Impact of 2011 Japan Megathrust on Fossil Fuels Energy Sector of Japan

March 11, 2011 the Great East Japan Earthquake was the most powerful known earthquake to have hit Japan, and one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the world overall since modern record-keeping began in 1900. In addition to loss of life and destruction of infrastructure, the tsunami caused a number of nuclear accidents, primarily the ongoing level 7 meltdowns at three reactors in the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant complex, and the associated evacuation zones affecting hundreds of thousands of residents.


Explosion at Cosmo refinery in Ichihara, Chiba, Japan : An impact of 2011 Tōhoku earthquakeAlong with avove destruction and life loss this quake produced a gtreat impact on fossil fuel energy sector. A 220,000-barrel (35,000 m3)-per-day oil refinery of Cosmo Oil Company was set on fire by the quake at Ichihara,Chiba Prefecture, to the east of Tokyo, Along with avove destruction and life loss this quake produced a gtreat impact on fossil fuel energy sector. A 220,000-barrel (35,000 m3)-per-day oil refinery of Cosmo Oil Company was set on fire by the quake at Ichihara,Chiba Prefecture, to the east of Tokyo, It was extinguished after ten days, killing or injuring six people, and destroying storage tanks. Others halted production due to safety checks and power loss.   


In Sendai, a 145,000-barrel (23,100 m3)-per-day refinery owned by the largest refiner in Japan, JX Nippon Oil & Energy, was also set ablaze by the quake. Workers were evacuated, but tsunami warnings hindered efforts to extinguish the fire until 14 March, when officials planned to do so. An analyst estimates that consumption of various types of oil may increase by as much as 300,000 barrels (48,000 m3) per day (as well as LNG), as back-up power plants burning fossil fuels try to compensate for the loss of 11 GW of Japan's nuclear power capacity. The city-owned plant for importing liquefied natural gas in Sendai was severely damaged, and supplies were halted for at least a month.

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