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ExxonMobil Chemical Plant (286), Baton Rouge

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #112825
State Police #No Information Given
Accident Date2009-02-17
Report Date 2009-02-24
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
Ethylene30 mEPLA-W Compressor, flares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES3,463.0 pounds
Propylene30 mEPLA-W Compressor, flares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES1,417.0 pounds
Butadiene30 mEPLA-W Compressor, flares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES20.0 pounds
Nitrogen Oxide30 mEPLA-W Compressor, flares #10, 25, and 26NOYESYES2,362.0 pounds
Sulfur Dioxide30 mEPLA-W Compressor, flares #10, 25, and 26NOYESNO3,774.0 pounds
1,3-Butadiene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES20.0 pounds
3-Methyl-1-Butene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES17.0 pounds
Acetylene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONONO51.0 pounds
Benzene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES339.0 pounds
Butane22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES24.0 pounds
Carbon Dioxide22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26YESNONO3.0 pounds
Carbon Monoxide22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NOYESNO4.0 pounds
Cyclopentadiene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONONO2.0 pounds
Ethane22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES845.0 pounds
Ethylene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES3,463.0 pounds
Hydrogen22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONONO180.0 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONONO12.0 pounds
Isobutane22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES2.0 pounds
Isobutylene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES219.0 pounds
Isopentane22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES9.0 pounds
Isoprene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES21.0 pounds
Methane22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26YESNOYES141.0 pounds
Methyl Acetylene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONONO111.0 pounds
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES308.0 pounds
Pentadiene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONONO9.0 pounds
1-Pentene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES51.0 pounds
Propane22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES97.0 pounds
Propylene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONOYES1,417.0 pounds
T-butene222 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONONO100.0 pounds
Toluene22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONONO21.0 pounds
Water22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NONONO39.0 pounds
Nitrogen Oxide22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NOYESYES2,613.0 pounds
Sulfur Dioxide22 h 15 mFlares #10, 25, and 26NOYESNO3,774.0 pounds

Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity

Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

A fire resulted in a compressor shut down and material being flared from 10:30 pm - 11 pm. Around 10:30 pm the charge gas compressor (EPLA-W compressor) for the Olefins Maintrain furnaces tripped due to failed overspeed wiring. This occurred because of a small leak of lube oil from the steam driver which caught fire. This fire was small but close to the wiring which malfunctioned.

Discharge Preventable - No

Notes/Remedial Actions

This incident is linked to incident #112824. The effluent gases were diverted to flares before the compressor could be repaired. Start up began around 8:45 pm on 2/18/09. Flaring during shut down through start up resulted in exceedances of RQs for ethylene, propylene, butadiene, nitric oxide, and sulfur dioxide. Also they had three compliance excursions from smoking of flares #10, #25, and #26. This was a non preventable incident from a malfunction. They are looking into preventing lube oil leaking and collecting near compressor wiring.