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Motiva Enterprises (1406), Norco

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #80320
State Police #05-04470
Accident Date2005-07-06
Report Date 2005-08-26
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
Nitrous Oxide293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresYESYESYES11.0 pounds
Sulfur Dioxide293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresNOYESNO1,150.0 pounds
Benzene293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresNONOYES3.0 pounds
Cyclohexane293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresNONOYES3.0 pounds
Butadiene293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresNONOYES26.0 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresNONONO171.0 pounds
Ethylene293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresNONOYES604.0 pounds
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresNONOYES30,271.0 pounds
Flammable Gas293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresNONOYES39,743.0 pounds
Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs)293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresNONONO8,212.0 pounds
Propylene293 h 35 mCoker, HCU, West Op Ground flaresNONOYES2,808.0 pounds

Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity

Cause of Problem: Weather

Power failures due to weather (Tropical Storm Cindy) caused various releases from Motiva sources; led to total loss of electrical instrument air compressors and the loss of several steam boilers that caused the shutdown of the HCU and RCCU process units. A voltage sag caused the Coker processor to shut down which resulted in a flaring event.

Discharge Preventable - No

Notes/Remedial Actions

Motiva claims that this was not preventable because of the unforeseeable weather conditions.