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Valero (26003), Norco

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #120151
State Police #094090
Accident Date2009-12-13
Report Date 2009-12-21
Follow-up Date 2010-02-12
Follow-up: No

Pollutants Released

Pollutant Duration Point Source Greenhouse Gas Criteria Pollutant Ozone forming chemical Amount of Release
Naphthalene16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONOYES61.0 pounds
Benzene16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONOYES59.0 pounds
Ethylbenzene16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONOYES104.0 pounds
n-Hexane16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONONO120.0 pounds
Cumene16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONOYES6.0 pounds
Toluene16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONONO455.0 pounds
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONOYES305.0 pounds
m&p-xylene16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONONO514.0 pounds
o-Xylene16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONONO217.0 pounds
Methanol16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONOYES1.0 pounds
Ammonia16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONONO1.0 pounds
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONOYES21,522.0 pounds
1-methylnaphthalene16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONONO37.0 pounds
2-methylnaphthalene16 hours 30 minutestank T-04-32NONONO73.0 pounds

Accident Classified As:

Cause of Problem: Weather

Due to heavy rains falling onto tank T-04-32 (sour water tank, EQT 099), the tank's external floating roof became imbalanced and began to tilt. This allowed hydrocarbon material to seep onto the rooftop.

Discharge Preventable - No

The event was caused by storms, and was not reasonably preventable.

Notes/Remedial Actions

A vapor suppressing foam blanket was applied to reduce the evaporation of hydrocarbons.