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Louisiana Refinery Accident Database

Chalmette Refining (1376), Chalmette

LDEQ Accident Report

Pollutants Released

Accident Classified As: No Information Given

Cause of Problem: Process Upset

Instrument malfunction caused the automatic shutdown of the refinery sulfur recovery unit train 2, resulting in the routing of refinery acid gas to the flare system (No. 1). Equipment malfunction on SRU 2...leak ongoing...NOX, SO2, H2S. Siting the related incident, ldeq # 84794: According to the refinery, an electrical supply malfunction on the Rich DGA Pump G-8291 caused the automatic shutdown of the refinery Sulfur Recovery Unit Train 2. The shutdown resulted in routing of refinery acid gas to the flare system Loss of one of the amine circulating pumps #g8291 on SRU train 2...NOX, NO2, SO2, H2S

Discharge Preventable - No

This release is not considered to be preventable, by CRLLC, at this time.

Notes/Remedial Actions

The following details are for LDEQ incident # 84745, but there is another event (ldeq 84794) which will be discussed in further detail in the 2nd section below: Operations were conducted in order to minimize emissions while maintaining a safe and orderly stabilization of refinery operations and restart of the impacted process unit. Repairs were made to applicable instrumentation and SRU Train 2 was restarted, ending the incident. The refinery has initiated an investigation into the cause of this incident. Based on the result of that investigation, appropriate measures will be taken in order to prevent a recurrence due to the same cause. SO2, H2S, nitric oxide, NO2 released to atmosphere through the refinery number 1 flare and to a lesser extent via the refinery sulfur recovery unit thermal oxidizer stack. Operations were conducted in order to minimize emissions while maintaining a safe and orderly stabilization of refinery operations and restart of the impacted process unit. Repairs were made to applicable instrumentation and SRU Train 2 was restarted, ending the incident. In a separate but related incident report that is linked to the event detailed above (LDEQ # 84794) the following details pertain to that release, but the pollutant totals have been combined: pollutants from incident number 84794 have been combined in the pollutant totals in the table below, but the original report for 84794 had listed these quantities which have all been added to the totals mentioned in report 84745: Hydrogen Sulfide 273.0 pounds Nitric Oxide 239.0 pounds Nitrogen Dioxide 27.0 pounds Sulfur Dioxide 103,560.0 pounds Operations were conducted in order to minimize emissions while maintaining a safe and orderly stabilization of refinery operations and restart of the impacted process unit. Repairs were made to applicable electrical equipment and SRU train 2 was restarted, ending the incident. The refinery has initiated an investigation into the cause of this incident. Based on the result of that investigation, appropriate measures will be taken in order to prevent a recurrence due to the same cause. The Sulfur recovery unit train 1 (SRUTR1) which included the release of 33375 lbs of sulfur dioxide to the atmosphere through the facility's Refinery Sulfur Recovery Unit Thermal Oxidizer Stack. The emissions occurred intermittently from 12/22-25/05 over 35 hour time frame. The unit was shutdown over this timeframe to make necessary repairs. An investigation concluded that a dip-leg of srut1 unit was identified and the unit had to be shutdown. Further investigations revealed that SRUTR1 unit was shutdown prior to katrina and was brought back on line on 12/22/05 when the incident occurred. The shutdown to the SRUT2 resulted in the routing of refinery acid gas to the flare system from 12/22-23/05 for 13.5 hour timeframe. The unit was shutdown over this timeframe to make necessary repairs. Operations were conducted in order to minimize emissions while maintaining a safe and orderly stabilization of refinery operations and restart of the impacted process unit. Repairs were made to applicable electric equipment and SRU Train 2 was restarted, ending the incident. Appropriate measures will be taken in order to prevent a recurrence due to the same cause. These releases of sulfur dioxide exceed reportable quantity. Incident #84745 occurred 12/22 to 12/23 and Incident #84794 occurred from 12/24 to 12/25. The two reports here are also linked to a third report, LDEQ Incident #84723 which is separate on our database.