Chemicals and Petrochemicals
The chemical industry is diverse and highly specialized — just as an expert witness and consulting firm should be. With expertise in basic chemicals, fertilizers, olefins, plastics, aromatics, and a wide variety of specialty chemicals, we’ve formed an especially strong bond with the chemical industry.
What’s the product
of this process?
From assessing new technologies to navigating construction and regulatory issues, our experience has been instrumental in the valuation of facilities and businesses, preparation of insurance claims, and evaluation of intellectual property issues.
Case Studies
Oxygen Pipeline Explosion – Incident Investigation
April 19, 2023
A large oxygen pipeline suddenly exploded with a massive fire, causing significant damage to a manufacturing facility. We were engaged to review process data, integrity management inspection data, and the subarctic ambient environmental conditions to opine on the origin and cause of the loss of primary containment. As a result, we identified a most likely cause based on a reasonable degree of engineering certainty that facilitated settlement discussions.
Hurricane Leads to Flood of Claims
April 19, 2023
Class action lawsuits against a petrochemical plant and a petroleum refinery alleged that hurricane flooding was exacerbated by ongoing project work and poor coordination between the two integrated facilities. Baker & O’Brien reviewed project plans and execution records to evaluate project management compared to industry best practice, and assessed the working relationship and level of coordination between the facilities. Our expert report provided opinions on project governance and the degree of coordination between the facilities, including the effectiveness of the site’s emergency response plan.
Static Electricity Sparks Dispute
April 1, 2013