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Motiva Enterprises (1406), Norco

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #88879
State Police #06-03982
Accident Date2006-06-24
Report Date 2006-06-29
Follow-up Date 2006-12-20
Follow-up: Yes

Pollutants Released

Pollutant Duration Point Source Greenhouse Gas Criteria Pollutant Ozone forming chemical Amount of Release
Crude OilSubsurface pipelineNONONO462.0 gallons
BenzeneSubsurface pipelineNONOYES10.3 pounds
Polycyclic Aromatic HydrocarbonsSubsurface pipelineNONOYES11.9 pounds

Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity

Cause of Problem: Corrosion

A previously unidentified area of external corrosion on a 20" sub-surface pipeline failed during the unloading of a shipment of crude oil, resulting in hydrocarbons escaping to the surrounding soil.

Discharge Preventable - No

The release was not preventable through procedures, actions, or training because it was a sudden and unforeseeable failure.

Notes/Remedial Actions

Operations immediately halted off-loading activities, isolated the line through the use of existing valves, called out additional personnel to begin containment, clean up and repair operations and notified the Norco Site Supervisor. Vacuum trucks were utilized to recover all standing liquids following the release as well as during de-inventorying of the line. Once the line was de-inventoried and prepped, an external weld clamp was installed over the isolated area of corrosion. After removal of the liquid hydrocarbon was completed, excavation of visually stained soils was initiated. The line will be excavated and inspected on a five-year interval. During the release only the near-surface soils and those directly adjacent to the leak were affected. There was no evidence of pollution migration. A copy of the PSI Investigation report is attached in PDF.