Lessons learnt from the impact of hurricane Harvey on the chemical and process industry

Highlights: • The impact of hurricane Harvey on Chemical and Process Industry was investigated. • Keynote lessons were gathered to support NaTech risk assessment and management. • Storage tanks and floating roof tank equipment are particularly vulnerable. • A lack of effectiveness of physical safety barriers during hurricanes was evidenced. • Procedural barriers demonstrated to be crucial in limiting damages. -- Abstract: Hurricane Harvey was one of the most severe tropical cyclones hitting United States in recent years. The number of weather and climate related natural disaster and the cost of the related damages are sharply growing in recent years, also causing an increasing concern with respect to NaTech scenarios (technological accidents triggered by natural events). The present study investigates the damages to chemical and process facilities experienced in the area impacted by Hurricane Harvey. A survey was run to collect data from the facilities involved. The information collected was integrated with relevant data educed from industrial accident databases. Based on the collected data, lessons learnt supporting informed decision-making for risk assessment and management of NaTech events were obtained.