LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

Phillips 66 (2418), Belle Chasse

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #	146671
PDF Available	PDF
State Police #	13-00680
Accident Date	2013-02-14
Report Date	2013-02-19
Follow-up Date	0000-00-00
Follow-up:

Pollutants Released

Pollutant	Duration	Point Source	Greenhouse Gas	Criteria Pollutant	Ozone forming chemical	Amount of Release
Sulfur Dioxide	1h 49m	Low Pressure Flare	NO	YES	NO	481.0 pounds

Accident Classified As: Below Reportable Quantity (BRQ)

Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

Power was inadvertently interrupted to the electronic speed governor for the Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Unit's Wet Gas Compressor. The governor performed as designed, reducing the compressor's rotating speed to minimum but not shutting down the machine. The excess gasses the compressor no longer could process were routed to the Low Pressure Flare in order to protect the compressor. The Flare Gas Recovery's Water Seal Drum for the Low Pressure was compromised at the initial onset of this event resulting in flaring.

Discharge Preventable - No Information Given

Notes/Remedial Actions

Operations began the process of increasing the compressor's speed back to normal. Once returned to normal speed and the water seal at the seal drum was re-established, the flaring of all excess gases stopped.