Re: Sonic booms may have harmed refinery in North Pole

On Apr 10, 8:40=A0am, You <y...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> In article
> <9b2ede64-cf13-459e-b32a-0269790a6...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
>
> =A0jerry <GeraldCNew...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> > The refinery is about 30 years old and has many old welds that
> > received some severe shock waves. =A0Did any of the welds crack?
=A0The
> > question looms. =A0The North Pole Highschool is a very short distance
> > from the refinery. =A0There is no defelection barrier between the
> > refinery and the school. =A0What would have happened it the refinery
had=

> > exploded from the sonic booms? =A0Not a nice question is it?
>
> and a Jet Engine could fall out of the sky, and squish your Clapboard
> Shack, too...... but the actual probabilities of ANY of those things
> happening is very low......... Are you a Charter Subscriber to "BAD
> LIVING MAGAZINE"? =A0Sure sounds like it.....

"you" you sound like a real novice when it comes to risk analysis.
I have worked in the petroleum industry for some time.  Welds do crack
and they do have a maximum life.  Severe sonic booms that vibrate
cooling towers could have an adverse effect on 30 year old welds.  But
what tipped me off on this was the Air Force telling me that they had
received complaints from the North Pole Refinery.

I have experienced earthquakes that caused much less structural
movement.  Probability has little to do with this, since the 40 or so
sonic booms did cause severe vibrations.
Additionally, the refinery has many insulated lines making a visual
inspection of welds impossible without removing the insulation.

Also, the instrumentation sensors could have been affected causing
shutdowns, etc.  It would not surprise me if they did have a shutdown
because of the vibrations.  This might have also caused the trans-
Alaska pipeline to shut down and remote gate valves to close.  Believe
me when I tell you these systems have enough problems without the Air
Force adding to them.  There have been strange anomalies in times
past.  Put it this way, I did work for Alyeska for some time and
witnessed some unexplained events.