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Placid Refining (2366), Port Allen

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #153201
State Police #14-00115
Accident Date2014-01-06
Report Date 2014-01-14
Follow-up Date 2014-01-16
Follow-up: No

Pollutants Released

Pollutant Duration Point Source Greenhouse Gas Criteria Pollutant Ozone forming chemical Amount of Release
1,3-Butadiene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES0.0 pounds
Benzene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES21.1
Biphenyl46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES0.1 pounds
Butene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES4.0 pounds
Cresol46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES0.0 pounds
Cumene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES0.7 pounds
Ethylbenzene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES6.8 pounds
Ethylene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES0.0 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONONOBRQ
Isooctane46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES22.1 pounds
Naphthalene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES0.7 pounds
n-Hexane46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONONO75.9 pounds
Phenol46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONONO0.3 pounds
Propylene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONOYES0.0 pounds
Styrene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONONO0.7 pounds
Toluene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONONO114.7 pounds
Xylene46 h 45 mininternal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041)NONONO53.9 pounds

Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity

Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

Placid's internal vapor combustor (source ID 1-91, EQT 0041) was not operating upon an inspection conducted by an Environmental Engineer. The combustor was serviced upon notification. During the outage, only Placid's Tank Farm was routed to the combustor. Placid has no known reason why the combust or failed other than this was through a period of abnormally cold weather. VOC emission did occur as a result of this failure and the Benzene RQ was exceeded at 21lbs. Root cause was determined that operator error. Shut down alarm was not acknowledged.

Discharge Preventable - No

This incident was the result of mechanical failure and therefore not foreseeable.

Notes/Remedial Actions

3,205.63 lbs of VOC were released. Placid's Engineering and Terminal Departments are currently reviewing adding alarms to the terminal control system. In one part of the report, Placid states that the root cause of the failure was operator error. However, later they cite that the accident was the result of mechanical failure.