Hydrogen Leak Sparks Brief Fire At Visakha Refinery
“The automatic sprinklers brought down the fire immediately, after which fire tenders reached the spot and brought the situation under control. There was no loss of life or injuries to any worker,” said District Fire Officer S. Renukaiah.
VISAKHAPATNAM: There was a minor scare at the HPCL Visakha Refinery on Friday morning when hydrogen gas leaked from a transmitter pipe and caught fire due to static charges. The incident occurred in the new Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF) unit of the refinery.
“The automatic sprinklers brought down the fire immediately, after which fire tenders reached the spot and brought the situation under control. There was no loss of life or injuries to any worker,” said District Fire Officer S. Renukaiah.
“It was a small leak and work resumed immediately,” added HPCL officer K. Kai Prasad.
RUF is a crucial part of the Visakha Refinery modernisation project. It converts the heaviest oils from crude oil into high-quality, cleaner fuels such as Euro 6 diesel, while also increasing product flexibility for the refinery, he said.
