Home | Search | Emissions | Pollutants | About the Database |
Accident # | 153744 |
State Police # | 14-00652 |
Accident Date | 2014-02-10 |
Report Date | 2014-02-17 |
Follow-up Date | 0000-00-00 |
Follow-up: | No |
Pollutant | Duration | Point Source | Greenhouse Gas | Criteria Pollutant | Ozone forming chemical | Amount of Release |
Sulfur Dioxide | 1d 22h 3m | #2, #3 SRU | NO | YES | NO | 23,734.0 pounds |
Hydrogen Sulfide | 1d 22h 3m | #2, #3 SRU | NO | NO | NO | 72.0 pounds |
Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity
On February 10, 2014 Valero Refining-Meraux experienced excess emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) from all in-service refinery heaters and boilers, and the #3 Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU) Incinerator Stack and the North Flare due to an unexpected shutdown of the #3 SRU. Later the #2 SRU tripped offline as well, resulting in excess emissions from that unit. The #3 and #2 SRUs generated excess emissions due to these shutdowns and the subsequent start ups. Additionally, the Amine units became saturated with H2S and were no longer capable of removing H2S from gaseous refinery process streams. Increased H2S concentrations in the refinery fuel gas and hydrotreater recycle gas systems resulted in excess emissions in the refinery's heater and boilers, and in the North Flare.
There seems to be a major equipment malfunction that occurred causing the incident however there is no mention of the cause or how it will be prevented in the future. All emissions point sources involved in the accident: No 1 Crude Heather, NTH Charge Heather, NHT Debut Reboiler, NHT Depent Reboiler, Platformer Charge Heater, Platformer Debut Reboiler, Vacuum Heaters, No 2 Alky Reboiler, Hydrocracker/Hydrotreater/Fractionator Charge Heaters, Boiler B-5, Boiler B-6, North Flare Stack, SRU #2 Incinerator, SRU #3 Incinerator
Connect With Us: