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Chalmette Refining (1376), Chalmette
LDEQ Accident Report
| Accident # | 150004 |
| State Police # | 13-30764 |
| Accident Date | 2013-07-29 |
| Report Date | 2013-08-05 |
| 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 |
| Sulfur Dioxide | 56 m | Flare #1 | NO | YES | NO | 1,666.0 pounds |
Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity
Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures
On Thursday, July 29, 2013, at approximately 1352 hours, the flare gas management (FGM) compressors over pressured from a planned maintenance shutdown of the waste gas compressor (K406) resulting in the staging of the #1 Flare. K406 was being taken temporarily out of service to repair piping on the sight glass and bottom drain piping for the cooling water day tank. During the K406 outage, the waste gas is routed to the FGM compressors for recovery. The increased flow of the waste gas to the FGM compressors caused an overpressure of the recovery system and stages the #1 Flare. On 8/28/2013 LDEQ conducted "onsite discussions" with Chalmette supervisors about three accidents relating to the WGC and FGC unit between 7/25-7/28 (149927, 149989, 150004).
Discharge Preventable - No
The planned maintenance activity for K406 was necessary to increase the reliability of the waste gas system and could not be avoided.
Notes/Remedial Actions
K406 was repaired and returned to service to eliminate the gas being routed to the recovery system. The planned maintenance activity for K406 will increase the reliability of the waste gas system and reduce the likelihood of waste gas being routed to the flare gas recovery system.
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