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Shell Chemical East (26336), Norco
LDEQ Accident Report
| Accident # | 136479 |
| State Police # | 12-00208 |
| Accident Date | 2012-01-12 |
| Report Date | 2012-01-19 |
| 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 |
| Benzene | 17h 46m | Relief valve in the OL-5 Process Unit | NO | NO | YES | 55.8 pounds |
| Xylene | 17h 46m | Relief valve in the OL-5 Process Unit | NO | NO | NO | 6.2 pounds |
| Hexane | 17h 46m | Relief valve in the OL-5 Process Unit | NO | NO | NO | 0.3 pounds |
| Toluene | 17h 46m | Relief valve in the OL-5 Process Unit | NO | NO | NO | 18.0 pounds |
| 1,3-Butadiene | 17h 46m | Relief valve in the OL-5 Process Unit | NO | NO | YES | 0.7 pounds |
| Styrene | 17h 46m | Relief valve in the OL-5 Process Unit | NO | NO | NO | 4.6 pounds |
| Ethylbenzene | 17h 46m | Relief valve in the OL-5 Process Unit | NO | NO | YES | 1.7 pounds |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) | 17h 46m | Relief valve in the OL-5 Process Unit | NO | NO | YES | 52.7 pounds |
Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity
Cause of Problem: Equipment Design
While making an inspection round on January 12, 2012, OL-5 operators found that a relief valve in the OL-5 Process Unit was leaking out of the vent connection. Process data does not indicate that the relief valve reached a high enough pressure to open. This relief valve has a bellows and the bellows top flange ring was found to be cracked in the rolled edge. The crack was approximately 1.5" long, and is believed to be a manufacturing defect. The valve has been returned to the manufacturer for inspection.
Discharge Preventable - No
This incident was not preventable by Shell Chemical LP. The defect in the relief valve was not predictable.
Notes/Remedial Actions
The operators immediately stopped the pump that supplies the pressure to this relief valve and the relief valve was blocked in per mitigation plan. The crack was approximately 1.5" long, and is believed to be a manufacturing defect. The valve has been returned to the manufacturer for inspection. The discharged was released mainly to a stormwater concrete containment area. There is some evaporation into the atmosphere. Vacuum truck cleaned up remaining material. Only benzene was above a reportable quantity during this leak.
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