Note: Explosion happened on 12/2/1999- Interesting parts in this report include:

Dec 24 "The panel did not believe that recklessness was the cause, and wondered why such a large firm did not have a computerized system to control the closing and opening of oil storage tank valves," he said.

Feb 4

The four employees --- a worker from each shift monitoring the oil tank control room and their supervisors --- allegedly left a valve on one storage tank wide open when it was being filled, causing it to overflow.

Chulchit said Thai Oil and Royal/Dutch Shell Group have worked together to improve control systems at the refinery in four or five key areas in the aftermath of the fire. He did not elaborate.

Here's the story:

Update: Thailand Refinery Explosion--Investigation Concluded, Four Refinery Workers Charged by Police; Seven Were Killed, 15 Injured

Laem Chabang, Thailand

Information Added: Friday, February 4, 2000 - 11:21 AM ----- A company official has reported that the refinery has returned to 100 percent capacity. It had resumed operation on Jan. 17th. Full capacity is 220,000 barrels a day.

Damage estimates from the fire and explosion are between 850 million and 1 billion baht (between US$23 million and US$27 million).

Managing Director Chulchit Bunyaketu said the investigation into the fire has now been completed, with the police charging four Thai Oil employees with negligence in the fire. The case has now gone to the Thai courts.

The four employees --- a worker from each shift monitoring the oil tank control room and their supervisors --- allegedly left a valve on one storage tank wide open when it was being filled, causing it to overflow.

The fuel that spilled over the tank was reportedly ignited by a car engine started by employees trying to leave the area when they noticed the overflow.

Chulchit said Thai Oil and Royal/Dutch Shell Group have worked together to improve control systems at the refinery in four or five key areas in the aftermath of the fire. He did not elaborate.

Thai Oil, the nation's largest oil refiner, is 49 percent owned by the Petroleum Authority of Thailand and supplies about one-third of the domestic gasoline and diesel consumption.

----- Information Added: Friday, December 24, 1999 - 6:43 PM ----- The House Committee on Local Administration has expressed disbelief that carelessness was the cause of the blaze that killed seven (correct) people at the refinery.

Committee chairman Kaew Buasuwan said Thai Oil, the Industry Ministry and the Public Workds Department had told the committee that an explosion occurred after company staff overfilled oil storage tanks. The panel did not believe that recklessness was the cause, and wondered why such a large firm did not have a computerized system to control the closing and opening of oil storage tank valves, he said.

The doubts surfaced in the wake of rumors of corruption and theft of oil by employees of the refinery.

The panel will inspect the refinery faciltiy at Si Racha next Tuesday, and then set up a sub-committee to look into problems at the company.

National Security Council representatives will be invited to the committee's next meeting to explain opposition leader's allegations that international terrorist movements were involved in the explosion, he said.

----- Information Added: Friday, December 3, 1999 - 11:26 AM ----- Firefighters battled the blaze throughout the night but the fire persisted, sending thick black smoke over the Gulf of Thailand.

Four people killed and at least 15 injured when a huge storage container exploded at the Thai Oil refinery about 50 miles southeast of Bangkok.

The company's managing director, Chulchit Bunyaketu, said, "We don't really know what happened,". But he speculated that a spark had ignited a vapor leak from an oil container at the 40-year-old refinery.

Today (Friday) the fire had spread from the first storage container to three others. Strong winds were fanning the flames higher than the surrounding treetops.

Despite that, Chulchit said today (Friday) that the fire was "under control" and would burn itself out within 24 hours, if not extinguished earlier.

The fatalities included a construction worker and security guard at the plant, where about 35 people were on duty when the explosion occurred.

Four of the injured were in critical condition.

Mayuree Lorpak, a refinery worker, said she heard a warning of an oil leak announced over the refinery's loudspeaker. She was unable to escape from the building and was hurt when the roof caved in with the explosion.

The Health Ministry said it had issued 5,000 masks to protect residents from fumes. Several thousand people live near the refinery and hundreds fled after the explosion.

Initial damage was estimated at about $12.5 million at the refinery, which is state-owned. The fire and explosion affected only the storage area and not the processing facilities, Chulchit said. Thai Oil's overall supply would not be affected, he said.

Link:

http://chemsafety.gov/circ/post.cfm?incident_id=4502

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 04, 2000