Overview

‘Disastrous Dinners’ are a series of informal events combining a short dinner with a presentation on past incidents, focusing on human factors and lessons learned. The series welcomes attendees from all disciplines, with case studies chosen to spark discussion beyond the process industries.

This presentation will review an incident that occurred in 1966, at the Feyzin Oil Refinery, France, where an uncontrolled release of propane from a storage sphere led to a vapour cloud which spread across a nearby motorway and ignited. The resulting fire and explosions killed 18 people and injured 81.

On the 4th of January 1966, at the Feyzin Oil Refinery, on the banks of the Rhône near Lyon, France, an uncontrolled release of propane from a storage sphere occurred during a routine propane sampling operation.

The subsequent vapour cloud spread across a nearby motorway and ignited, causing a fire that burned fiercely around the vessel. This led to a series of BLEVEs (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosions).

This disaster was the worst accident to have occurred in a petroleum or petrochemical plant in Western Europe prior to the Flixborough disaster in 1974. The incident killed 18 people, injured 81 and caused extensive damage.

This presentation will describe how the incident unfolded, review the causes, and the lessons learned, based on knowledge gained from post-incident investigations and technical papers.

This incident has a particular link to the Hull & Humber group as Feyzin is a twin-town of Barton-upon-Humber.

Agenda

• 18:30 – Meet and greet in the bar area
• 19:00 – Dinner, presentation and discussion
• 21:00 – Close

Please confirm your menu choice and dietary requirements using the registration form.

Plus ones are welcome, but must register separately.

The material presented at this event has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenters' own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Hull and Humber Member Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

Some information you provide may be given to the site for registration purposes.

Price

• IChemE student member - £0
• IChemE member - £15
• Not an IChemE member - £20
• Student non-member - £10