Chevron failed to perform internally recommended 100 percent component inspections. An
independent corporate entity within Chevron, the Chevron Energy Technology Company (ETC),
provides technology solutions and technical expertise for Chevron operations worldwide.
Chevron ETC metallurgists released within Chevron a formal report dated September 30, 2009
(nearly 3 years before the incident), titled Updated Inspection Strategies for Preventing
Sulfidation Corrosion Failures in Chevron Refineries (ETC Sulfidation Failure Prevention
Initiative). The initiative specifically recommends that inspectors perform 100 percent
component inspection on high-temperature carbon steel piping susceptible to sulfidation
corrosion. The initiative defines a priority ranking system to help focus the inspection implementation efforts. The process conditions of the 4-sidecut stream placed it in the highest
priority for 100 percent component inspection. However, the 4-sidecut piping was not 100
percent component inspected prior to the August 2012 incident.