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Placid Refining (2366), Port Allen

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #142779
State Police #NIG
Accident Date2012-08-31
Report Date 2012-09-10
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
Benzene136H 45mTank No. 946NONOYES20.0 pounds
Chlorobenzene136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.0 pounds
Chloroform136H 45mTank No. 946YESNONO0.0 pounds
Ethylene dichloride136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.0 pounds
Ethylbenzene136H 45mTank No. 946NONOYES1.6 pounds
Dichloromethane136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.0 pounds
Naphthalene136H 45mTank No. 946NONOYES0.6 pounds
Phenol136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.1 pounds
Diethyl phthalate136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.0 pounds
perchloroethylene136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.0 pounds
Toluene136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO20.0 pounds
1,1,1-trichloroethane136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.0 pounds
Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.0 pounds
2,4-Dimethylphenol136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.0 pounds
Dibutyl phthalate136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.0 pounds
2,3,4,5,6-Pentachlorophenol136H 45mTank No. 946NONONO0.0 pounds
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)136H 45mTank No. 946NONOYES40.0 pounds

Accident Classified As: Below Reportable Quantity (BRQ)

Cause of Problem: Weather

Due to excess rainfall associated with Hurricane Isaac on August 31, 2012, Placid diverted excess storm water from a permitted wastewater tank No. 940 to an unpermitted out of service clean open top tank No. 946. Approximately 4,200 barrels of water was transferred to prevent an overflow of tank No. 940 an/or tank No. 17, Placid's two permitted wastewater tanks. Placid's process units were in hot circulation mode and feed was removed from the process units due to the storm. The suction line used to transfer the water from tank No. 940 to tank No. 946 was located in the middle of the tank to minimize carryover of sludge or floating oil.

Discharge Preventable - No

Movement of storm water into tank No. 946 was necessary to prevent a bypass condition in the Refinery waste water plant and to prevent potential adverse environmental impact and.or severe property damage. This discharge was not preventable.

Notes/Remedial Actions

The water was transferred back from tank No, 946 to tank No. 940 on September 5, 2012. Movement of storm water into tank No. 946 was necessary to prevent a bypass condition in the Refinery waste water plant and to prevent potential adverse environmental impact and.or severe property damage. Placid's current LPDES permit provides for prohibition of bypass where feasible retention of untreated wastes is an alternative. Stormwater was diverted to a wastewater tank and therefore the pollutant becomes wastewater rather than stormwater. An attached document provides water emission calculations for Tank 946 and shows a total of 5.88 lbs/day daily emissions for total VOC released. No emissions were reportable quantity.