walked Upwind some times having to breath that shit...Now in SIMTET...not sure if that's spelled right the guys go in fully suited up with Scott Air Packs or at least a Double Canister respirator...I know one guy that DIED from working at DOW of CANCER FROM ALL THAT SHIT....LEE DECALIGERO...As a Contractor if you said anything you're down the Road....I was Working at TASCO in Concord Calif welding Pipe on Bare Dirt and the Ground is so Polluted it would catch on fire..Small fires but thier around you then another fire about 3'or4' feet away. It went on and on I had a fire watch but he couldn't get them all out....It smelled of gas so BAD I went and got a Safety Guy and they got a TASCO safety guy with a Sniffing device that Detects explosive gas and they Shut that site Down....YEA BARE DIRT ON FIRE....Tasco is real old ... I've seen a few Drain lines Some 6" in Diameter just run Straight out into the Bay ....CARQUINEZ STRAIGHT Dumping who knows what... I'm Surprised more people aren't killed.....At a Safety meeting for JACOBS...They wanted us to SIGN a paper saying it was SAFER at the Refinery than in your own home....YEA RIGHT.....I wouldn't sign it....I wish I would've stole that paper and gave it to a News Reporter after the fire....IT GOES ON AND ON....I retired in 95 and still have a ASBESTOS LAWSUIT GOING ON....I went to 7 Days of Depositions...On the 6th Day I found a few GARLOCK GASKETS in my Welding Shop... They'd been in my shop for years....There we're about 10 or 12 Lawyers in the room and another 12 on the Phones....They About SHIT when I Pulled out the Gaskets...Thier full of ASBESTOS....The lead Lawyer picked up the Gaskets and her Fingers turned Black....When she Realized what she did she wanted to go wash her hands......I SAID to her...."You aren't Scared of that stuff are you" ??????OFF SHE RAN..

[@doctormcboy5009]

i know those guys from dow are fucked

[@knockhello2604]

DAM

[@Friedolays]

Breaker breaker comin little doggy. How bout you power station operator. Goat head. Ya were gonna need a permit. 10-4. How bout you cletus. Come in

[@SteveO2142]

Very informative! Thank you for your animations and narrative.

[@davidperry4013]

As a mechanical engineer graduate proper material selection is of the essence when designing heat exchangers for certain chemicals as well as developing maintenance routines. Copper, SS, or aluminum for water to water, SS for naphtha, and more. Even a steam heat exchanger explosion can cause life threatening burns, blast injuries, or instant deaths.

[@chrisparkes]

I learn more about physics and chemistry and safety here than I did at school

[@aliasfranks346]

I'm currently working at Tesoro (Andeavor) Anacortes in the A-zone unit where this tragedy occurred.

[@amitmohite7619]

Alias Franks .have safe work practices brother

[@aliasfranks346]

AMIT MOHITE, always!

[@OmmerSyssel]

Any regular pressure test adopted to your safety schedules, because of this accident?

[@dairyair4513]

I love the CSB !

[@SpearFisher85]

I was friends with a gentleman in my church in Burlington, WA that had a coworker switch shifts with him so he could be with his family the next day. He didn't make it and my friend was super devastating but didn't take life for granted after that!

[@ProfMannion]

The editing and narration of your videos is amazing.

[@EaterofWorlds-DN]

I love these videos and how they put them together. Very educational and informative.

[@colleenross8752]

These videos should be shown at any high school science or physics class

[@usmale4915]

Your videos are fantastic. But what a way to go......absolutely horrific. Thank you for sharing!

[@namesolonggood1sgone]

The first time I watched this video, my cat was sitting in my lap. At some point she began watching the CGI people working as the Sun set and when the unit exploded she visibly startled.

[@maasicas]

Poor workers. Dying in a fire like that is brutal.

[@aprilmorris4588]

I've become hooked on this channel. The lack of maintenance in so many companies, this one included, totally shock 😲 me to the core. Want the fact that the CSB can't just make the changes to the law, that they can only make suggestions is disgusting. Petroleum companies have no intention of stopping these kinds of tragedies, IMHO.

[@jemikoko1]

Wow this is very informative and can also be applied as lessons learnt in Hazards and operability studies

[@deepdivedisco4779]

Were the original engineers aware of the hydrogen attack process? Wouldn't that mean that these exchangers would have to eventually be replaced all together?

