The success of the hurricane protection around Chevron’s refinery at Pascagoula, MS, during Katrina

摘要: Chevron’s refinery along the Gulf Coast at Pascagoula is one of the largest refineries in the US. It was partly flooded by hurricane George in 1998. After a thorough modelling and economic evaluation, a decision was made to provide hurricane protection around the processing area of the Refinery, an area of 825 acres. This protection was designed and then constructed in 2000. The south and east sides of the refinery are partly protected by more than a mile of marsh and wetlands, about 4 feet above mean sea level. The hurricane protection did not experience any waves until Katrina in 2005.The protection consists of grassed earthen levees, earthen levees with sheet piles, vertical concrete walls, various steel gates and a pipeline corridor crossing. Katrina appeared to be a condition very close to the design situation or even a little worse. This means that the protection was tested to its limits. The main fact and large success was that the refinery did not flood, where large parts of Pascagoula were destroyed or at least flooded. It shows also that a risk based evaluation and design is a good approach and can protect a major industrial complex from significant damage. Note that the surge at the refinery for George was estimated at about 8 ft, where Katrina gave around 15 ft. The refinery would have been significantly longer down after flooding by Katrina than it was for George. Now the refinery was the first along the Gulf Coast to become operational after Katrina.