LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

Marathon Ashland Petroleum (3165), Garyville

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #	145377
PDF Available	PDF
State Police #	12-07880
Accident Date	2012-12-15
Report Date	2012-12-21
Follow-up Date	2013-10-09
Follow-up:	Yes

Pollutants Released

Pollutant	Duration	Point Source	Greenhouse Gas	Criteria Pollutant	Ozone forming chemical	Amount of Release
Water		South Flare	NO	NO	NO	BRQ
Nitrous Oxide	18h 40m	South Flare	YES	YES	YES	7.5 pounds
Compressed Flammable Gas	18h 40m	South Flare	NO	NO	YES	1,335.8 pounds
Nitrogen Oxide	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	YES	YES	385.0 pounds
Carbon Monoxide	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	YES	NO	2,095.0 pounds
Sulfur Dioxide	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	YES	NO	121.8 pounds
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	YES	1,573.5 pounds
Particulate Matter 10	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	YES	NO	42.2 pounds
Particulate Matter 2.5	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	YES	NO	42.2 pounds
Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs)	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	9.9 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	395.0 pounds
Methane	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	YES	NO	YES	893.6 pounds
Ethane	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	YES	6.0 pounds
Ethylene	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	YES	839.8 pounds
Propane	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	YES	3.9 pounds
Propylene	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	YES	3.9 pounds
n-Butane	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	264.5 pounds
Isobutane	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	YES	264.5 pounds
n-Pentane	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	2.1 pounds
T-butene2	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	2.8 pounds
cis-2-Butene	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	166.6 pounds
Pentene Plus	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	5,674.2 pounds
Carbon Dioxide	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	YES	NO	NO	5,660.0 pounds
Hydrogen	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	1,255.4 pounds
Nitrogen	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	125.7 pounds
Oxygen	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	5.9 pounds
Compressed Flammable Liquid	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	YES	10.6 pounds
Isopentane	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	YES	6.3 pounds
n-Hexane	18h 40m	Unit 59 South Flare	NO	NO	NO	952.4 pounds
Ammonia	18h 40m	South Flare	NO	NO	NO	7.5 pounds

Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity

Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing

A tube leaked on the Unit 15 Hot Separator Overhead Fin Fans at 17:52 hours. At 18:00, the unit was undergoing emergency shutdown procedures and the U15 dump valve was opened to the flare. The incident was a Gas Oil leak in the Unit 15 Hot separator Overhead Fin Fan Exchangers. This leak caused a vapor release of hydrocarbons and hydrogen in addition to a small amount of hydrogen sulfide.

Discharge Preventable - Under Investigation

Not known at this time; the results of the incident investigation will determine whether or not this was preventable.

Notes/Remedial Actions

PDF was too large to upload. Unit 15 was depressurized to the South Flare to safely isolate the leaking Overhead Fin Fan. Once the unit pressure was sufficiently low in the unit, the Fin Fans were isolated and the leak stopped. An incident investigation will result in recommendations to prevent recurrence. The reportable quantities for hydrogen sulfide, compressed flammable gas, and compressed flammable liquid were exceeded during this event. A report on October 9, 2013, removed greenhouse gas emissions and revised the estimate of VOC emissions.