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Chalmette Refining (1376), Chalmette

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #98704
State Police #07-04769
Accident Date2007-08-16
Report Date 2007-08-22
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
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)2 h 50 m# 3 reformer debutanizer towerNONOYES6,362.0 pounds

Accident Classified As:

Cause of Problem: Start Up, Shut Down

The LEP absorber tower was shutdown & the #3 debutinizer tower could not send overhead vapor to the LEP therefore #3 towerincr. and PSV was exceed. PSV on the # 3 reformer debutanizer tower reached the PSV set pressure causing a release. The LEP was shutdown due to an unstable steam rate.

Discharge Preventable - No

Notes/Remedial Actions

The feed rate was reduced to the units to stop the release until the PSV was reseated and confirmed not leaking. Follow up letter indicates that human factors also played a role; an operator did not respond appropriately to a series of alarms.