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Louisiana Refinery Accident Database

Motiva Enterprises (1406), Norco

LDEQ Accident Report

Pollutants Released

Accident Classified As: No Information Given

Cause of Problem: Weather

On 9/3/11 the Norco area experienced heavy trains from Tropical Storm Lee. The site was initially able to contain the rainfall associated with this event and route it to the Refinery Wastewater Treatment System (RWTS) for treatment and subsequent discharge through LPDES Outfall 002. However, as the heavy rains continued, the RWTC (consisting of the Storm Water Impoundment Basin and Aeration Basic) reached maximum capacity levels and Motiva opened LPDES Outfall 006 and 0805 to prevent flooding of the refinery and damage to the SWIB for overtopping of the SWIB retaining levee. Outfall 006 serves as the bypass outfall for the RWTS and is used to prevent/reduce flooding of the refinery during extreme rainfall events. Outfall 006 discharges to Engineer's Canal and then to Lake Pontchartrain via a flood control structure through the St. Charles Parish Hurricane Protection Levee. Motiva's normal operating procedures call for the initiation of bypass operations when no capacity remains in the RWTS and a bypass is the only alternative to prevent flooding of the facility. All required sample collection and analysis required by LPDES Permit LA00035222 were conducted in conjunction with the opening of Outfall 006. Emergency bypass operations were stopped at 12 pm on 12/5/11. No permit limits were exceeded and visual inspection showed no signs of adverse water quality of the storm water discharge during this bypass. The facility was being properly operated and maintained at the time of the incident and all required notifications were made.

Discharge Preventable - No Information Given

No Information Given.

Notes/Remedial Actions

Rain water released to Outfall 006