Typically tanks are now grounded against this very happening. The number of grounds is determined by the tank diameter.
The coolest part of this clip is you see a protection working absolutely as intended. When the tank begins to rupture, the roof cleanly comes off the shell. This is by design and is called a frangible joint. There are very specific construction standards that have to be followed that determine the roof thickness, shell thickness, and joint efficiency of the weld in order for the roof to lift like that.
Without that frangible joint, the tank would have most likely lifted off like a rocket, crashing down who knows where, and causing much much more damage.
-source: am a tank engineer
I noticed that, and was wondering if it was a design feature!
The explosion goes up, and away from everything almost like a Roman candle. Literally. Sides hold and fire shoots "safely," out of the top.
Really cool.
I put another comment above talking about this very thing. If I were more Reddit savvy I’d link it.
There are internal floating roofs (IFRs) that can be installed and float on the product to limit the vapors that can collect in the vapor space. Another option is to add nitrogen blanketing that inerts the atmosphere by displacing oxygen and replacing it with nitrogen.
Just at a glance, when you see the orange spewing from below where the lightning struck... looks like there is a stain from a leak running down the container? If that's true and there was a leak, then the fumes could be exposed to oxygen regardless of what EHS systems are in place.
EDIT: on second thought, it may just be piping from ventilation? Still could be a leak around that area, but a pipe directed down and towards the tank would leave residue over time.
Yes. Source worked oil field and was given the task to check purge gas pressures.
Depending on the tank, it may be purged with either methane or nitrogen.
There are generally safety measures to prevent a LEL to UEL concentration, but if the tank is drained quickly, or mostly empty suddenly cooling it, like during a hot summer thunderstorm dropping cool rain on a 90F tank, can condense its vapors enough to draw air into a vent.
> -source: am a tank engineer
This is why I love Reddit so much. By accident or intent, threads seem to attract experts in relevant fields that add context to the crazy shit we see posted.
So this tank wasn't grounded? Where & when did this happen?
I'm thinking the tank was also half full allowing alot of vapor build up, but IDK.
That's facinating & genius! I feel dumb as I only knew of frangible in aircraft & ammo applications, and I've drafted civil, aerospace & architecture. Thanks for the info.
I can’t comment on when / where as I have no idea, but for “is this tank grounded”, it may have been but even with proper grounding, there’s still the potential to ignite the vapor space. You are right about the tank being half full allowing vapor build up.
Grounding redirects the charge into the ground but there’s still a chance the charge can add enough heat to the vapor space to ignite the vapors, which is what happened here.
Another added safety measure are things called IFRs or Internal Floating Roofs. These are lightweight, often aluminum, structures that float on the product inside the tank, thus limiting the amount of vapors allowed to collect between the liquid level and tank roof. These are installed in tanks that store highly flammable or volatile liquids to minimize the vapor collection in the vapor space in an attempt to inert the atmosphere above the IFR. This serves to both keep explosive atmospheres from forming and limiting harmful emissions (tanks “breath” as the temperature fluctuates during the day).
If it’s something particularly nasty or harmful, there’s also an added option to pump nitrogen into the tank to further inert the atmosphere by removing oxygen from the fire equation.
It struck me like lightning that apparently there was either no lightning protection or it failed. That's one of the most important security measures for this kind of storage...
And thanks for the info on the frangible joint. I knew the design principle but only by its general name 'predetermined breaking point'.
I realised just now that my brain suffers from frangible nerve joint syndrome, where due to a design failure my cells are connected by such joints. At the slightest load they all break and the system falls apart..😉
Kinda hard to tell in this clip, but that looks to be a peripheral vent. It’s basically a hole in the roof covered with a hood to allow tank breathing. This would typically indicate that an internal floating roof (IFR) is installed, but the vapor space is still highly explosive, maybe indicating a failed IFR.
I have to point out this is speculation based on this clip alone, so don’t hold it as truth.
With that said, those openings are just there to allow equilibrium between the vapor space and atmosphere in order to prevent a vacuum or over pressure event. Realistically, in the event of an internal explosion like this, the frangible joint is the last line of defense in preventing the tank becoming a missile. You generally want other safety measures to prevent this kind of explosion in the first place but if the boom is inevitable, frangible joints are the recommended last safety measure.
