Crane Gas Plant - Executive Summary |
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Crane Gas Plant Risk Management Plan: Executive Summary ACCIDENTAL RELEASE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE POLICIES The Crane gas plant is committed to worker and public safety. This commitment is demonstrated by the resources invested in accident prevention, such as training personnel and considering safety in the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of our processes. This facility was designed and constructed utilizing generally accepted industry codes and recommended practices such as ANSI, ASME and API. It is our policy to adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Our policy is to implement reasonable controls to prevent foreseeable releases of regulated substances. However, if a release does occur, plans have been developed to control and contain the release. DESCRIPTION OF THE STATIONARY SOURCE AND REGULATED SUBSTANCES The Crane gas plant is located outside of Crane, Texas and processes wet natural gas to produce a dry natural gas stream, natural gas liquids and a hydrocarbon condensate oil. The plant has several regulated flammables, such as methane, ethane, propane, butanes and pentanes. The wet natural gas from local oil and gas wells enters the facility at pressures ranging from 5 psig to 600 psig. The gas is compressed to 600 psig via six natural gas fired compressors. Condensate is produced as the gas is compressed and cooled via aerial coolers. The gas then flows to an amine system that is used to sweeten, or remove H2S and CO2 from the sour wet natural gas. The sweetened gas then flows on to the Triethylene Glycol Contactor (TEG) contactor for dehydration. After leaving the TEG contactor the gas flows to a molecular (mol) sieve bed system to accomplish the final dehydration before entering the cryogenic section of the plant. The sweetened, dehydrated gas is compressed via two natural gas fired compre ssors to 1000 psig. The gas enters the cryogenic section of the plant and is cooled by cross exchangers, a propane refrigerant system, and a turboexpander. The result of this process is that natural gas liquids (NGLs) are removed from the gas and a dry natural gas stream is produced. NGLs, condensate and the dry natural gas are delivered to local pipelines. OFFSITE CONSEQUENCE ANALYSIS RESULTS The worst case scenarios (WCS) associated with a release of flammable substances at the gas plant is a vapor cloud explosion (VCE) involving the full inventory of the largest pressure vessel containing a flammable mixture of natural gas liquids. The maximum expected liquid inventory of a 10,000 gallon pressure vessel, was assumed to release and ignite, resulting in a VCE. According to EPA's look-up tables the maximum distance to the 1-psi endpoint for this WCS is 0.3 mile. Since this facility is located in a relatively remote, unoccupied area, the worst-case scenario would not reach a public receptor. Although we have numerous controls to prevent such releases and to manage their consequences, no credit for passive mitigation measures was taken into account in evaluating this WCS. GENERAL ACCIDENT RELEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM This facility complies with EPA's accident prevention rule and all applicable Federal, state and local codes and regulations. This facility has training programs in place for its personnel and a comprehensive maintenance program to ensure that the equipment is maintained properly to reduce the possibility of a release of flammable liquids or gases. A management of change policy is established that requires all facility modifications to be reviewed by engineering, operations and safety departments to promote the safety of the employees and public. FIVE YEAR ACCIDENT HISTORY The Crane gas plant has an excellent record of accident prevention over the past 5 years. This facility has not had an accident involving release of any of the regulated flammables that caused deaths, injuries, property or environmental damage, evacuations, or shelterings in place during the past 5 years. THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN In the event of an emergency involving our facility, it is our policy to notify the Crane County Fire and Sheriff Departments and request that they respond to the emergency. We have discussed this policy with these departments; members of these departments have inspected our facility. PLANNED CHANGES TO IMPROVE SAFETY None. |