Dale R. McIntyre

Recent developments in the analysis of fires, explosions, and production disruption incidents in chemical plants and oil refineries

Significant changes in computing power, regulatory climate, safety culture and globalization of business ventures have occurred since the original publication of MTI Publication No. 30, Guidelines for Assessing Fire and Explosion Damage. The implications of these changes are reviewed with regard to the work of investigators charged with the analysis of fires, explosions and major production disruption incidents in chemical processing plants and refineries. A review of advances in computer modeling of large‐scale energy release events is presented. Storm damage assessment and the analysis of incidents involving sabotage are discussed.

Study of Environmentally Assisted Cracking of Duplex Stainless Steels as a Result of the Presence of Sigma Phase

Abstract Offshore operations worldwide recently reported the presence of improperly heat-treated 2205 (UNS S32205) and 2507 (UNS S32750) duplex stainless steel (SS) pipe fittings with varying volum...

Analysis of Pit Stability in Type 316L Stainless Steel Exposed to H2S-Saturated Dilute Chloride Solutions Above the Critical Pitting Temperature

Abstract This study examines the effect of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on the transition from metastable to stable propagating pits using Type 316L (UNS S31603) steel in brines with Cl− concentrations of 10−3 M to 2 × 10−2 M at 75°C and 150°C. The potentiostatic tests were performed at discrete intervals of 50 mV from the recorded open-circuit potential (OCP) to 300 mV above the OCP. The results based on analysis of the chrono-amperometric transients suggests that the transition to stable pit growth is hindered by H2S saturation at both temperatures. The comparison of the experimental results with similar tests in an acidified control brine (without H2S saturation) indicates that the effect of H2S in the promotion of pit metastability is associated with the diffusion of H2S to the bottom of the cavity. This increases the net anodic current by irreversibly forming metallic sulfides, which, in turn, affect the pits anolyte by reducing the metal salt concentration. The consequence of this effect is that small pi...