Home Search Emissions Pollutants About the Database


Shell Chemical East (26336), Norco

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #152916
State Police #13-05644
Accident Date2013-12-18
Report Date 2013-12-19
Follow-up Date 2014-02-14
Follow-up: Yes

Pollutants Released

Pollutant Duration Point Source Greenhouse Gas Criteria Pollutant Ozone forming chemical Amount of Release
Carbon Monoxide2d 12h 38mOL-5 Ground (EPN 7-84) and Elevated (EPN 6-84)NOYESNO50,885.5 pounds
Nitrogen Oxide2d 12h 38mOL-5 Ground (EPN 7-84) and Elevated (EPN 6-84)NOYESYES9,351.9 pounds
Particulate Matter2d 12h 38mOL-5 Ground (EPN 7-84) and Elevated (EPN 6-84)NOYESNO1,760.4 pounds
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)2d 12h 38mOL-5 Ground (EPN 7-84) and Elevated (EPN 6-84)NONOYES25,921.6 pounds
1,3-Butadiene2d 12h 38mOL-5 Ground (EPN 7-84) and Elevated (EPN 6-84)NONOYES913.3 pounds
Benzene2d 12h 38mOL-5 Ground (EPN 7-84) and Elevated (EPN 6-84)NONOYES8.9 pounds

Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity

Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures

On December 18, 2013, Shell Chemical's OL-5 Unit shut down to complete scheduled maintenance. While walking out the unit, a pressure equipment inspector found a section of piping that was experiencing corrosion under insulation. After further investigation, a plan was devised to shut down the unit in order to repair this thinned section of piping and prevent additional unit upset conditions. Flaring to OL-5 Ground Flare (EPN 7-84) and OL-5 Elevated Flare (EPN 6-84) resulted from a unit shutdown to complete planned maintenance on a section of piping downstream of the ethylene refrigerant compressor experiencing corrosion.

Discharge Preventable - No

It was uncertain this section of thin piping would be found during inspection.

Notes/Remedial Actions

To minimize additional unit upset conditions and impacts, the OL5 unit was shutdown and the thin wall piping was repaired. A review of the corrosion under insulation will be performed to identify improvements which can be made to prevent future re-occurrences.