Home Search Emissions Pollutants About the Database


Phillips 66 (2538), Lake Charles

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #146063
State Police #13-00227
Accident Date2013-01-16
Report Date 2013-01-23
Follow-up Date 0000-00-00
Follow-up: 

Pollutants Released

Pollutant Duration Point Source Greenhouse Gas Criteria Pollutant Ozone forming chemical Amount of Release
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)1d 8h 58mexternal floating roof of Tank-7NONOYES7,752.0 pounds
Benzene1d 8h 58mexternal floating roof of Tank-7NONOYES1.0 pounds
Gas Mixture1 d 8h 58mtank-7 roof drainNONOYES63.0 gallons

Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity

Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

External floating roof check valve failed, slowing tank contents on top of the roof. The incident resulted from a mechanical failure of a check valve. Tank material (gasoline/oil/water mix) got on top of floating roof allowing mixture to spill to ground via roof drain. Estimated 2bbls of oil to ground into secondary containment.

Discharge Preventable - No

The incident was not preventable and resulted in an unanticipated mechanical failure to a check valve.

Notes/Remedial Actions

s13-22018 due to a damaged floating roof, gasoline released to containment. A notification was made regarding a release from the external floating roof of Tank-7 located in Area D Tank Farm. An estimated 2 barrels of a gasoline, oil, and water mixture was spilled to the ground through the roof drain within secondary containment. Evaporative losses from spill contained benzene and potentially H2S. Immediate area monitoring non-detect for H2S but detected for benzene. ESH personnel remediated the spill. Blocked roof drain to limit mixture spilling to ground. Drained material from roof but due to slow drain and rain, pump to be put roof top and pump material off floating roof. An estimated 7752 lbs of volatile organic carbons were released to the air exceeding the reportable quantity for VOCs. Fenceline monitoring was conducted for VOCs and Benzene and no offsite impact occurred. Material was cleaned up without any offsite impacts. Investigation will provide more specific cause(s) and any appropriate actions to prevent reoccurrence.