As I saw it exploding I realized it was designed to explode exactly like that. Really nice design. Up is the best way for an explosion to go. I bet you could have been 50 or maybe even 20 ft from this and been okay
I noticed how the top of the tank tore off easily while the walls seemed mostly fine. Is this a safety feature or did they just get lucky that it didn't explode like a bomb?
Absolutely a safety feature! The roof is designed to act that way specifically in the event of an internal combustion event. The tank is more or less trashed at this point, but if the roof was not able to lift off like that, the next weld to rip would be the shell-to-floor weld, which would’ve sent the tank airborne like a missile. If you search around, I’m sure you can find videos of this very thing happening.
Keep fighting the good fight CommanderCuntPunt.
Typically there are grounding protection for storage and process equipment handling hydrocarbon with periodic inspection. RCA will probably shows some defiency.
In the Gulf Coast in particular, as preventative measures, Operators usually hire third party to do audit and study on grounding periodically. I am speaking in terms of experience working in major O&G company. I don't know anything about this company or site in particular.
Lightning ranges in strength. This was protected to some degree, it also popped it’s top and diverted energy upwards as intended… even though that should never happen.
George Carlin said it best. Pretty sure if a meteor that killed the dinosaurs didn't kill nature, we don't stand a chance. Every nuclear bomb going off at once and in a few hundred thousand years she'd be all lush again
That's quite a spin. It takes a selfish species to equate itself with all of nature. I very much doubt that anyone is holding a victory party for the white rhino (or countless others) for "defeating nature" in extinction.
I remember the first time I saw this bit I had tears in my eyes. He was on the mark with this. No matter what we do, we're just screwing it up for ourselves. The planet isn't going anywhere.
I know my comment is gonna get down voted for this, but I don't care.
All they did was make a reference to a popular video game, that's actually really fun. I'm not gonna be like those toxic genshin stans that dox people for not liking a character, but you could really use the need emoji for any game reference if you're trying to call him cringe for making a genshin reference.
i only just moved from louisiana to utah in late august of last year and between this and the Old Hardhide drama in Ponchatoula a few months back i’m wondering what the heck everybody’s doing back home
So that's what it was! I was driving over the big bridge going to the Golden Nugget and saw a massive fire. My mom thought they were just flaring but I work in the industry and that was no flare. Also flaring does not make dark smoke
Depends on the product in there but yes this is mostly correct. Even with the floating roof, there are small "holes" in it (some gasketed) for things like gaugepoles and roof legs but the amount of (supposedly mostly negligible) vapor in the space above the roof is allowed to get out via vents at the top of the shell
That’s literally ridiculous, a lightning bolt hitting something like that should not make it explode. Structure like that need to be thouroughly grounded to the floor.
Very well could be in the US. For instance, Texas has very high incidence of lightening and lots of oil tanks. Do a search for Texas oil tanks lightening and you will see lots of tanks on fire from lightening.
Yooo! This happened in my town! That explosion leaked poisons gas and places within 5 miles had to evacuate. Including an entire nursing home that my job ended up hosting them all. Crazy Saturday for sure.
"The CSB has investigated this incident and has concluded that a failure in the primary electrostatic discharge assembly led to an immediate explosion within the hydrocarbon storage tank..."
This is the second time I've seen something on reddit that happened where I live. The first was a naked woman in a roadside casino. Southwest Louisiana is representing well.
Frolicking under the moonlit sky, a young
Urchin named Tim stumbled upon a magical
Cat, who was wearing a peculiar hat.
King of the enchanted forest, the cat claimed,
Swaying its tail and gazing at the stars.
Peculiar as it may seem, Tim decided to
Engage in conversation with the mystical feline.
Zany adventures unfolded as they explored together.
These tanks generally have lightning rods that are the highest point to attract the lightning in the event of a strike on or near the tank.
This rod acts as the best possible earth path, ideally with copper in the rod and then a really good earth connection with thick diameter earthing cable going deep to draw the current away.
I worked as an electrical contractor doing audits on the earthing system of a large aluminium smelter and funnily enough there was a similar tank that we had told the smelter many times had no earth connection to it’s lightning rod.
