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ExxonMobil Refinery (2638), Baton Rouge

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #No LDEQ Number Available
State Police #05-02846
Accident Date2005-04-30
Report Date 2005-05-05
Follow-up Date 0000-00-00
Follow-up: No

Pollutants Released

Pollutant Duration Point Source Greenhouse Gas Criteria Pollutant Ozone forming chemical Amount of Release
Sulfur Dioxide22 hours, 40 minutesFLARE- GLA-3x compressorNOYESNO5,903.0 pounds
Carbon Monoxide22 hours, 40 minutesFLARE- GLA-3x compressorNOYESNO4,308.0 pounds
Propylene22 hours, 40 minutesFLARE- GLA-3x compressorNONOYES195.0 pounds
Nitrogen Oxide22 hours, 40 minutesFLARE- GLA-3x compressorNOYESYES167.0 pounds
Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs)22 hours, 40 minutesFLARE- GLA-3x compressorNONONO136.0 pounds
Nitrogen Dioxide22 hours, 40 minutesFLARE- GLA-3x compressorNOYESYES29.0 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide22 hours, 40 minutesFLARE- GLA-3x compressorNONONO16.0 pounds

Accident Classified As:

Cause of Problem: Process Upset

the MEA scrubber on No. 2 Light Ends Unit experienced an operational upset due to a high level in the MEA scrubber to overhead drum; GLA-3x compressor shut down causing the RGCU to become overloaded and a gas leakage which flared

Discharge Preventable - Yes

Notes/Remedial Actions

operations attempted to restart GLA-3x and then reduced rates to the FCCU to eliminate flaring; a new alarm was added that is more visible and will alert the controller of increased level in the interstage drum; other items identified by the ongoing investigation will be evaluated and implemented; flaring occurred from 3:20 PM to 4:40 PM on April 30th; the Wet Gas Scrubber exceeded its regulatory limit of 500 PPM of carbon monoxide from 4-6PM; the carbon monoxide concentration increased to 639 PPM fhe hour from 1-2 on May 1st