Texas City Refinery Quiz

The Texas City refinery incident happened on 23 March 2005. How much do you know about this incident? Take the quiz to find out…

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1. When was the Texas City refinery originally built?

1934

1948

1956

1968

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2. Which company was the owner and operator of the Texas City refinery when the incident occurred in 2005?

ExxonMobil

Shell

Chevron

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3. In 2005 what was the processing capacity of the Texas City refinery relative to other refineries in the US?

3rd largest in the US

4th largest in the US

5th largest in the US

6th largest in the US

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4. The incident occurred:

During startup of the Isomerization Unit

When a pipe ruptured in the Crude Storage Unit

During shutdown of the Aromatics Recovery Unit

When a bulk petroleum storage tank was overfilled in the tank farm

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5. Although several potential ignition sources were identified as triggering the series of explosions during the incident, what was the most likely ignition point that ignited the vapour cloud?

A burning cigarette

Sparks from nearby welding

An idling diesel pick-up truck

Burners on a furnace in the Isomerization process unit

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6. The 15 people killed in the incident were:

Plant operators and contractors located beside the raffinate splitter tower of the Isomerization Unit

Plant operators and contractors located in the control room of the Isomerization Unit

Contractors in nearby temporary portable office trailers in a separate area of the refinery

Plant operators and contractors located beside the blowdown drum of the Isomerization Unit

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7. As a result of the damage caused by the incident, for how long did the Isomerization Unit at the Texas City refinery remain out of action?

4 months

8 months

1 year

2 years

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8. The blast pressure wave after the vapour cloud ignited was so powerful it blew windows out in the surrounding neighbourhood up to how far away from the refinery?

400 metres

800 metres

1 kilometre

1.2 kilometres

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9. What US government organisation was responsible for conducting the formal investigation following the incident at the Texas City refinery?

Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS)

US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (USCSB)

Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA)

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

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10. Following the incident, how big was the fine imposed by the US Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) in October 2009 on the owner and operator of the Texas City refinery?

US $24 million

US $45 million

US $63 million

US $87 million

Texas City Refinery Quiz

Question Title

* 1. When was the Texas City refinery originally built?

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* 2. Which company was the owner and operator of the Texas City refinery when the incident occurred in 2005?

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* 3. In 2005 what was the processing capacity of the Texas City refinery relative to other refineries in the US?

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* 4. The incident occurred:

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* 5. Although several potential ignition sources were identified as triggering the series of explosions during the incident, what was the most likely ignition point that ignited the vapour cloud?

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* 6. The 15 people killed in the incident were:

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* 7. As a result of the damage caused by the incident, for how long did the Isomerization Unit at the Texas City refinery remain out of action?

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* 8. The blast pressure wave after the vapour cloud ignited was so powerful it blew windows out in the surrounding neighbourhood up to how far away from the refinery?

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* 9. What US government organisation was responsible for conducting the formal investigation following the incident at the Texas City refinery?

Question Title

* 10. Following the incident, how big was the fine imposed by the US Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) in October 2009 on the owner and operator of the Texas City refinery?

1. When was the Texas City refinery originally built?

2. Which company was the owner and operator of the Texas City refinery when the incident occurred in 2005?

3. In 2005 what was the processing capacity of the Texas City refinery relative to other refineries in the US?

4. The incident occurred:

5. Although several potential ignition sources were identified as triggering the series of explosions during the incident, what was the most likely ignition point that ignited the vapour cloud?

6. The 15 people killed in the incident were:

7. As a result of the damage caused by the incident, for how long did the Isomerization Unit at the Texas City refinery remain out of action?

8. The blast pressure wave after the vapour cloud ignited was so powerful it blew windows out in the surrounding neighbourhood up to how far away from the refinery?

9. What US government organisation was responsible for conducting the formal investigation following the incident at the Texas City refinery?

10. Following the incident, how big was the fine imposed by the US Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) in October 2009 on the owner and operator of the Texas City refinery?