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Motiva Enterprises (2719), Convent

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #91442
State Police #06-3236
Accident Date2006-10-17
Report Date 2006-10-24
Follow-up Date 2007-03-29
Follow-up: Yes

Pollutants Released

Pollutant Duration Point Source Greenhouse Gas Criteria Pollutant Ozone forming chemical Amount of Release
Sulfur Dioxide7h 15mTGTU no. 1 incinerator stack and TGTU no. 4 incinerator stackNOYESNO795.0 pounds

Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity

Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU) No. 5 tripped due to low airflow, which was caused by the trip of the turbine air blower (81C-101) on SRU-5. This subsequently causde TGTU-5 to trip, as these two units operate in series. With the trip of SRU-5/TGTU-5, acid gas processing ability decreased causing a subsequent increase in pressure on the acid gas header. This increase in pressure led to the trip of SRU-2/TGTU-1. The turbine air blower was determined to have tripped as designed due to excessive vibration from a mechanical failure in the turbine's speed governor.

Discharge Preventable - No

Based on the maintenance and reliability history of the turbine, it was operable. The cause of the turbine trip via the governor could not be foreseen.

Notes/Remedial Actions

Minimized acid gas production by reducing charge rates, worked to restart units. Motiva plans to evaluate the process rate reductions needed from the acid gas generating units when upset conditions occur in the SRU/TGTU units in an attempt to reduce the potential for SO2 emissions from overloading the operating SRU/TGTU units. Motiva also plans to install a "Stackmatch" system in TGTU-1 during a 2008 Maintenance turnaround to reduce the delays associated with the lighting of the heater inline pilot. No LDEQ report in this file. Exceeded RQs and permit limits.