Power failure affects SAPREF refinery

21 April 2004

Durban. At 04:16 this morning (Wednesday, 21 April 2004) the SAPREF crude oil refinery experienced a power failure. This resulted in a safe shutdown of the refinery and surplus gases were burnt off at the flare stacks. The flares are a safety mechanism to burn surplus gases during incidents like this. Because the steam boilers were also shut down due to the power failure, there was no steam to ensure smokeless burning. As a result, a lot of black smoke was produced. The dense black smoke was mostly soot which is produced when there is not a good supply of air to assist combustion.

During the shutdown caused by the power failure there were two small fires (at about 05:10) on one of our crude distillers. It is not uncommon during a sudden shutdown for minor fires to occur on process units. In this case the two fires were extinguished within a few minutes and were not a cause for concern.

We know that people were concerned about health, but apart from the possible irritation of smoke and odour in the air, there should not have been other effects. The results from the South Durban air monitoring network show no unusual levels for sulphur dioxide, particulates and total recordable sulphur during the flaring period. However, as a precaution, SAPREF took air samples in the community together with the local health authorities, eThekwini Health. These samples have been sent to a laboratory for analysis and the results will be made available when received.

"We apologise for any concerns our neighbours may have experienced," said SAPREF managing director, Richard Parkes. "We have distributed about 4000 flyers to neighbouring residents to let them know what happened."

The refinery is designed to shut down during an incident like a power failure, with the flares safely burning off surplus gases in the system. In this morning's flaring event the gases burnt were mostly propane and butane (like CADAC gas) and similar gases.

During the course of the day the refinery will be progressively restarted and this may lead to a certain amount of controlled flaring from time to time.