possible explosion at plant in Sulphur/Lake Charles/Westlake

[Cajun Blake]

chatter on the www of an explosion at the CITGO plant in LC/Sulphur or possibly at Westlake Polymers

plant guys, reach out to your friends and make sure all are OK

I'll report updates once learned ... feel free to chime in

[tmurray]

I don’t know any details but friend of mine staying in a hotel about a mile away said it shook his whole hotel. Can’t be good, prayers for everyone involved.

[BigThicketBoy]

I'm at Sasol but it will be morning before I check on it.

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[BigThicketBoy]

Made contact with some people they said they would check and see what's up.

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[Cajun Blake]

KPLC News

quote:
According to authorities, Westlake Polymers on La. 108 experienced what is called an "uncontrolled decompression." No injuries or fire are reported at this time.

I know nothing about decompressions, however lots of people around the area had there house shake, and heard the LOUD boom

[BigThicketBoy]

They said it was a involuntary release of Ethylene But that sounds like PR. BS.to me.

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[Grndchecker]

From what I have read it was caused by Ethylene decomp which caused pressure to climb in reactor and blowing a rupture disk. The Ethylene that was released flashed off, but rapidly burned away.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Sounds like what is known as a De-Comp where a LDPE reactor lost control of the polymerization process and blew a rupture sleeve/disc. It's an awful powerful release of energy but has done exactly what it was designed to do. Those in the LDPE business know if a de-comp occurs, do not run, do not move. grab onto something and hold on (to keep yourself from fleeing uncontrollably... It'll be over in a minute or so... It's just a big flaming ball of ethylene gas blowing up into the air... It is loud, but that's it. Much better than a catastrophic failure of a reactor. The Westlake reactors are tubular reactors and they operate at about 25,000 psi or higher continuously... It's like a giant radiator coil of tubing that has about a 1" to 1 1/2" ID and is several hundred feet long. That's LOTS of gas. When it gets out of control, the gas must be vented. It's lit off so it does not pollute the air... the burn is safe but LOUD!!

[TENRMORE]

Hope everybody is ok...

[BigThicketBoy]

Sounds like what is known as a De-Comp where a LDPE reactor lost control of the polymerization process and blew a rupture sleeve/disc. It's an awful powerful release of energy but has done exactly what it was designed to do. Those in the LDPE business know if a de-comp occurs, do not run, do not move. grab onto something and hold on (to keep yourself from fleeing uncontrollably... It'll be over in a minute or so... It's just a big flaming ball of ethylene gas blowing up into the air... It is loud, but that's it. Much better than a catastrophic failure of a reactor. The Westlake reactors are tubular reactors and they operate at about 25,000 psi or higher continuously... It's like a giant radiator coil of tubing that has about a 1" to 1 1/2" ID and is several hundred feet long. That's LOTS of gas. When it gets out of control, the gas must be vented. It's lit off so it does not pollute the air... the burn is safe but LOUD!!

FYI. Deal Alert
Walmart has underwear on sale today

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[SaltwaterSlick]

FYI. Deal Alert
Walmart has underwear on sale today

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I was on a distillation column one time at Gulf in Port Authur when Arco next door had a de-comp... Scaiest 5 minutes I've ever had...

[BigThicketBoy]

I was on a distillation column one time at Gulf in Port Authur when Arco next door had a de-comp... Scaiest 5 minutes I've ever had...

I was at Shell Deer Park in 89,90 when DU2 blew . I was in the rack about a 1/4 mile away and the whole rack did the wave and shake. When it stopped I grabbed a beam and slid down ( no safety belts back then thank GOD)
When my feet hit the ground I didn't stop until I hit the fence before you get to 225.
You couldn't get a pin up my butt with a sledgehammer for a week.

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[SaltwaterSlick]

I had ridden one of the rotating belt lifts to the top of that column... shock wave shut it down... was up there with the plant manager for about 45 minutes. Would have given anything to have had a camera with me back then... that fireball was something to see... we saw it before we heard or felt it...

[IowaHunter]

Perhaps they were decoking and it got away.

[topwater blowup]

It knocked me out of the bed!! Thought a Mack truck had just drove through the house.