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The Baker Panel Report - ABSA

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judgment of the PSM Review Team, several prior findings at Carson, Toledo, andWhiting were incorrectly classified as lesser (Priority 2) items instead of as regulatorycompliance or BP policy (Priority 1) issues.System Finding 9 – Compliance audit findings. At all five refineries, BP haddeficiencies in process safety audits, including findings that were repeat findings fromprevious audits or findings that were, in the judgment of the PSM Review Team,improperly classified according to importance.3.10 Fired Heaters – Nonconformance with API StandardsFired heaters are a common energy source for most refining process units. <strong>The</strong> refiningindustry has experienced heater fires and explosions that have prompted industryorganizations to develop design, operating, and maintenance practices for these units.<strong>The</strong> American Petroleum Institute (API), for example, has several standards andrecommended practices on fired equipment design, operations, testing, and preventivemaintenance, including API Recommended Practice 556 covering instrumentation andcontrol system requirements for burner management systems. 20,21Legacy BP companies (e.g., Amoco and ARCO) had developed internal standards forfired heaters, but the four legacy refineries (i.e., Carson, Cherry Point, Texas City, andWhiting) have not kept them up to date since being acquired by BP by ensuring thoseinternal standards reflected changes in external standards such as API RecommendedPractice 556. BP has developed an Engineering Technical Practice and internalguidelines for fired heaters, and a handbook for furnace and boiler firing.<strong>The</strong> PSM Review Team found that the refineries had not implemented the requirementsof these internal BP standards. In addition, fired heaters at Carson, Cherry Point, TexasCity, and Whiting generally did not comply with API RP 556. Also, the various refinerytechnical staffs could not otherwise technically establish that the equipment as currentlydesigned meets standards that are at least as stringent as those established by API.BP is developing its own Process Safety Minimum Expectation (PSME) for fired heatersthat is expected to reflect API recommended practices. Refinery personnel also indicatedthat some recent fired heater installations complied with the anticipated requirements ofthe new PSME.System Finding 10 – Fired heaters. BP does not ensure compliance with API’srecommended practices regarding the design and operation of fired process heaters, andthe refineries could not otherwise technically establish that the equipment as currentlydesigned meets standards that are at least as stringent. (Carson, Cherry Point, Texas City,and Whiting)30

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