| Case Name |
Outflow of all fuel oil from a tank caused due to breakage of a base plate of an outdoor oil tank from an earthquake |
| Pictograph |
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| Date |
June 12, 1978 |
| Place |
Sendai, Miyagi, Japan |
| Location |
Refinery |
| Overview |
A crack was generated in the annular plate of a tank by "Off Miyagi Prefecture Earthquake" on June 12th, 1978. The oil flowed out, washed away the foundation in front of a crack, and the crack expanded. Age deterioration of the annular plate was also one of causes. |
| Incident |
Three storage tanks at a refinery were seriously damaged by "Off Miyagi Prefect. Earthquake" of magnitude 7.4. 68100 kL of fuel oil in the tank flowed out into the sea. |
| Processing |
Storage |
| Substance |
Fuel oil |
| Type of Accident |
Leakage, environmental pollution |
| Sequence |
On June 12th, 1978. A crack occurred in an annular plate caused by an earthquake, and fuel oil flowed out. The oil that flowed out damaged the foundation in front of the crack, the crack expanded, and the length of the fracture was 20-40 m. |
| Cause |
The annular plate was repeatedly deformed by vertical movements caused by the earthquake, and the crack was generated by low-cycle fatigue.
As the annular wall in three tanks had corroded, thickness of the wall decreased. Refer to Fig2. |
| Countermeasures |
The reduction of strength of the material caused by aging is limited to a safe range.
If repairs are needed, repairs have to be executed exactly.
At an overhaul inspection, degradation of coating and the degree of corrosion have to be checked. |
| Knowledge Comment |
Although the accident was a natural disaster, a prior subsurface investigation or discussion about countermeasures in an emergency is indispensable. |
| Background |
The earthquake exposed insufficient management. |
| Reason for Adding to DB |
Example of leakage caused due to an earthquake |
| Scenario |
| Primary Scenario
|
Poor Value Perception, Poor Safety Awareness, Inadequate Risk Recognition, Organizational Problems, Poor Management, Slackness of Management, Usage, Maintenance/Repair, Insufficient Inspection, Failure, Abrasion, Corrosion, Failure, Large-Scale Damage, Breakage/Leakage, Secondary Damage, Damage to Environment, Sea Pollution Fuel Oil 6800kL, Loss to Organization, Economic Loss, 3 fuel oil tanks, etc. damaged severely
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| Sources |
The Japan Soc. for Safety Engineering edition. Asamichi Kamei, Case of damage to oil tank and preventive measure, Accident examples of fire and explosion, pp.172-179 (2002).
National Inst of Fire and Disaster. Asamichi Kamei, Case of damage to outdoor storage tank during an earthquake. Dangerous material accident case seminar, pp.55-67 (1995).
|
| Physical Damage |
20-40 m fractures along the weld line of the joint at the corner of the annular wall of the tank. 68000 kL of fuel oil leaked. |
| Multimedia Files |
Fig2.Thickness decrease by corrosion at annular plate
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| Field |
Chemicals and Plants
|
| Author |
ITAGAKI, Haruhiko (Japan National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health)
TAMURA, Masamitsu (Center for Risk Management and Safety Sciences, Yokohama National University)
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