Following an explosive or flammable related incident industrial facilities can find themselves unable to apply a full fire response as they may have lost vital response assets in the incident, or find themselves incapable of maintaining vital resources due to the initial or lingering impact of the episode thereby impairing site operability.
Headquartered in the Gulf South, we have also played a key role with industry following major hurricanes to maintain incident command, offer logistical support, and in many cases to provide heavy equipment for both emergency response and business continuity operations such as sustaining colling water to the facility for process operations.
With onsite assets including large volume pumps, ThunderStorm® foam stores, miles of hose, a myriad of end of line devices, and of course experienced personnel to support multiple response operations Williams Fire & Hazard Control is prepared as your greatest ally in the event of a catastrophic emergency.
It is important to recognize the flammable characteristics inside a floating roof tank. Essentially two potential circumstances lie in wait ...
Under normal conditions, the vapor space within the tank is too rich to burn and will remain dormant with proper vapor exchange via the tank venting system.
However, it has been our experience that given the right conditions this rich vapor will lean out due to any given set of circumstances such as failure of tank venting systems, low-pressure exterior atmospheric conditions, or an abnormal breach in the tank structure.
Even in extreme situations, if ignition does occur at the vents the interior space of the tank MAY remain too rich to burn and a surface fire within the tank will be avoided.
HOWEVER, several incidents Williams Fire & Hazard Control has reponded to domestically and internationally have been due to an adequate open-air exchange leaning out the interior vapor space whereby a fire source at the vent flashes back insde the tank resulting in a devastating combustion of the residual gases.
Our experience is that an internal foam application resulting in a rich foam blanket will reduce vapor yield within the tank, and will inhibit any potential surface fire resulting from secondary ignition sources as outlined above.
MOST NOTABLE: Our Dual-Agent chamber - a COMPLIANCE+ product - follows the foam application with an abundant dry-chemical surge that overwhelms any residual vapor inside the tank, extinguishes the fire at the vents, and prohibits a potential explosve flashback event.
A new brochure offers a snapshot of response practices and the philosophies that drive equipment design and engineering at Williams Fier & Hazard Control ... Download the brochure for insights into Williams Fire & Hazard Control's Response and Manufacturing mission. Click Here to Download Brochure
Seneca Resources September 1994 - Off the Coast of Freeport, Texas - Fire; Extinguishment of Accommodations and Control Room Fire on Rig in the Gulf of Mexico: 3M ATC.
Marine 15 November 1996 - 20 miles off the coast of Venice, Louisiana - Overhaul and safing of a Jack Up Rig after Explosion and Fire: 3M ATC.
Samadan Drilling February 1997 - Gulf of Mexico - Drilling platform fire involving crude oil in the collection tank
Wild Well Control July 17 - 22, 2001 - Marine Drilling Rig off the Coast of Texas. Provide water resources and fire protection support to Wild Well Control, Inc.
Wild Well – Stockton Job
December 8-14, 2004 - Assisted in Fire Control and Extinguishment on Drilling Rig
WWCI/BP Deepwater Horizon Fire/Spill, Macondo Prospect, Mississippi Canyon Block 252 (MC-252) Gulf of Mexico
April 21, 2010 Provided Fire Fighting Services, Vapor Mitigation, Surface Dispersant Application and Fire Fight Stand-by throughout the entire recovery project ending in late September. WFHC Manned and Equipped three vessels with 12,000 GPM Flow Capability via Ambassador Nozzles, Daspit Tools. Each vessel carried 5,300 gallons of ThunderStorm ATC 1 X 3 AR-AFFF Foam Concentrate proportioned via WFHC Portable WATP Foam Systems.