Afternoon blaze flares up again in the evening; workers go home
Lin Wenjian, Leonard Lim, Maria Almenoar & Jennani Durai Straits Times 29 Sep 11;
MORE than 100 firefighters were last night battling a fire that broke out at oil giant Shell's Pulau Bukom refinery, its largest in the world.
Explosions were heard soon after the fire started at a pumphouse at about 1.15pm. It appeared at first that the blaze had been brought under control within an hour, but by evening, it had flared up again.
Shell evacuated 400 'non-essential' employees from the island, keeping 250 on site - including its fire-fighting team - to handle core operations.
It said it was closing down its multi-million dollar hydrocracking unit which makes diesel. It was also protecting several tanks from heat exposure, as a precaution.
At a hastily called 10.30pm press conference, Shell Companies in Singapore chairman Lee Tzu Yang said the company was 'working towards stabilising the situation'.
'And the plants that are further away, we are slowing them down in preparation for shutdown.'
He said the fire - whose cause was still unknown and being investigated - was contained within a 150m by 50m space, about the size of a football field.
All staff had been accounted for, but one Shell firefighter suffered a superficial injury, and five others had heat exhaustion and pulled muscles. They were under observation.
'At this point in time, our priority is to ensure the safety of our people and to make sure that the fire goes out with the help of SCDF,' said Mr Lee.
While lighter fuels like gasoline are still alight, he gave the assurance that there was no danger of poisonous vapours when the affected hydrocarbons combust.
Shell will continue to supply Singapore's fuel markets with products from storage and other refineries, so the company expects no shortages locally. It exports 90 per cent of its products produced at Bukom to the Asia-Pacific and beyond.
But the company, Europe's largest oil company which is headquartered in the Hague in the Netherlands, has activated its network of refineries in countries like Malaysia and the Philippines to help out with external supply while the blaze is going on.
Said Mr Lee: 'We have quite an extensive network of other refineries in Asia and we also have a very active supply and trading function. So they have already been activated this afternoon as a precaution to secure product supply for the external markets. So we will cover our obligations.'
The company, which produces half-a-million barrels per day at its Bukom plant, said processing units were now running at reduced capacity.
Pulau Bukom houses the $4.1 billion Shell Eastern Petrochemicals Complex, which opened in May last year and is its largest petrochemical investment. A network of plants on Pulau Bukom and nearby Jurong Island are connected by sub-sea pipelines. The complex includes one of the world's largest monoethylene glycol plants, in operation since November last year.
Shell officials said the fire started in an open area where there were many criss-crossing pipelines carrying light fuels.
The SCDF received a call three minutes later, and when its firemen arrived, Shell's in-house firemen were already at work with eight water jets.
A 30-year-old process technician who works in nearby Jurong Island said he saw the fire break out while he was having lunch. He declined to be named.
Administration executive Khadijah Yaakop, 26, whose 18th-floor office is located at Alexandra Point, said she saw a thick blanket of smoke emanating from Pulau Bukom.
She said: 'There was a commotion in my office and my colleagues told me there was a fire at Pulau Bukom. I couldn't smell anything but I took photos of the fire.'
She sent the photos to citizen journalism website Stomp.
She added that by the time she left her office at 6pm, 'the fire seemed to have died down and there was only a slight haze in the sky'.
Indeed, there were conflicting statements from Shell and the SCDF about the fire throughout the day.
Shell issued a statement at about 3.30pm to confirm a fire had occurred at its 50-year-old manufacturing site at Pulau Bukom.
As smoke continued to be seen by those in the area over the next few hours, questions remained on just what was happening on the island.
At 5.15pm, a Shell spokesman said the blaze had been 'contained', but just two hours later, the company said the fire had spread.
At 8.30pm, the SCDF announced that non-essential staff had been evacuated. The Straits Times understands they could include those handling administration, planning, IT or instrumentation.
The SCDF dispatched two fire engines, two fire bikes, one Red Rhino and eight support vehicles to the island.
Meanwhile, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said the smoke plume generated from the fire is not affecting air quality on the mainland.
An NEA spokesman said: 'The ambient air quality at the mainland remains in the good range. NEA is keeping a close watch of the situation and the public is advised not to be alarmed.'
Firefighters battle Pulau Bukom refinery blaze through the night
Tan Weizhen Today Online 29 Sep 11;
SINGAPORE - A chemical fire which broke out at 1.15pm yesterday and had spread to other parts of the Royal Dutch Shell refinery on Pulau Bukom burned long into the night, as 100 Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers and 250 of the company's employees worked through the night to contain it.
