5
Number of spills in 2021
Process safety
Process safety events by business activity
-
OG-13
TIER1, TIER2 and TIER3 process safety events
TIER1 process safety events
These are emergencies with a significant impact related to a sudden and unexpected substance release due to ineffective protection layers. Such emergencies include a sudden and unexpected release of hazardous substances or non-toxic and non-flammable substances (steam, condensate, hot water, nitrogen, compressed air, CO2) during ongoing industrial processes, having one or more of the following consequences:
- Injury to an employee of the ORLEN Group or of a contractor or subcontractor, resulting in a sick leave or death;
- Hospital admission and/or death of any other person;
- Officially announced evacuation of local residents or recommendation for them not to leave their homes;
- Fire or explosion resulting in losses in the form of direct costs of at least USD 100 thousand;
- Release of excessive pressure into the atmosphere with the use of pressure relief devices in an amount equal to or higher than the threshold amount in any one hour period;
- Release of a substance (without causing its ignition) in an amount equal to or higher than the threshold amount in any one hour period, excluding release of pressure into the atmosphere with the use of pressure relief devices.
TIER2 process safety events
These are events of lesser consequence related to a sudden and unexpected substance release due to ineffective protection layers. Such emergencies include a sudden and unexpected release of hazardous substances or non-toxic and non-flammable substances (steam, condensate, hot water, nitrogen, compressed air, CO2) during ongoing industrial processes, having one or more consequences not classified as TIER1, including:
- Injury to an employee of the ORLEN Group or of a contractor or subcontractor;
- Fire or explosion resulting in losses in the form of direct costs of at least USD 2,500;
- Release of excessive pressure into the atmosphere in an amount equal to or higher than the threshold in any one-hour period;
- Release of a substance (without causing its ignition) in an amount equal to or higher than the threshold amount in any one hour period, excluding release of pressure into the atmosphere with the use of pressure relief devices
Number of TIER1, TIER2 and TIER3 process safety events
Number of TIER1 process safety events – the ORLEN Group
Number of TIER2 process safety events –the ORLEN Group
In 2021, the ORLEN Group continued reporting the (TIER3)7 process safety events rate referring to near-miss events.
Number of TIER 3 process safety events in the production area at the ORLEN Group
7 It has been assumed that TIER3 process safety events are emergency shutdowns of installations or process nodes triggered by active or passive protections (automatic or mechanical). TIER3 rate is calculated as follows:
■ TIER3 process safety events in the production area – number of emergency shutdowns of installations or process nodes triggered by active or passive protections (automatic or mechanical);
■ TIER3 process safety events in the logistics area – ratio of the number of emergency shutdowns of product loading to rail tank cars and road tankers triggered by active or passive protections (automatic or mechanical) to the total number of loading operations performed at a given time.
| Number of process safety events at the Orlen Group |
2020 |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | Czech Republic | Lithuania | |
| TIER 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| TIER 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| TIER 3 – Production | 87 | 0 | 16 |
| Number of process safety events at the Orlen Group |
2021 |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | Czech Republic | Lithuania | |
| TIER 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| TIER 2 | 2 | 1 | o |
| TIER 3 – Production | 82 | 0 | 10 |
T1 PSER 8 i T2 PSER 9
T1 PSER GK ORLEN
T2 PSER GK ORLEN
8 T1 PSER = (number of TIER1 process safety evens, of greater consequence, related to substance release into the environment/ number of man-hours worked by employees and contractors) x 1,000,000.
9 T2 PSER = (number of TIER2 process safety evens, of lesser consequence, related to substance release into the environment/number of man-hours worked by employees and contractors) x 1,000,000.
TIER1 and TIER2 events reported for 2021 involved only emissions into the environment caused by fires and leaks. There were no emergencies causing serious damage to the natural environment. Liquid leaks were collected and properly disposed of.
Total number and volume of significant spills in 2021
-
306-3
ca. 104 Mg
Volume of spills in 2021
Information on each spill reported by ORLEN Group companies is presented in the table below.
