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Marathon Ashland Petroleum (3165), Garyville

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #121169
State Police #10-00596
Accident Date2010-01-30
Report Date 2010-02-03
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
Hydrogen5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONONO0.0 pounds
Carbon Dioxide5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)YESNONO301.1 pounds
Nitrogen5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONONO69.1 pounds
Oxygen5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONONO10.3 pounds
Methane5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)YESNOYES0.5 pounds
Ethylene5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONOYES0.5 pounds
Ethane5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONOYES1.6 pounds
Propane5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONOYES10.6 pounds
Propylene5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONOYES1.0 pounds
Isobutane5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONOYES7.0 pounds
n-Butane5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONONO27.2 pounds
1-Butene5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONOYES0.4 pounds
Isobutane5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONOYES0.4 pounds
Butene5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONOYES0.4 pounds
Butene5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONOYES0.4 pounds
Pentane5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONOYES12.0 pounds
n-Pentane5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONONO15.4 pounds
Pentene5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONONO9.2 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide5mUnit 34 Sulfur Recovery Unit (EQT FUG037)NONONO829.1 pounds

Accident Classified As:

Cause of Problem: Process Upset

"While switching unit 34 tailgas from the Unity 34 Thermal Oxidizer to the Unit 20 Thermal Oxidizer, Unit 34 pressured up causing acid gas to back out of the low range air blower vent valve in Unity 34." Reportable quantity for Hydrogen Sulfide exceeded.

Discharge Preventable - Under Investigation

LDEQ report says not preventable, earlier report from Marathon says under investigation.

Notes/Remedial Actions

RQ. Reportable quantities were exceeded during this incident; detailed emissions report included. Refinery report states that "tailgas [was] switched back to the Unit 34 Thermal Oxidizer which corrected the problem immediately."