At 1.30 this morning, the fire was still raging in an area about 150m by 50m. It damaged a pump house and pipes but no one suffered serious injuries.
Neighbouring units were shut down as a precaution and no toxic vapours were released into the air, a Shell spokesperson said in a statement issued after midnight.
The spokesperson said: "All staff are accounted for and non-essential staff have been evacuated to safety. One Shell firefighter sustained a superficial injury, and five other firefighters suffered heat exhaustion and pulled muscles."
The spokesperson said the fire was believed to have been caused by an accident. The company will conduct an investigation "once the fire is put out".
The spokesperson added: "We very much regret this incident and are glad that no one was seriously hurt. Safety is our top priority."
Pulau Bukom is more than 5km from Singapore. The fire and the thick plumes of smoke were visible from western areas of Singapore - such as Pasir Panjang, Redhill and Dover Road - as well as from Sentosa.
Refinery sources told Reuters the fire broke out where finished oil products are transferred from the final production unit into storage tanks by being pumped through pipelines.
According to the SCDF, petroleum products from pipes in the tank farm at the manufacturing facility were ablaze. The SCDF dispatched two fire engines, two fire bikes, one Red Rhino and eight support vehicles to the accident.
At a press conference late last night, Mr Lee Tzu Yang, chairman for Shell Companies in Singapore, explained that the substances that were burning were "light fuel products".
"They are not toxic and will not create gas clouds," said Mr Lee, adding that he was unable to say how long it would take to put out the fire.
He said: "There will be a continuous process of applying foam pressure ... the operation will continue as long as it takes."
Mr Lee said the company has taken precautions against any chemicals spilling into the sea.
Said Mr Lee: "(We) have deployed booms off Pulau Bukom in the sea to ensure that if in the event, any of this does escape to the sea it will be captured in the booms, and we have boats offshore keeping watch."
The refinery produces 500,000 barrels a day. About 90 per cent of its products are exported to countries in the region and beyond. It also accounts for more than one-third of Singapore's total refining capacity.
On the disruption to Shell's business, Mr Lee said the company has "quite an extensive network of other refineries in Asia".
He added: "We have a very active supply and trading function. They have been activated this afternoon as a precaution and to secure product supply for external markets. We supply almost all countries in Asia."
According to Mr Lee, there was no damage to the hydrocracker. He added: "We will be happy to source gasoline from our partners in Singapore. We have had good support from other oil companies here."
He added: "We have separate storage in Singapore to cater for Singapore market. The inventory will last long enough for us to find alternatives."
As to when Shell will be able to resume operations, Mr Lee reiterated that it was premature to say.
The first steps were to put out the fire, "assess the situation as to when we can safely start up the units", then investigate and find out what went wrong, Mr Lee said.
No one hurt in Pulau Bukom fire
Today Online 12:33 AM Sep 29, 2011
SINGAPORE - Fire broke out at the manufacturing site of oil company Shell on Pulau Bukom this afternoon.
A spokesperson from Shell said the fire started at about 1.15pm.
The fire has been contained and no injuries were reported.
The rest of the site's operations were not affected.
Shell said it's working with the authorities to investigate the incident.
UPDATE: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) had called for a joint press conference with Shell earlier this evening.
They said 250 Shell and 100 SCDF personnel have remained on the island to try to put out the fire. Units close to the fire have been shut down as a preventive measure.
The SCDF and Shell also said there is sufficient containment in case of spillage into the sea.
They are still investigating the cause of the fire. AGENCIES
Fire at Shell manufacturing site
Channel NewsAsia 28 September 2011 1518 hrs
SINGAPORE: A fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon at the manufacturing site of oil company Shell on Pulau Bukom.
The fire has been contained. No injuries were reported.
The rest of the site's operations were not affected.
Shell said safety is a top priority and it's working closely with the authorities to investigate the incident.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force sent two fire engines, two fire bikes, one Red Rhino and eight support vehicles when it was alerted at 1.18pm.
When its firefighters arrived at the scene, Pulau Bukom's in-house firefighting team was already fighting the fire with eight water jets. SCDF sent two more large water jets for the operation.
It said the fire was brought under control in about one hour.