[@Kwinten360]

Yes, and no. The engineering parameters nationwide were changed as a result of this incident. I work st the refinery, but I'm on the logistics side. My understanding is that the exchangers are brought up over more prolonged period now.

[@martinmcquaide4807]

I hate it when people get hurt or die at work, because somebody decided not to replace old equipment, or do the correct maintenance.

[@trespire]

Sad loss of life. Condolences to the families of the seven workers. Hope for a full recovery to the four injured men. This information must be shown to as many people in the industry as possible world wide, to increase safety awareness. Every accident must be learned from so improvements can be implemented, especially if there was a loss of life. Your animation quality is very very good, it clearly explains what happened. Looks like CSB are setting new standards?

[@secularargument5720]

The four injured men died, it literally says this at the end of the video.

[@patrickdwyer320]

the 4 injured men died, they were part of the seven lives lost

[@patrickdwyer320]

@@secularargument5720 he couldn't be bothered with paying attention, after all this video was almost 5 whole minutes long

[@stevee7774]

☠️☠️☠️☠️

[@amitrajmane7312]

Informative and lesson for operators and designers. Equipment such as Heat Exchanger undergoes cyclic thermal operations need fatigue testing and remaining life cycle analysis to avoid such accidents.

[@tellucas]

the fact that the unit regularly leaked during startup signaled that it was probably end of life, in any case your right about testing

[@jonmeray713]

Should be a required replacement period

[@OmmerSyssel]

@@jonmeray713 better with regular testing. Practices should always be prioritised above calculations based on theories.

[@wawafire279]

I agree I like the information on these videos

[@ZingsVideos]

I hope no one ever makes a 3D model of me.

[@chillydawgg4354]

You had me at 'animation of explosion'

[@majedaljaber134]

Thanks a lot!

[@pobinr]

Great vid. Good to note you've not added irritating music to this one

[@465maltbie]

Thank you for putting the time and effort into these videos that you do. Is this phenomenon also called hydrogen embriddlement or is that something different?

[@danheidel]

Hydrogen embrittlement, yes. It's a constant problem when dealing with hydrogen gas.

[@dmacisaac85]

+Dan Heidel +465maltbie This is HTHA, not hydrogen embrittlement. Similar, but not the same damage mechanism. Also, this was a naptha heat exchanger, not hydrogen service. Excellent video by the CSB.

[@peace115xxx]

Love these videos 📹 very helpful and Informative

[@megaaaa2784]

Perfect CSB!

[@cerealchild166]

Wow, those are some insanely quick employees!!

[@yelesehi4918]

very good experience feedback...

[@katemoore1432]

my dad works at tesoro :( he has since he was 17. a really good friend was injured during this event

[@fxrvw7052]

These are amazing

[@KpopLabPro]

This is fast becoming my favorite YT channel, are there anymore channels like this out there?

[@knockhello2604]

Nah lol

[@KpopLabPro]

@@knockhello2604 I spend hours analyzing car crashes and various accidents trying to apply experience

[@Auspexel]

WorkSafeBC is a Canadian channel that is similar

[@KM-un8ir]

what are the conclusions and recommendations of the investigation?

[@rhearne26]

I would love to use this video in a Powerpoint Presentation on the importance of QA/QC in the Oil & Gas industry is there a way to embed this video in to the powerpoint presentation? Thanks

[@oneworld9071]

Depending on copyright and permission to use, of course, check out "Internet Download Manager" for downloading the video (among many others). It's been a very long time since embedding video in PPT; the typical formats of video stored are .mp4 and .flv ........... you may need to convert the downloaded video to a PPT-savvy format.

[@Scott83016]

I've decided I'll NEVER take a refinery job after watching all these

[@TheDieselndust]

40 year old heat exchangers? SMH. Trying to save money instead of replacing them.

[@SCD4]

24 years service in the industry. Now on a solvent extraction plant.

