CRITICAL INDUSTRY REPAIR ANALYSIS: PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
Abstract
The American petroleum industry is analyzed in terms of vulnerability to megaton-range weapon attack and of postattack repair, with particular emphasis on refineries, based on three operating refineries which were visited and studied in detail. An appropriate methodology for damage analysis is developed. Results include the first application of CPM charts to the repair analysis, the generation of a generalized model for damage analysis, ant the development of a preliminary repair model. Significant findings: Two critical refinery elements are especially vulnerable to blast, controlhouse roofs at 1.5 psi, and cooling towers at 3.5 psi. Repair times are lengthy, with a minimum of 188 eight-hour calendar days for the controlhouse and up to 277 days if a crude still collapses (at 7.0 psi). Shutdown is essential to avoid destruction of processing units by fire due to moderate blast overpressures, and rapid shutdown can be accomplished in less than 15 minutes with less damage than that which would result from a moderate blast striking an operating refinery. Controlhouses are the weak links of the refineries, and the refineries are the weak links of the petroleum industry. Because of geographical concentration, one properly- placed weapon can seriously damage 10% of U.S. refining capacity; three weapons, 25% and nine weapons, 51%.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0482909
Entities
People
- Olaf H. Fernald
- Robert C. Entwisle
- Thomas D. Bull
Organizations
- SRI International