LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

Marathon Ashland Petroleum (3165), Garyville

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #	120620
State Police #	10-00113
Accident Date	2010-01-15
Report Date	2010-01-08
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
Sulfur Dioxide	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	YES	NO	2,413.0 pounds
Hydrogen	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	NO	NO	1.2 pounds
Methane	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	YES	NO	YES	2.6 pounds
Ethane	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	NO	YES	5.7 pounds
Propane	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	NO	YES	12.5 pounds
Isobutane	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	NO	YES	6.1 pounds
n-Butane	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	NO	NO	11.5 pounds
Pentane	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	NO	YES	0.2 pounds
n-Pentane	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	NO	NO	0.1 pounds
Pentene	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	NO	NO	7.8 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	NO	NO	6.4 pounds
Water	1h 10m	South Ground Flare (EQT 0284)	NO	NO	NO	0.6 pounds

Accident Classified As:

Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

New Naphtha Hydrotreating Unit relief valve failed--opened intermittently at lower pressures than it was supposed to and sent stream to flare. Discovered problem thanks to citizen complaint re: the smell. Reportable quantity for SO2 exceeded. Duration given below is an estimate; emissions were intermittent from 1758 hrs to 2215 hrs.

Discharge Preventable - No

"Unforeseeable failure."

Notes/Remedial Actions