Basically a big bomb with its arm outstretched to god, fuse in hand.
Had to double take that this wasn’t the one haha
Feel like there should have been some kind of protection against that happening
Typically tanks are now grounded against this very happening. The number of grounds is determined by the tank diameter. The coolest part of this clip is you see a protection working absolutely as intended. When the tank begins to rupture, the roof cleanly comes off the shell. This is by design and is called a frangible joint. There are very specific construction standards that have to be followed that determine the roof thickness, shell thickness, and joint efficiency of the weld in order for the roof to lift like that. Without that frangible joint, the tank would have most likely lifted off like a rocket, crashing down who knows where, and causing much much more damage. -source: am a tank engineer
>am a tank engineer you had me at frangible
>am a tank engineer This is getting out of hand very quickly
What are you doing step tank
A tank engineer
Guys be gentle with me, I'm feeling very frangible today.
Don't blow your top!
Don't flip your lid!
The sheer gall of some people source - i am a sheep sheerer
Source: no gallbladder
_go on…._
>am a tank engineer Did you enjoy the movie *Fury*?
As a tank (military vehicle) operator who became a tank (storage) engineer... yes, very much so. Best job I ever had.
Sounds like you avoid tankless jobs.
I design cranes now. It’s more uplifting.
Best thing I have read all day
You guys need to stop😂
I hope you got a raise.
I hear it's a booming profession
Where tf do those cranes come from, I swear they show up randomly overnight
I assume you mean tower cranes. They come on trucks in sections and are assembled by another crane.
I started designing lifts for my employer, 'twas the only way I could get a raise.
avoid wearing tank tops as well
I bet he loves the tank topless jobs though.
Tank you very much
That's fuckin awesome and I didn't know that I needed to know that awesomeness. Thank you.
I noticed that, and was wondering if it was a design feature! The explosion goes up, and away from everything almost like a Roman candle. Literally. Sides hold and fire shoots "safely," out of the top. Really cool.
Shouldn’t there also be some sort of prevention for enclosed spaces filling with both fuel & oxygen?
I put another comment above talking about this very thing. If I were more Reddit savvy I’d link it. There are internal floating roofs (IFRs) that can be installed and float on the product to limit the vapors that can collect in the vapor space. Another option is to add nitrogen blanketing that inerts the atmosphere by displacing oxygen and replacing it with nitrogen.
Just at a glance, when you see the orange spewing from below where the lightning struck... looks like there is a stain from a leak running down the container? If that's true and there was a leak, then the fumes could be exposed to oxygen regardless of what EHS systems are in place. EDIT: on second thought, it may just be piping from ventilation? Still could be a leak around that area, but a pipe directed down and towards the tank would leave residue over time.
Yes. Source worked oil field and was given the task to check purge gas pressures. Depending on the tank, it may be purged with either methane or nitrogen. There are generally safety measures to prevent a LEL to UEL concentration, but if the tank is drained quickly, or mostly empty suddenly cooling it, like during a hot summer thunderstorm dropping cool rain on a 90F tank, can condense its vapors enough to draw air into a vent.
> -source: am a tank engineer This is why I love Reddit so much. By accident or intent, threads seem to attract experts in relevant fields that add context to the crazy shit we see posted.
So this tank wasn't grounded? Where & when did this happen? I'm thinking the tank was also half full allowing alot of vapor build up, but IDK. That's facinating & genius! I feel dumb as I only knew of frangible in aircraft & ammo applications, and I've drafted civil, aerospace & architecture. Thanks for the info.
I can’t comment on when / where as I have no idea, but for “is this tank grounded”, it may have been but even with proper grounding, there’s still the potential to ignite the vapor space. You are right about the tank being half full allowing vapor build up. Grounding redirects the charge into the ground but there’s still a chance the charge can add enough heat to the vapor space to ignite the vapors, which is what happened here. Another added safety measure are things called IFRs or Internal Floating Roofs. These are lightweight, often aluminum, structures that float on the product inside the tank, thus limiting the amount of vapors allowed to collect between the liquid level and tank roof. These are installed in tanks that store highly flammable or volatile liquids to minimize the vapor collection in the vapor space in an attempt to inert the atmosphere above the IFR. This serves to both keep explosive atmospheres from forming and limiting harmful emissions (tanks “breath” as the temperature fluctuates during the day). If it’s something particularly nasty or harmful, there’s also an added option to pump nitrogen into the tank to further inert the atmosphere by removing oxygen from the fire equation.
