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Valero (26003), Norco

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #140047
State Police #12-03315
Accident Date2012-05-26
Report Date 2012-06-01
Follow-up Date 2013-02-28
Follow-up: Yes

Pollutants Released

Pollutant Duration Point Source Greenhouse Gas Criteria Pollutant Ozone forming chemical Amount of Release
Sulfur Dioxide19mwet gas compressorNOYESNO1,214.0 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide19mwet gas compressorNONONO3.0 pounds
Carbon Monoxide19mwet gas compressorNOYESNO65.0 pounds
NOx19mwet gas compressorNONOYES12.0 pounds
Particulate Matter19mwet gas compressorNOYESNOBRQ
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)19mwet gas compressorNONOYES25.0 pounds

Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity

Cause of Problem: Under Investigation

The wet gas compressor in the delayed coking unit had malfunctioned resulting in excess SO2 emissions at flares 1 and 2.

Discharge Preventable - Under Investigation

This incident is till under investigation.

Notes/Remedial Actions

Gas from coker was combusted in Flare 1 and Flare 2 and the resulting combustion byproducts rapidly dispersed. Emissions were minimized by restarting the wet gas compressor. This incident is still under investigation. No procedures or preventative measures have been identified at this time. A "30 day follow up report" was submitted on February 28, 2013 citing that the root cause failure analysis report had been submitted for the incident. The document only lists 3 actions Valero plans on taking: "1. We will communicate this incident to all affected personnel. 2. Operations will implement a guidance document to reduce set points by 15 degrees Fahrenheit on loss of LCO charge heater. 3. Improve cracking beds operation stability by limiting the temperature delta. Add a high priority alarm to the DCS." The February 28th letter does not provide the root cause of the accident.