The 500,000-barrels-a-day refinery is Shell's largest refinery in the world, in terms of crude distillation capacity. This makes Singapore a key regional supply and trading centre for the Group in the East.
Some 90 per cent of Bukom's products are exported to countries in the region and beyond.
- CNA/ck/ac
Fire at Shell oil refinery intensifies
Vimita Mohandas Channel NewsAsia 28 September 2011 2001 hrs
SINGAPORE: A fire that broke out at the refinery of oil company Shell on Pulau Bukom on Wednesday afternoon has intensified.
Shell had initially said that the fire at the refinery, which broke out at around 1.15pm, had been contained.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the fire involves petroleum products from pipes in the tank farm at the manufacturing facility.
The SCDF sent two fire engines, two fire bikes, one Red Rhino and eight support vehicles when it was alerted at 1.18pm.
SCDF and Pulau Bukom's in-house fire-fighting team are at work with 25 water jets.
Shell said all efforts are directed to ensure the safety of staff and emergency responders on site.
No injuries have been reported and all staff are accounted for.
SCDF said all non essential staff from Pulau Bukom have been evacuated from the island following the fire and that fire fighting operations are still ongoing.
In a statement, SCDF has asked the public not to call the emergency numbers - 999 and 995 - unless it is life threatening.
SCDF said it will give an update when more information is available.
The complex comprises a 500,000-barrels-a-day refinery and is Shell's largest refinery in the world in terms of crude distillation capacity. This makes Singapore a key regional supply and trading centre for the group in the East.
Some 90 per cent of Bukom's products are exported to countries in the region and beyond.
-CNA/ac
Shell shuts down some units at Pulau Bukom refinery after fire
Vimitas Mohandas Channel NewsAsia 29 September 2011 0304 hrs
SINGAPORE: Oil company Shell shut down some units at its Pulau Bukom manufacturing site following a huge blaze on Wednesday.
The company said the fire, which broke out at about 1.15pm, had been contained and it is working with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to put it out completely.
Shell said the fire had affected a pump house and pipes on Pulau Bukom, which is more than five kilometres away from the mainland.
The area affected is about 150 metres by 50 metres.
Shell believes the fire was an accident and said a full investigation will be conducted once the fire is put out.
The company added that one of its firefighters sustained superficial injury, while five others suffered heat exhaustion and a pulled muscle.
Shell said no one was seriously injured and all staff are accounted for. Non-essential staff were also evacuated from the island.
As a result of the shutdown, Shell said the public may see a larger flare, but it is no cause for alarm.
The company also gave assurance that the public need not be concerned by the smoke emitted as a result of the fire.
Mr Lee Tzu Yang, Chairman of Shell Companies Singapore, said: "I can confirm that the hydrocarbons involved in combustion of catching fire do not produce any poisonous vapours, so it's not toxic. There is, of course, quite considerable alarm at the sight of the fire but these vapours are not dangerous, in a sense of being poisonous.
"We have blocked off the pipelines that run through this area, so there are no more fresh products and for the plants that are further away from the area we are slowing them down in preparation for shutdown. Because in a shutdown situation, there would be hydrocarbons that are vented to the atmosphere and you would see a larger than normal flare."
As a precautionary measure, Shell said it has closed down some of the units around the affected area which includes its hydrocracker unit.
Shell said some 250 staff are still on the island to man operations there.
The company is confident the Singapore market will continue as normal. It also assured the public there is sufficient petrol and diesel for Singapore's use.
The Bukom complex comprises a 500,000-barrels-a-day refinery and is Shell's largest refinery in the world in terms of crude distillation capacity.
This makes Singapore a key regional supply and trading centre for the group in the region.
Some 90 percent of Bukom's products are exported to countries in the region and beyond.
- CNA/de
Fire fighting continues at Pulau Bukom refinery
Channel NewsAsia 29 Sep 2011 0841 hrs
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said fire fighting operations are still under way at Shell's Pulau Bukom refinery, but the situation is under control.
The fire, which broke out Wednesday afternoon, involves petroleum products from pipes in the tank farm at a manufacturing facility measuring 150 metres by 50 metres.
The fire is contained within the bund walls.
In an update issued at about 6:30am on Thursday, SCDF said it has about 100 fire fighters fighting the fire with six fire engines and 13 support vehicles.
About 250 essential Shell personnel are also on Pulau Bukom helping with the operations.
SCDF said about 20 water jets are being used to carry out boundary cooling operations.