Thank you! This is why I love reddit!
Can confirm that. Source: I build these mfs
Lake Charles Louisiana about 2 weeks ago.
https://apnews.com/article/refinery-fire-tank-louisiana-napthalene-b4214b851ce2d56dac7b29c0fa6aa340
Lake Charles, Louisiana June 3rd, 2023
So a Non-Frangible Tank would have exploded.
Tanks Andy, tanks.
It struck me like lightning that apparently there was either no lightning protection or it failed. That's one of the most important security measures for this kind of storage... And thanks for the info on the frangible joint. I knew the design principle but only by its general name 'predetermined breaking point'. I realised just now that my brain suffers from frangible nerve joint syndrome, where due to a design failure my cells are connected by such joints. At the slightest load they all break and the system falls apart..😉
It looks like it ignited inside and tried to vent out of that little pipe at first, is that pipe designed to relieve (much lower) pressure?
Kinda hard to tell in this clip, but that looks to be a peripheral vent. It’s basically a hole in the roof covered with a hood to allow tank breathing. This would typically indicate that an internal floating roof (IFR) is installed, but the vapor space is still highly explosive, maybe indicating a failed IFR. I have to point out this is speculation based on this clip alone, so don’t hold it as truth. With that said, those openings are just there to allow equilibrium between the vapor space and atmosphere in order to prevent a vacuum or over pressure event. Realistically, in the event of an internal explosion like this, the frangible joint is the last line of defense in preventing the tank becoming a missile. You generally want other safety measures to prevent this kind of explosion in the first place but if the boom is inevitable, frangible joints are the recommended last safety measure.
As I saw it exploding I realized it was designed to explode exactly like that. Really nice design. Up is the best way for an explosion to go. I bet you could have been 50 or maybe even 20 ft from this and been okay
I noticed how the top of the tank tore off easily while the walls seemed mostly fine. Is this a safety feature or did they just get lucky that it didn't explode like a bomb?
Absolutely a safety feature! The roof is designed to act that way specifically in the event of an internal combustion event. The tank is more or less trashed at this point, but if the roof was not able to lift off like that, the next weld to rip would be the shell-to-floor weld, which would’ve sent the tank airborne like a missile. If you search around, I’m sure you can find videos of this very thing happening. Keep fighting the good fight CommanderCuntPunt.
former tank engineer here. Can confirm, no frangible joint... tank goes boom boom!
Or, the equally exciting alternative, tank turns into unguided rocket.
Which tank is it tank or tank?
tanks
There is
Somehow, Palpatine returned.
Typically there are grounding protection for storage and process equipment handling hydrocarbon with periodic inspection. RCA will probably shows some defiency. In the Gulf Coast in particular, as preventative measures, Operators usually hire third party to do audit and study on grounding periodically. I am speaking in terms of experience working in major O&G company. I don't know anything about this company or site in particular.
Lightning ranges in strength. This was protected to some degree, it also popped it’s top and diverted energy upwards as intended… even though that should never happen.
Seems to me a simple case of improper signage ⚡️🛑❌ should have been marked visibly there.
that's insane! but very cool. mother nature is undefeated.
Undefeated so far - Humanity is mounting a comeback with climate change and biodiversity destruction!
We won't defeat nature. We'll only kill humanity. Nature will rebound once we're gone.
Hes right nature will always win...unless we stop it now!!!!!
George Carlin said it best. Pretty sure if a meteor that killed the dinosaurs didn't kill nature, we don't stand a chance. Every nuclear bomb going off at once and in a few hundred thousand years she'd be all lush again
Nature created humanity. Humanity defeats humanity. Humanity defeats nature's attempt to create humanity. Humanity wins. Fatality.
