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To: dmet

This may help give some perspective on the melting of the steel.

http://www.jwco.com/technical-litterature/p09.htm

The pressure-feed fire of a blowout will totally destroy the surrounding steel structure in minutes. Derricks have fallen-in less than 30 minutes after blowout ignition. The core temperature of a low-GOR 28 deg. F API crude oil blowout in Kuwait was measured at 1,677 deg. C (3,051 deg. F). And a radiant heat temperature of 510 deg. C (950 deg. F) was measured at ground level, 15 m (49 ft) from the base of this large vertical fire, which was estimated at 30,000 bopd. Oil well firefighters commonly see surrounding sand and stones melted and fused on large fires. Steel loses most of its strength at 500 deg. C (932 deg. F) and melts at 1,500 deg. C (2,732 deg. F).

...

Water.
The most important method to limit fire damage to structures from a blowout fire is application of water.


35 posted on 03/04/2011 6:03:31 AM PST by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer (biblein90days.org))
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To: thackney

Thanks for the info and sharing your knowledge


36 posted on 03/04/2011 7:24:19 AM PST by dmet
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