EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN IN REFINERY UNITS

Emergency Shutdown in Refinery Units



Emergency Shutdown in Refinery Units

Introduction

This document provides the community with a summary of the potential for major incidents that could occur at the Shell Geelong Refinery and Lara LPG Terminal, including the hazards that could cause those incidents and the control measures that are in place to prevent or minimise the consequences of any incidents. This document is commonly referred to as the Safety Case Summary and is a requirement of the OHS Regulations for all licensed major hazard facilities.

Shell Geelong Refinery is one of two oil refineries in Victoria. It is, by Australian standards, a large and complex refinery. The refinery occupies a land area of 120 hectares (with an additional surrounding buffer zone of another 140 hectares). It has a range of processing plants including crude distillation, hydro-treating, catalytic reforming, catalytic cracking, HF alkylation and sulphur recovery. It has an extensive tank-farm for the storage of crude oil and other feed-stocks, intermediate products and finished products. The refinery has a number of road gantries as well as being the predominant user of Refinery Pier. The refinery receives Gippsland crude oil feedstock via the WAG pipeline from Westernport Bay and other crude oils by oil tanker into Refinery Pier. Other feed-stocks, particularly for bitumen manufacture, are also received via Refinery Pier. The refinery produces a wide range of products including gasoline, diesel, kerosene, LPG, solvents, fuel oil, aviation gasoline, bitumen and a number of small volume speciality products. The refinery is also a major supplier of propylene feedstock to the Lyondell Basell Polypropylene facility, located on the refinery site. The refinery operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to supply about 50% of the fuel needs of Victoria and 95% of Tasmania's fuel needs as well as providing fuel to other states in Australia and to New Zealand. Lyondell Basell operates a polypropylene plant on the refinery site. Lyondell Basell is an independently licensed Major Hazard Facility.

Discussion

Safety has the highest priority within Shell. We believe all accidents and injuries are preventable. This commitment extends throughout all levels of the organisation. As one of Shell's most senior leaders has said: “Preventing process safety incidents remains our highest priority. We must aim to be a leader in process and personal safety performance.” As a Major Hazard Facility, Shell Geelong Refinery and Lara Terminal is required to submit a Safety Case for assessment by Work Safe Victoria. This document is a summary of that Safety Case and explains the potential impact of the facility on our neighbours and the community. We take a systematic approach to managing safety and preventing incidents that place our people, our neighbours, the Geelong community, the environment and our facilities at risk. This is reflected in our Safety Management System and the approach that has been undertaken for the development and review of the Safety Case. Shell is committed to achieving continuous Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) performance ...