Trainman2001, Nice work I see with what you have done. Speaking of Lyondell, I worked for Brown and Root when that part of the plant was built. You were speaking of the Lyondell on Sheldon Road, or perhaps the older Lyondell plant on Hwy 225? I have worked at both when, in younger days, I was a crane operator and iron worker/heavy lift rigger. As for the catalyst meltdown, I recall this happened at Rohm and Haas on Tidal Road around 1989, if I recall correctly. I was working in plant maintenance and turn-arounds when operations melted the platinum catalyst in a acrylic acid unit reactor. After pulling the 36ft diameter head, and dropping the bottom head, we spent seven months doing the reactor rebuild. It would have taken 2 years for a new reactor to be built and shipped from Germany. So, the German welders came over to Deer Park and, after all 36K tubes were drilled/cleared, the top tube sheet was milled down, all the tubes were re-welded and reactor / unit was restarted. Brings back good memories of hard work, long hours (12 to 14 per day, 7 day weeks) but proud of every minute of it. BTW, I also saw Phillips when it blew up on Oct. 30th, 1989 from sitting inside my crane cab, and felt the concussion waves, while working at Rohm and Haas.
Jesse TCA
