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Motiva Enterprises (1406), Norco

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #148623
tate Police #N/A
Accident Date2013-05-10
Report Date 2013-05-15
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
Water or Wastewater1d 9h 5mRefinery Wastewater Treatment SystemNONONOBRQ

Accident Classified As: Below Reportable Quantity (BRQ)

Cause of Problem: Weather

On May 10, an unanticipated bypass incident at the Storm Water Impoundment Basin (SWIB) was due to an upset condition caused by heavy rainfalls associated with a series of thunderstorms. The site was initially able to contain the rainfall associated with this event and route it to the Refinery Wastewater Treatment System (RWTS) for treatment. However, the system storage capacity was reduced due to the amount of heavy rainfall that had occurred in such a short time frame. Motiva opened the spillway to prevent flooding of the refinery and damage to the SWIB from overtopping of the retaining levee. The spillway discharges to Engineer's Canal and then to Lake Pontchartrain.

Discharge Preventable - No Information Given

Notes/Remedial Actions

Motiva's normal operating procedures cal for the initiation of bypass operations when no capacity remains in the RWTS and a bypass is the only alternative to prevent flooding of the facility. All required sample collection and analysis were conducted in conjunction with the opening of the spillway. Limits were not exceeded and visual inspection showed no signs of adverse water quality of the storm water discharge.