[@allahprophetsfollower5490]

What is more interesting to me here is to know that " At high temperature the hydrogen reacts with carbon to form methane (CH4) gas entrapped inside the shell wall and create stress enough to cause the shell failure"..... That is more valuable knowledge ... I think....failure of internal coating of the shell have occurred first which allowed the hydrogen to reach to carbon and reacts. It is really beneficial to know how much time this reaction had taken before it caused such failure in 1" thick shell.... regular inspection of these exchangers is expected to detect such failures. I think installing small by pass line for isolation valves to slowly heat up the heat exchangers before opening the main isolation valves may prevent normal observed leakages during start ups.

[@mattlogue1300]

Ouch. I'd rather die then than after a few days due to burns

[@darkwaters1010]

No recommendations in when to replace heat exchangers? Any technology like X Ray scanners to detect fractures in metals?

[@zonkeymaker]

They could use something similar to ultrasound to detect defects in metal. I did a lab called “ultrasonic non destructive testing” at school but pretty much detecting cracks through pulses sent into the metal.

[@asicdathens]

@@zonkeymaker ultrasound is used to detect minuscule cracks in the blades of turbofan engines. It can even detect tears in the material that haven't reached the surfaces because the broken continuity of the metal reflects differently the sound

[@zonkeymaker]

Efstathios Dimopoulos yea exactly! Very interesting topic

[@Mermaidkilla]

For new plants, typically a higher material grade is selected, which is less prone to high temp hydrogen attack.

[@waggtech8793]

Most refineries use all types of NDT (Non Destructive Testing) to test the integrity of pressure vessels and the piping. They use ultrasound, x-ray, eddy-current and penetrating dye most often... and maybe some magnaflux. The UOP sets a greater share of standards for procedures and frequency.

[@blizzy78]

You had me at "leaks were seen as normal."

[@CynicalOldDwarf]

I wonder how many years these heat exchangers were rated for, and how many years past due for replacement these ones were...

[@danielebrparish4271]

There was one video that showed a disaster caused by a software upgrade. The new software inadvertently omitted the replacement dates for a piece of equipment. It was supposed to be replaced every 6 months, was missed and wasn't replaced until it blew up 3 years later.

[@colleenross8752]

Wasn't that the same year as the Deepwater Horizon explosion?

[@DBeav97]

RIP to the workers that died. That’s pretty brutal and sad.

[@yashk1964]

I'm a bit confused. You said the raw naphtha was preheated but then you said cold fluid was flowing through the tubes. Wouldn't the cold fluid absorb heat from naptha in the shell?

[@yashk1964]

Ok wait. I got it. You're saying the fluid which *cools itself* is the cold fluid. Meaning the fluid which was initially hot but gave its heat to crude naptha and became cold

[@Mrstealth93]

One would think there would have been something to look into having a nearly 40 year old piece of machinery used at the refinery replaced as soon as possible.

[@wuzup9405]

Why was the high temp fluids in the shell side not in the tube side?

[@bpaulb880]

tubes are usually much thinner and the tube bundles would have to be replaced more often than the shell

[@jonasduell9953]

The US board of hindsight investigations but I love it!

[@mackhomie6]

as opposed to the board of clairvoyant gypsies with their 100% record of success

[@dyates6380]

Good Lord what a HORRIBLE way to die. I couldn't imagine the incredible agony these poor people must have endured.

[@pauldow1648]

Cavalier acceptance of suboptimal functioning old equipment under pressure. Amazing. No not really. RIP men.

[@Edu-df2dw]

Where was the equipment inspectors? An accident totally evitable.

[@villagepark3063]

my dad was on the Coker unit in 1998, nov, anyone know if there is a video of his equilon issue ? thanks in advance

[@kronology7348]

I worked there at that time...

[@confirmhandle]

If.i go to work and hear csb narrator voice ,,, I run away !!!

[@BenPass12]

So what would be the fix here going forward? Thicker steel? Shortening the service life of the heat exchangers?

[@nateduhgreat1871]

Regular inspections for fissures in high temperature and pressure heat exchangers during unit shutdowns which occur every few years.

[@FiatMihiSecundumVerbum]

Where can I find this Sims DLC?

[@wiskyvet]

A leak had come to be thought of as normal. The only normal leak I can think of was with the SR-71.

[@sammysosa9917]

Had to watch this before going into Phillips66 refinery in Ferndale wa

[@bubbleglass]

Wow, what a horrible way to go. 😢

[@Ferdrew-rp5ey]

Interesting Physics-Chemistry 🙏🕊️

[@mackhomie6]

Anacortes is like an hour from here and I didn't even know about this

[@Jack-bs7cy]

The designers designed the buildings where you have to remove 80 pieces of pipe before you can remove the tank so they dont get changed much.