This is to prevent heat exposure to nearby storage tanks.
SCDF said it is also closely monitoring the temperature levels of the storage tanks surrounding the manufacturing facility.
All non-essential staff from Pulau Bukom have been evacuated from the island.
- CNA/cc
Fire forces evacuation at Shell's Bukom refinery
Some facilities shut down, blaze contained around midnight
Winston Chai Business Times 29 Sep 11;
(SINGAPORE) A blaze at Royal Dutch Shell's Singapore refinery, its largest in the world, has prompted the firm to clear out employees and partially shut down facilities at its offshore complex.
The evacuation order was issued after earlier attempts to contain the midday fire at Shell's Pulau Bukom Manufacturing Site proved unsuccessful. The fire was eventually contained around midnight.
In response to the incident, Shell has shut down a hydrocracker on the island but its ethylene cracker is still operating.
Shell Companies' Singapore chairman Lee Tzu Yang said at a press conference late last night that crude-processing units at the site are now running at reduced capacity.
The SCDF, which was notified three minutes after the blaze broke out at 1.15pm yesterday, had initially said the incident had been brought under control within the hour.
However, plumes of thick black smoke that could be seen from many parts of mainland Singapore continued to billow out from Pulau Bukom in the evening.
Eyewitnesses also reportedly heard explosions on the facility. A Shell spokesman subsequently confirmed that the fire had indeed intensified.
No fatalities have been reported but one firefighter sustained a minor injury. All staff are accounted for, the company said.
According to the SCDF, the fire involved products from pipes in the tank farm at the Shell complex.
The oil giant's Pulau Bukom facility has a crude distillation capacity of 500,000 barrels a day. Besides refining crude oil, the complex also includes a 800,000 tonne-a-year ethylene cracker and a 155,000 tonne-a-year butadiene-extraction unit.
Some 90 per cent of its products are exported to countries in the region and beyond, making Singapore a key supply and trading centre for Shell in the region.
The company did not comment by press time on the extent of the fire damage and the exact impact it has on its local production capacity.
Fire at Shell Singapore refinery intensifies
Reuters AsiaOne 28 Sep 11;
Update: Shell and SCDF have said that there are sufficient containment measures in case of spillage into sea.
SINGAPORE - A fire has intensified at Royal Dutch Shell's largest refinery, its half-a-million barrel per day Singapore plant, sending a plume of black smoke over the city-state.
As of 6.30am on Thursday, firefighting operations were still underway, a Today report said. About 100 firefighters are fighting the blaze with six fire engines and 13 support vehicles, the SCDF said.
It also added that the situation is under control.
"There is a fire and it grew significantly, but I am not aware of an explosion," said Lee Tzu Yang, chairman for Shell Companies in Singapore told Reuters.
"My understanding is that there are no people injured."
The company declined to comment on what impact the fire was having on operations at the plant, which accounts for more than a third of the island nation's total refining capacity.
Singapore is the world's biggest market for fuel oil and as Asia's hub for crude and product trading, any disruption may have an impact regional prices out of proportion to the capacity taken offline.
A dark cloud of smoke could be seen over mainland Singapore and the Jurong Island oil hub, about five hours after the fire started at the refinery at 0515 GMT.
"The smoke has become much thicker and flames are rising up five to eight storeys every 15-20 minutes," said a Reuters witness.
NAPHTHA STORAGE HIT
"The fire at the manufacturing facility on Pulau Bukom is still on-going. The fire involves petroleum products from pipes in the tank farm at the manufacturing facility," a Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman said.
Refinery sources said the fire occurred where finished oil products are transferred from the final production unit into storage tanks by being pumped through pipelines.
"There are a lot of pipelines in this area. And there are residues of flammable oil trapped in them. The fire got worse because it spread into the pipes, and that's what caused the explosions," said the refinery source.
The sources said that the damage was quite extensive as a result of the second fire, which was more intense than the first, and it would take some time before the area is able to resume operations.
Traders said Shell, one of the largest naphtha traders and suppliers in Asia, sold an usually heavy volume of at least 40,000 tonnes of prompt October/November naphtha swaps, implying that it is taking a bearish view of the market.
The damage to the area is expected to lead to inventories of naphtha being stuck in storage, and in a market where prices for prompt cargoes are stronger than for forward delivery, the stocks would lose value over time, traders said.
