Investigation Report
Caribbean Petroleum Corporation (CAPECO) Refinery Tank Explosion and Fire
Caribbean Petroleum Corporation (CAPECO) Refinery Tank Explosion and Fire
- CSB
- Investigation Report
- ExplosionHot Work and FireProcess Safety
- ExplosionFireHydrocarbon releaseProcess safetyRegulation and legislation
- Fluid transferTank gauging and sampling
- Storage tanksValve
- Alarm managementEmergency responseOperating and work proceduresPreventive maintenance
- Downstream and process industries
- Onshore facility
Summary
Investigation of gasoline tank overfill at CAPECO’s petroleum terminal, followed by vapour-cloud ignition and multiple tank fires. It examines unreliable float-and-tape gauging, absent independent overfill safeguards, drainage valves, filling procedures and emergency preparedness. Comparisons with earlier incidents inform recommendations addressing regulatory gaps and automatic overfill protection.
Classifications: Explosion; explosive atmospheres.
Classifications: Fire; fire safety.
Classifications: Hydrocarbon release; hydrocarbon leak; oil and gas release.
Classifications: Process safety; major accident hazards.
Classifications: Regulation and legislation; safety legislation; regulatory requirements.
Classifications: Fluid transfer; fluid loading; fluid offloading.
Classifications: Tank gauging and sampling.
Classifications: Storage tanks; atmospheric tanks.
Classifications: Valve; valves.
Classifications: Alarm management.
Classifications: Emergency response; emergency preparedness.
Classifications: Operating and work procedures.
Classifications: Preventive maintenance; preventative maintenance; planned maintenance.
Classifications: Downstream and process industries; refining; petrochemicals.
Classifications: Onshore facility; onshore plant.
Themes: explosion, hot work and fire, process safety.