LNG facility accident at Cove Point, Maryland. Report prepared for the use of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, United States House of Representatives, and its Subcommittee on Energy and Power, May 1980

Book · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6539417

On October 6, 1979, an explosion occurred at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility operated by Columbia LNG Corporation at Cove Point, Maryland. One plant operator was killed; the plant was shut down pending repair of the damage. Prior to this event the LNG industry has pointed with pride to its safe operating history. However, this recent explosion has illustrated the need for a reevaluation of LNG plant safety procedures, design, operator education and training, as well as government regulation, enforcement and oversight. This accident might have been prevented by different operator action, equipment design or plant design. A number of recommendations have been developed subsequent to the accident. These include improved operator education, isolation of emergency systems, and reevaluation of previously adopted industry codes and standards. The events at Cove Point must be used as a learning experience by the LNG industry and responsible government agencies to insure that the same sequence of events is never duplicated as well as to reconsider the design of all other critical systems for potential problems.

• OSTI ID: 6539417
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030500* -- Natural Gas-- Health & Safety
035000 -- Natural Gas-- Storage-- (1989-)
ACCIDENTS
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
CENTRAL REGION
DESIGN
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIONS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
INDUSTRY
INVESTIGATIONS
LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS
LNG INDUSTRY
MARYLAND
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY
NORTH AMERICA
RECOMMENDATIONS
SAFETY
STORAGE FACILITIES
TERMINAL FACILITIES
TRAINING
USA