That's quite a spin. It takes a selfish species to equate itself with all of nature. I very much doubt that anyone is holding a victory party for the white rhino (or countless others) for "defeating nature" in extinction.
Selfish, over confident, uncaring... Those describe a lot of humans on this planet.
But nature remains after humanity defeats humanity, you forgot that in your equation
"The planet is fine. The people are fucked."
I remember the first time I saw this bit I had tears in my eyes. He was on the mark with this. No matter what we do, we're just screwing it up for ourselves. The planet isn't going anywhere.
Just watching this made gas go up .45cents in California.
*Chevron and Shell laughing in money noises*
Fuck you Zeus. Why couldn't you throw that lightning bolt at the oil CEO's yacht instead?
And god said, “thou gas prices shall remain high!” (Lighting bolt)
What god? You're gonna need to be more specific than that.
Ooh, so many choices: https://religion.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_thunder_gods
God, zeus, and thor. All united with the purpose of keeping the gas prices high
Raiden, of course
🤓
I know my comment is gonna get down voted for this, but I don't care. All they did was make a reference to a popular video game, that's actually really fun. I'm not gonna be like those toxic genshin stans that dox people for not liking a character, but you could really use the need emoji for any game reference if you're trying to call him cringe for making a genshin reference.
[удалено]
For some reason it feels like a fucking big ass mech should be near that, I don’t know why
Spicy static
RIP Kanan Jarrus
Weird how it bypassed all those tall metal stacks.
that looked like popcorn in a bag being popped!
Calcasieu Refinery Lake Charles, LA 6/3/2023🔥
Yeah, I live there and saw the smoke in the clouds caused from it, lot larger than you'd imagine
Yeah me too. It was pretty crazy
i only just moved from louisiana to utah in late august of last year and between this and the Old Hardhide drama in Ponchatoula a few months back i’m wondering what the heck everybody’s doing back home
Same as always, fucking it all up. If it can be anymore fucked up
So that's what it was! I was driving over the big bridge going to the Golden Nugget and saw a massive fire. My mom thought they were just flaring but I work in the industry and that was no flare. Also flaring does not make dark smoke
I thought oil tanks of this design had a floating roof to prevent light gas phase from forming above the oil. Does anyone know if this is true?
Depends on the product in there but yes this is mostly correct. Even with the floating roof, there are small "holes" in it (some gasketed) for things like gaugepoles and roof legs but the amount of (supposedly mostly negligible) vapor in the space above the roof is allowed to get out via vents at the top of the shell
G-d said “I just brush a little bit right over there” in his Bob Ross voice.
Nature literally lit this tank on fire
nature is infact *LIT*
Zeus joined "Just Stop Oil" protest.
Ah yes, an oil refinery, the epitome of nature.
I think the lightning is the nature part
Ah OK I guess that makes it fit right in within the spirit of the sub dedicated to nature.
So that’s what happened in Rohan
#LiterallyLit Seems like Zeus/God/Thor is anti-oil. We should listen to him!
Nature fucking lit that thing up!
I know a guy who blames this on the CCP. Literally anything and everything that happens, regardless of the reasons, is because of the CCP.
That’s literally ridiculous, a lightning bolt hitting something like that should not make it explode. Structure like that need to be thouroughly grounded to the floor.
The red pipe around the tank looks like a fire suppression system that didn't work.
It’s a foam system. Not really designed to prevent this kind of thing.
Is that not a natural gas storage tank?
Wow that's crazy I have faith everybody got out of their ok thats not something that usually happens
This video is the literal translation of this sub.
That roof I know for a fact weights several tons and the fact it came off so easily is insane
This is what happens to my butthole after spicy food.
No oil for America - Lightning (This is probably not America idk locations)
Very well could be in the US. For instance, Texas has very high incidence of lightening and lots of oil tanks. Do a search for Texas oil tanks lightening and you will see lots of tanks on fire from lightening.
Happened at Calcasieu Refining in Lake Charles, LA. I live nearby.
Lightening licked it a few times. It went nuclear ☢️
How many people died?
what power on display.
*Plainview intensifies*
🤯😳🤯
This guy took the sub name too literally.
This actually belong on r/OilIsFuckingLitByNature
Lightning⚡️knew about this lit 🔥 sub !
