September 2018 started with the first week of encounter with the natural disasters by Typhoon Jebi which brought a raging wind and downpour from 4th to 5th disabling the Kansai Airport’s function, followed soon by the occurrence of a large earthquake of seismic intensity 7 in Hokkaido on the early morning of 6th.

According to the information from AWI’s Public Relations Dept. as of September 6 about the influence of the Hokkaido Earthquake upon its industrial gas-related facilities and offices, Air Water organized a disaster response headquarters headed by Yasushi Sogabe president of Hokkaido Air Water on the early morning of 6th and started to collect information, and found no direct damage to the human resources and the equipment related to industrial gases.

However, as the electricity interruption was still lasting during the period, the offices and air-separation plants were out of operation. In Hokkaido there are air separation plants in Muroran, Tomakomai and Chitose owned by Air Water, Tomakomai and Hakodate by the Taiyo Nippon Sanso group, and in Eniwa by Air Liquide Japan.

As for Air Water’s two plants out of them, electricity is supplied from the other end of each pipeline and the operation will restart as soon as the supply is recovered. The other plants will have to wait for recovery of the system power supply to restart the production and distribution activities.
The pressing issue for the moment is the supply of medical oxygen. Air Water is checking the situation of about 3800 HOT patients all over Hokkaido and preparing a supply system of backup cylinders. It is planned to provide a mobile power plant of own by LPG to carry out filling. As New Chitose Airport of Hokkaido’s air gateway was damaged, it still remains a fear to affect the recovery of the situation for economic activities from now on. 　

On the other hand, Typhoon Jebi which passed through Japan Archipelago from Sept. 4 to 5 attacked the Kinki and Chubu districts with storm causing such disasters as some part of roof and shutters of building or the breakage of glass of window.

Regarding the LO2/LN2 and LH2 plants located in the Semboku Industrial Complex in the Sakai Waterfront area of Osaka Bay which was attacked by the most powerful typhoon in recorded history, Hydro Edge of Iwatani Group once stopped production while the typhoon was passing through, but started checking on 5th and is preparing to restart operation. (Iwatani, Public Relation Dept.)

Fuji Sanso, Semboku Sanso, Clio Air and Cold Air Products situated in the same area are said to have not stopped operation. In the Keihanshin District through which the Typhoon passed through in the daytime of week day, there was an announcement for the suspension of traffic services and the stoppage of large retailer facilities before the landing of the typhoon. As the gas-related companies in Osaka including Iwatani and Air Water refrained from commuting of their employees for nonessential or nonurgent reasons, the influence on business or the commuting traffic was controlled to be rather a little.

Notwithstanding, the continuing intermittent blackout in the Kinki and Chubu districts and the disabled function of the Kainsai Airport seems to keep exerting influences to the production of industrial gas users and the consuming activities in the affected regions.