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CSB Investigation Report No. 2021-05-I-TX 2021 Safety Safety Environmental Environmental
LyondellBasell La Porte Fatal Chemical Release (Plug Valve Inadvertently Removed)
LyondellBasell facility, La Porte, Texas
Related equipment → Control valve (control_valve)
2Fatalities
30Injuries
LeakageMechanism code ELP
⌗Failure Mode · ISO 14224 Mapping
Damage mechanism (recorded in KB)
LeakageELP
ISO functional code (as recorded)
ISO 14224:2016 functional failure code
ELP · External leakage - process
ISO ELP — External leakage - process.
1What Happened

Plug valve pressure-retaining component inadvertently removed; methanol released to reactor area, fatal exposure

2Root Cause

Pressure-retaining component of plug valve inadvertently removed during maintenance; inadequate isolation and procedures caused large methanol release — 2 killed, 30 injured

3Reliability Lessons (from investigation root cause)
  • The 'Root Cause' above is the core lesson of this accident; not split further.
4Associated Failure Mechanisms (Keywords)
control valve plug valve inadvertently removed leak methanol human error isolation
About the Failure-Mode Code (click to expand)

The recorded code ELP is an ISO 14224:2016 functional failure code (describes what the equipment failed to do). The damage mechanism (how it failed) is shown in the Mapping block above. The two are distinct dimensions in ISO 14224.

5Evidence Source (transparent)
Authority：U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB)
Official Report：www.csb.gov ↗
Data Verification：verified_url_csb_sitemap
↗Related Failure Modes · Traceability
Valve Body Corrosion / Erosion fmValve-seat Surface Damage -> Internal Leak fm_2Valve-plug Erosion fm_3Valve Stem Sticking / Bending fm_4Packing Wear -> External Leak fm_5Diaphragm Rupture fm_6Spring Fatigue / Fracture fm_7I/P Converter Failure i_pFeedback Link Loosening fm_8Coil Burnout fm_9Valve Plug Sticking -> Failure to Actuate fm_10Contact Corrosion / Poor Contact fm_11Filter-element Blockage -> Insufficient Supply fm_12Pressure-Relief Valve Set-point Drift fm_13阀座工艺介质泄漏 seat_leakage_process弹簧松弛整定漂移 spring_relaxation_setpoint_drift波纹管失效 bellows_failure喉部冲蚀 nozzle_erosion阀盖泄漏 bonnet_leakage整定压力错误 improper_set_pressure异物堵塞 foreign_object_blockage阀体腐蚀 corrosion_body热黏结（聚合物） thermal_binding起跳颤动 chatters_on_lift回座失效（持续泄漏） failure_to_reseat入口管线堵塞 inlet_line_blockage选型过小排量不足 sizing_undersized冲蚀/冲刷腐蚀 MECH-EROSION结垢/堵塞 MECH-FOULING均匀/局部减薄（通用减薄） MECH-THINNING大气腐蚀 MECH-ATMOS机械疲劳 MECH-MECH-FATIGUE锅炉水/凝结水腐蚀 MECH-BWC电偶腐蚀 MECH-GALVANIC脆性断裂 MECH-BRITTLE-FRACTURE
Report No. 2021-05-I-TX · Data from CSB public investigation conclusions, compiled by Reliability AI, for reliability demonstration purposes only. This case is derived from public incident investigation reports for learning purposes only. AIM does not endorse or guarantee its accuracy.