[@josephastier7421]

Letting a critical high pressure system go uninspected for 40 years until the inevitable finally occurs sounds like negligence to me.

[@damienbull8160]

Gruesome way to go

[@TopSecretVid]

The only thing we make here in the United States is chemicals... Oh and badass human error animations

[@allenfig18]

I'm around those every day 👀

[@Kuzyapso]

rip

[@engvdo5297]

But, sir how hydrogen's temp goes so high ?

[@norman191181]

yes i was wondering about this too

[@off_mah_lawn2074]

Very sad, my Grandpa lives near there

[@Imwalkinhea]

They all died!?! That’s so sad :(

[@LuciFeric137]

Wow.

[@adamruck]

This one in particular is scary. In a lot of these video's there are warnings signs or precautions that were skipped by the workers. In this case it was a material failure that none of the operators or maintenance people could have predicted.

[@myke5696]

If there had been a schedule of metal inspections by say ultrasound they could have caught it. Also if they had not accepted leaking equipment as normal

[@fidanmuradova5299]

" a nearly 40 years old HE" like seriously wtf is this HE doing there, why this HE hasnt been replaced with a new one?

[@phorzer32]

Why not use the pipes inside for the high pressure fluids? So they where two barriers..

[@emanwe01]

If by high pressure you mean high temperature (since both hot and cold sides of the exchanger were at high pressure), I'm guessing it was because of the fouling. It's easier and faster to clean out the insides of all of those tubes than to clean the outside of the tube bundle plus the inside of the outer shell. For the former, you can just use a pressure washer. The workers in the video actually do this. For the latter, you have to remove the entire tube bundle from the exchanger. A lot more involved and time consuming.

[@amaryllis.2259]

i always wonder why these refinery’s never have containment buildings of any kind

[@danielebrparish4271]

Because that costs money and they won't spend a nickel unless a law requires it.

[@MatthewTaylor3]

What could have been done to prevent this? This sounds like replacing all heat exchangers instead of cleaning them

[@RISKStudioProduction]

It’s not cost effective unfortunately

[@emanwe01]

About the only way to prevent this kind of degradation of the steel is to either use a protective coating on the inside of the vessel or to replace the unit with one made of a more resistant steel. The latter would only be an option if the plant's budget allowed for replacement of the exchangers altogether.

[@FinnLayNessKiddyy]

@@emanwe01 the exchangers could of been crack tested too then repaired.

[@surf2257]

​@@FinnLayNessKiddyy Nope, you can't repair metal fatigue. All of them were about to bust open...

[@grantchisholm1308]

2005 is when I was born

[@eldepavas]

1:58 those guys are really fast!

[@IslamDueren]

why u have this video so many times

[@janedoe6181]

ASIT CICI I’m not sure what you’re looking at, but I don’t see this video listed more than once.

[@skeetrix5577]

not gonna lie I wish uscsb kept up with making the people move around at like 3x speed in all their videos it looks funny to me

[@Jhihmoac]

Old equipment that is beyond its usefulness and needs to be replaced... Ulually the culprit in most cases... Petroleum process refinement on the molecular level is always both sedimentary, AND corrosive! Therefore, pipes and vessels should be inspected, cleaned, AND replaced (if need be) on a regular basis...

[@OmmerSyssel]

Equipment wasn't beyond usefulness. That's why it was still running.. 💥

[@josemercado1325]

😭

[@sierrajuliette7700]

Quelle triste histoire pour ces sept travailleurs! Qu'ils reposent en paix mais que leurs morts ne soient pas inutiles et servent à l'avenir à perfectionner la sécurité sur les grands sites industriels...

[@haidenmorgan]

666 likes. I'll just leave this hell right here.

[@villagekids7964]

Oil refinery job is very important Job

[@ismokkekkush420]

The government needs to mandate that equipment be replaced every 20 or so years at refineries

[@ElTwOJaY]

Tesoro means treasure by the way

[@chrisperrien7055]

40+ plus year old leaky boiler/heat exchanger , no problem

[@billyponsonby]

Deregulation = accidents