Some traders view Shell's move to sell an unusually-high volume of naphtha's October/November swaps, at higher price levels of US$4.75-US$5.00 (S$6.10 - S$6.42) a tonne versus week-ago levels, as a move to lock in higher profit levels for the inventories.
Fire Still Burning At Shell Singapore Refinery
Luke Pachymuthu PlanetArk 29 Sep 11;
A fire continues to burn on Thursday at Royal Dutch Shell's largest refinery, its half a million barrels per day Singapore plant, but the blaze is under control, Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) said in a statement.
The fire hit the plant on an island off Singapore's shores on Wednesday, forcing Shell to close down a hydrocracking unit that helps make diesel fuel as a safety measure.
"Fire fighting operations are still underway at the affected area," the SCDF said in the statement. "There are currently about 100 SCDF fire fighters fighting the fire with 6 fire engines and 13 support vehicles. About 250 essential Shell personnel are also on Pulau Bukom."
Shell could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday. In a statement issued earlier, Shell said the fire had been contained and that it had accounted for all staff.
Crude processing units at the plant, which accounts for more than a third of the island nation's total refining capacity, were running at reduced capacity, Shell said on Wednesday.
Production units at the refinery near the blaze were shut as a precaution. In the process of the shutdown, Shell said that a larger flare would be visible. The flare was no cause for alarm, as no toxic vapours were being released, Shell said.
One Shell firefighter sustained a superficial injury, and five other firefighters had heat exhaustion and pulled muscle, the company said.
(Editing by Simon Webb)
Shell shuts some Singapore refinery units after fire
Francis Kan and Seng Li Peng Reuters Sep 28, 2011 2:50pm EDT
(Reuters) - A fire that forced Royal Dutch Shell to shut down some units and evacuate non-essential staff at its massive Singapore refinery on Wednesday has been contained after burning for nearly half a day.
The fire hit the 500,000 barrel per day (bpd) plant, Shell's biggest worldwide, at 1:15 p.m local time (0515 GMT), forcing it to close down a hydrocracking unit that helps make diesel fuel as a safety measure, the company said earlier.
In an update at 12:15 a.m. on Thursday (1615 GMT Wednesday), Shell said the fire was contained and that no one was seriously hurt by the blaze, but that it had shut "neighboring units" as a precaution. It said the fire had damaged the pump room, which contains pipes used for blending refined fuels.
Crude processing units at the plant, which accounts for more than a third of the island nation's total refining capacity, were running at reduced capacity, Lee Tzu Yang, chairman for Shell Companies in Singapore, told reporters.
"All the crude distillation units, all the processing units are running at the moment in a stable situation," said Martijn van Koten, vice president for manufacturing operations at a media briefing.
"The hydrocracker itself is not affected. We have just taken a precautionary measure just to make sure that it is in a safe position," he added.
Singapore is the world's biggest market for fuel oil and Asia's hub for crude and product trading. Any disruption there may have an impact on regional prices out of proportion to the capacity taken offline.
"The FCCU (gasoline-making unit), on another island further back, is also running in a stable position," van Koten said. "Our priority is not to keep everything running. Our priority is to focus on (making sure) everyone is safe and to make sure that the fire doesn't spread."
Shell will continue to supply Singapore's fuel markets with products from storage and other refineries, so the company expects no shortages in the market, Lee said.
The company has evacuated nonessential staff from the refining complex, he added.
LIGHT FUEL STORAGE HIT
Refinery sources said the fire occurred where finished oil products are transferred from the final production unit into storage tanks by being pumped through pipelines.
"There are a lot of pipelines in this area. And there are residues of flammable oil trapped in them," said one of the refinery sources.
Shell is operating its ethylene cracker normally at the plant. The ethylene cracker is typically fed by products from the hydrocracking unit that was shut due to the fire. The company is supplying alternative feedstocks to the ethylene cracker to keep it running, van Koten said.
Shell, one of the largest naphtha traders and suppliers in Asia, sold an unusually heavy volume of at least 40,000 tonnes of prompt October/November naphtha swaps, traders said.
Some traders view Shell's move to sell an unusually-high volume of naphtha's October/November swaps, at higher price levels of $4.75-$5.00 a tonne versus week-ago levels, as a move to lock in higher profit levels for the inventories.
(Additional reporting by Alejandro Barbajosa, Yaw Yan Chong and Luke Pachymuthu, and Naveen Arul in Bangalore, Writing by Manash Goswami; Editing by Jane Biard and Marguerita Choy)
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