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Louisiana Refinery Accident Database

Valero (1238), Meraux

LDEQ Accident Report

Pollutants Released

Accident Classified As:

Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

root cause may have been contaminants in the fuel gas regulator to Boiler -B-6 which caused an automatic safety shutdown of Boiler B-6. As MOUSA attempted to restart the boiler and enact our Steam Shedding Olant to conserve steam, a steam deficit forcedBoiler B-5 and more units into safety shutdowns, resulting in large flares with smoke. A contributing factor was the inability to quickly restart Boiler B-6, which could not achieve startup permissive in the control system due to improper inlet airdamper position.

Discharge Preventable - No

Notes/Remedial Actions

This incident was self reported by Murphy who described it in their first report to LDEQ as, smoking flares going off due to loss boiler and emissions from the hydrocracker and cat crackerÉunknown chemical. The LDEQ report says the incident lasted several hours yet does not include any information regarding what type of chemical was released. The verbal update from Murphy (with no date) says that small amounts of sulfur dioxide were released and small amounts of nitrogen - maybe 10 pounds - was reed. It also states that, Smoke is particulates is unknown. This incident was not preventable because the failure of the fuel gas regulator was not a predictable event. Remedial Measures - MOUSA replaced the fuel gas regulator on Boiler B-6 and instal