Damage to Oil Refineries from Major Earthquakes

Abstract

Damage reports from 11 different earthquakes are summarized in tabular format for typical oil refinery structures, such as cylindrical and spherical storage tanks, tall columns and chimneys, heat exchangers, pumps, and pipes. Information included herein is limited to damage caused by direct ground-motion effects. These data reveal that the most vulnerable refinery structure is the cylindrical storage tank. Other structures, such as distilling towers and pipes, are only occasionally damaged, and rarely is this damage severe. The consequences of these rare events, however, can be very costly when they involve fires.