On Dec. 3, 2004, a 50,000-pound steel pressure vessel violently exploded at the southwest Houston Marcus Oil and Chemical facility.
The pressure vessel contained flammable hydrocarbons such as hexane.
The pressure vessel was a horizontal tank 12 feet in diameter, 50 feet long, and operated at a pressure of approximately 67 psi.
Marcus Oil did NOT use a qualified welder or proper welding procedure to reseal the vessels and did NOT pressure-test the pressure vessel after the welding was completed.
The defective welds had decreased the strength of the vessels by more than 75%.