{"operation":"document","citation":"P-77-027","title":"NTSB Safety Recommendation P-77-027","source_type":"guidance","agency":"National Transportation Safety Board","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"1977-10-31","effective_on":"1977-10-31","summary":"TAKE NECESSARY STEPS TO INSURE THAT STUDS ON COMPRESSORS COMPONENTS ARE TIGHTENED TO THE NUMBER OF FOOT-POUNDS OF TORQUE RECOMMENDED BY THE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-77-027.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-77-027.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/ntsb-recommendation-p-77-027","source_url":"https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/P-77-027","body":"NTSB safety recommendation P-77-027.\n\nTAKE NECESSARY STEPS TO INSURE THAT STUDS ON COMPRESSORS COMPONENTS ARE TIGHTENED TO THE NUMBER OF FOOT-POUNDS OF TORQUE RECOMMENDED BY THE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER.\n\nPriority: CLASS II\n\nOverall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action\n\nIssued Date: 1977-10-31\n\nAdopted Date: 1977-10-13\n\nOverall Date Closed: 1978-11-21\n\nSynopsis: ON DECEMBER 7, 1976, A NATURAL GAS COMPRESSOR FAILED AND THEN EXPLODED AND BURNED AT AN EXXON GAS SYSTEM, INC., STATION NEAR ROBSTOWN, TEXAS. AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED, BUT FOUR AUTOMATED FIRE GATE VALVES DID NOT CLOSE. ANOTHER EMERGENCY CONTROL SYSTEM ALSO FAILED TO AUTOMATICALLY CLOSE THE SHUTOFF VALVES, LEADING TO TWO OF THE FIVE COMPRESSORS IN THE STATION. A SECOND EXPLOSION OCCURRED WITHIN THE BURNING BUILDING. THE FIRE KILLED ONE PERSON, INJURED TWO PERSONS, AND DESTROYED THREE ENGINE-DRIVEN COMPRESSORS AND THE COMPRESSOR BUILDING.\n\nNtsbnumber: DCA77MP005\n\nReport Number: PAR-77-03\n\nAddressee Name: ExxonMobil Corporation\n\nAddressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable\n\nAddressee Date Closed: 1978-11-21\n\nAddressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry\n\nCommunication Date: 1977-12-20\n\nCommunication Type: Official Correspondence\n\nCommunication Contents: LTR FROM EXXON GAS SYSTEM: EXXON HAS IMPLEMENTED PROCEDURES USING CALIBRATED TORQUE WRENCHES. TORQUES ARE RECHECKED EACH TIME THEY ARE DISTURBED DURING MAINTENANCE. ALL VALVE COVER STUDS HAVE BEEN CHECKED PLUS A NUMBER OF OTHER CRITICAL BOLTS. EXXON PLANS TO COMPLETE A CHECK OF ALL CRITICAL STUDS BY MARCH 15, 1978. ULTRASONIC TESTING OF SOME BOLTS AND STUDS HAS BEEN PERFORMED BUT NOT UNDER A FORMAL SCHEDULE.\n\nAddressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry\n\nCommunication Date: 1981-06-29\n\nCommunication Type: Official Correspondence\n\nCommunication Contents: EXXON GAS SYSTEM, INC. LTR: WE PLAN TO EXTEND THE PERIOD OF TORQUE VERIFICATION FROM 4500 OPERATING HOURS TO 9000 OPERATING HOURS BASED ON EXPERIENCED GAINED FROM 20 TORQUE VERIFICATIONS PERFORMED SINCE EARLY 1978. DATA COLLECTED TO DATE SHOWS THAT THE TORQUE VERIFICATION PERIOD CAN BE EXTENDED AND STILL MAINTAIN OUR PRESENT LEVEL OF PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT SAFETY.\n\nAddressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry\n\nCommunication Date: 1979-01-05\n\nCommunication Type: Official Correspondence\n\nAddressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry\n\nCommunication Date: 1981-08-19\n\nCommunication Type: Official Correspondence","truncated":false,"body_characters":2428}