LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

Shell Chemical East (26336), Norco

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #	148252
PDF Available	PDF
State Police #	13-01718
Accident Date	2013-04-20
Report Date	2013-04-25
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
Carbon Monoxide	6h	GO-1 Elevated Flare, FE-602	NO	YES	NO	2,343.7 pounds
NOx	6h	GO-1 Elevated Flare, FE-602	NO	NO	YES	430.7 pounds
Particulate Matter	6h	GO-1 Elevated Flare, FE-602	NO	YES	NO	81.1 pounds
Sulfur Dioxide	6h	GO-1 Elevated Flare, FE-602	NO	YES	NO	BRQ
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)	6h	GO-1 Elevated Flare, FE-602	NO	NO	YES	640.0 pounds
Hexane	6h	GO-1 Elevated Flare, FE-602	NO	NO	NO	59.4 pounds

Accident Classified As: Below Reportable Quantity (BRQ)

Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures

On April 20, 2013, GO-1 operations restarted compressor K5741 after planned maintenance was executed. During the restart event, GO-1 flared dry gas at the GO-1 Elevated Flare (EPN 1-90) until the dry gas met specification to be used feed in the unit. The GO-1 flaring resulted in no reportable quantities exceeded but a permit limit exceedence of 46.32 lbs of Hexane.

Discharge Preventable - No

This incident was not preventable by Shell Chemical. Shell Chemical could not predict the failure of the compressor mechanical check valve.

Notes/Remedial Actions

The cause was a mechanical failure of the compressor check valve that required a dry gas compressor shutdown to repair. Once repairs were completed, dry gas must be flared until it meets specification to be used in the unit. An investigation determined the cause was the mechanical failure of the compressor check valve. This required a dry gas compressor shutdown to repair. Shell Chemical procedures require that the dry gas must be flared until it meets specification to be used in the unit.