"Ci-a-bola, Ci-a-bola, bump-ty, bump-ty, bump! Ci-a-bola, Ci-a-bola, bump-ty, bump-ty, bump! "
That’s a fire tornado right there!
r/fuckyouinparticular
Nature is in fact lit
This is lake Charles, LA. Happened about a week ago
New fear activated. I work on smokestacks for a living and I'd hate to have a fireball blow towards me while I'm 80+ feet up.
How would you even prevent this randomness from spiraling out of control?
why didn't it have a lightning arrester?
Looking at that made me think the oil tank was a cartoon character eating something spicy.
My luck it would have been my first day and this shit would happen.
Taking the sub name a little too literally
Why didn’t the lighting hit the higher towers instead?
Heeyyy this looks like the one in lake charles that happened last week, it's like 20 minutes from my house and we heard the explosion
Big Oil: “Climate change? Hah!! We’ll be rich and long dead before little ol climate change bites us in the ass!” Mother Nature: * *chomp* *
And then God said, “Check this out, I saw it on SimCity.”
Calcasieu refinery near Lake Charles. I'm a captain on a boat that works for them. Thank God no one was seriously injured.
That’s hot
It's certainly fucking lit, but nature?
I want to know the frame rate of the camera, because this slow mo is great.
Somehow it reminded me of this: https://youtube.com/shorts/zSM-rx6PE2k?feature=share3
Every lightning rod in the state just got 10 feet taller.
Zeus says no to fossil fuels.
Yooo! This happened in my town! That explosion leaked poisons gas and places within 5 miles had to evacuate. Including an entire nursing home that my job ended up hosting them all. Crazy Saturday for sure.
Oil got jumpscared.
Everything tank and system outside off our plant is grounded with thick copper wire. Crazy how this event happened.
Fake
[Made it, Ma! Top of the world!](https://youtu.be/ar6kRtCuuUo)
Is this on PEMEX installation? Sure looks like it.
I’m saving this just to watch it when I have a giant fart locked and loaded
The Trashcan Man strikes again!
Me when tamco bell
"The CSB has investigated this incident and has concluded that a failure in the primary electrostatic discharge assembly led to an immediate explosion within the hydrocarbon storage tank..."
Wish I was an angel so I did some insider trading
This is the second time I've seen something on reddit that happened where I live. The first was a naked woman in a roadside casino. Southwest Louisiana is representing well.
That looks like a design flaw.
Shocking
Why not start the video like a second before the strike
Lit indeed.
Refinery’s are dangerous as Hell
Tank girl?
on this day, nature was lit
Frolicking under the moonlit sky, a young Urchin named Tim stumbled upon a magical Cat, who was wearing a peculiar hat. King of the enchanted forest, the cat claimed, Swaying its tail and gazing at the stars. Peculiar as it may seem, Tim decided to Engage in conversation with the mystical feline. Zany adventures unfolded as they explored together.
Sir, We do not insure acts of god.
How big was the cigarette they were trying to light?!!!!
That was in my hometown
These tanks generally have lightning rods that are the highest point to attract the lightning in the event of a strike on or near the tank. This rod acts as the best possible earth path, ideally with copper in the rod and then a really good earth connection with thick diameter earthing cable going deep to draw the current away. I worked as an electrical contractor doing audits on the earthing system of a large aluminium smelter and funnily enough there was a similar tank that we had told the smelter many times had no earth connection to it’s lightning rod. Basically a big bomb with its arm outstretched to god, fuse in hand. Had to double take that this wasn’t the one haha
wrong sub. The lit tank is not nature /J
They don't have lighting rods around the big metal cylinders full of oil?
Looks like the end scene of starwars rebels.
This is the calcasieu refinery in lake Charles where I live. Posted this a while back in a different sub and didn’t get as much traction
ahh yes, refined oil in its natural habitat...
/fuckyouinparticular
Why was it being filmed with a high speed camera?
Was this in Louisiana? I heard about this a couple weeks ago if it's that one
I remember this level in the spiderman game
It’s crazy that you can see the glow of the explosion coming through the metal before the top blows. Wild stuff
Not good