Spills reported by ORLEN Group companies in 2021
| No. | Location | Volume [Mg] | Type of substance | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | PKN ORLEN Production plant in Płock, furfural unit, storage tank farm |
ca. 50 | Chemical spill ( P-24 fraction) |
Release to tank embankment; the contaminated soil was removed and disposed of |
| 2. | ORLEN Unipetrol RPA Production plant in Litvinov, storage facility and pipeline complex |
ca. 11 | Chemical spill (concentrated NaOH) |
On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface |
| 3. | PKN ORLEN Production plant in Płock, blending unit, storage tank farm |
ca. 35 | Chemical spill (vacuum distillate) |
Release to tank embankment; the contaminated soil was removed and disposed of |
| 4. | Spolana Production plant in Neratovice, water treatment unit |
ca. 2 | Chemical spill (HCl 31% solution) |
On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface |
| 5. | ORLEN Południe
Production plant in Trzebina, bitumen production unit |
ca.6 | Chemical spill (base bitumen) |
On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface |
Most of these spills involved contamination of equipment and the units’ site. In some cases there was a localised impact on soil and in one case there was a localised impact on groundwater. In addition, most of those incidents required covering the costs of rescue operations by Company Fire Brigades as well as repair or replacement of damaged equipment, disposal of soil contaminants and land remediation. No person suffered any injuries as a result of those incidents.
Total number and volume of significant spills in 2020
8
Number of spills in 2020
ca. 31 Mg
Volume of spills in 2020
Information on each spill reported by ORLEN Group companies is presented in the table below.
Spills reported by ORLEN Group companies in 2020
| No. | Location | Volume[Mg] | Type of substance | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Unipetrol RPA
Production plant in Kralupy, storage tank park |
approx. 0.5 | Fuel spill (reformed gasoline) | On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface |
| 2. | PKN ORLEN
Fuel terminal in Widełka, road tanker loading front |
approx. 0.5 | Fuel spill (diesel oil) | On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface |
| 3. | PKN ORLEN
Fuel terminal in Lublin, OPB unit |
approx. 5 | Spill of chemicals (30% HCI solution) | On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface |
| 4. | Unipetrol RPA, s.r.o. Production plant in Litvínov, cracker | approx. 0.18 | Spill of chemicals (benzene) | On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface |
| 5. | ORLEN Lietuva
Production plant in Mažeikiai, elemental sulfur unit |
approx. 0.49 | Spill of chemicals (elemental sulphur) | On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface |
| 6. | SPOLANA
Production plant in Neratowice, rail tank car unloading front |
approx. 23 | Spill of chemicals (33% HCl solution) | On the unit’s site and partial release into the atmosphere; no impact on soil or water surface |
| 7. | Unipetrol Doprava, s.r.o. Production plant in Litvínov, NH3 loading station
|
approx. 1.1 | Spill of chemicals (ammonia) | On the unit’s site and partial release into the atmosphere; no impact on soil or water surface |
| 8. | Unipetrol RPA
Production plant in Litvínov, railway track 234
|
approx. 0.27 | Spill of chemicals (isobutane) | Release into the atmosphere; no impact on soil or water surface |
Most of the organizational and technical documents (Emergency instructions / SEVESO documentation) operating in the ORLEN Group companies and the type of substances present determine the amount of the released substance in Mg and not m3, therefore, to simplify reporting, the number of significant spills is reported in mass units, not volume.
Most of those spills involved contamination of equipment and the unit sites, without any impact on soil or water surface. In addition, most of those incidents required covering the costs of rescue operations by Company Fire Brigades as well as repair or replacement of damaged equipment. Two cases of partial release of gaseous substances into the atmosphere were reported.
Four employees of ORLEN Group companies were injured as a result of the events referred to above (three of them inhaled gas vapour, one suffered a first-degree burn injury). All of them were provided with on-site medical assistance, in two cases the employees were hospitalised.
Description of significant risks in the area of Occupational Health and Safety and the methods of managing these risks can be found in the `Risk management` section.
