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Motiva Enterprises (1406), Norco
LDEQ Accident Report
| Accident # | 152813 |
| State Police # | 13-05511 |
| Accident Date | 2013-12-12 |
| Report Date | 2013-12-18 |
| Follow-up Date | 2014-02-06 |
| Follow-up: | Yes |
Pollutants Released
| Pollutant | Duration | Point Source | Greenhouse Gas | Criteria Pollutant | Ozone forming chemical | Amount of Release |
| Sulfur Dioxide | 3d 1h 38m | S3 Incinerator (EPN 2-90) | NO | YES | NO | BRQ |
Accident Classified As: Below Reportable Quantity (BRQ)
Cause of Problem: Process Upset
ON December 11, 2013, the hydrogen sulfide analyzer at Motiva's S3 Incinerator exceeded the NSPS Subpart J hydrogen sulfide twelve-hour rolling average of 250 ppm. Investigation findings suggest that on December 11, 2013 iron sulfide in the S3 sulfur pit was exposed to oxygen, resulting in pyrophoric iron oxidation that ignited a small smoldering fire in the vapor space of the S3 sulfur pit. The small fire generated sulfur dioxide that was pulled into the stack of the incinerator via the vapor line. The fire was extinguished when the steam to the eductor was reduced on December 14, 2013 at 1701 hours.
Discharge Preventable - No Information Given
Notes/Remedial Actions
As a corrective action, Motive will monitor the sulfur dioxide analyzer and unit operation in order to troubleshoot any potential issues. Also during this same time, Motiva's RCCU Elevated Flare was experiencing elevated Hydrogen Sulfide concentrations from hydrocarbon flaring. The RCCU hydrocarbon flaring is the subject of a final follow-up letter issued February 3, 2014. Note: The contemporaneous incident with RCCU flaring is LDEQ incident 152855, the 60-day report of which does not claim there is a causal connection.
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