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Louisiana Refinery Accident Database

Phillips 66 (2418), Belle Chasse

LDEQ Accident Report

Pollutants Released

Accident Classified As: Below Reportable Quantity (BRQ)

Cause of Problem: Under Investigation

During the startup following the March/April Crude Unit shutdown-turnaround, a gas pocket was unexpectedly routed into tank T-006 resulting in crude oil being pushed between the tank seal and tank wall onto the floating roof. The crude oil subsequently collected in the tank's roof drain system and came out and flowed into the diked area surrounding T-006. At the time of the initial event, the T-006 dike drain valve was confirmed to be closed. It was later determined that there was a problem with the diked area drain piping that allowed some oil into the refinery storm water sewer and into a grassy area east of T-006. The piping has been repaired, the oil in the storm water sewer has been removed by vacuum truck, and the grassy area is in the process of being cleaned up (as of 4/30/14). All oil has been confined within the refinery with no chance of it entering any navigable waters outside the refinery. The Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigation was completed and revealed that a gas bubble from the process units traveled through piping to T-006 which caused an oil release on the roof deck. An approximately 20-foot section of the secondary seal was damaged along the northeast quadrant of the tank. As a result, heavy oil accumulation was present primarily on the east quadrant of the external floating roof and collected in the tanks roof drain system which subsequently flowed into the diked area surrounding T-006.

Discharge Preventable - Yes

Notes/Remedial Actions

The roof drain from T-006 was re-routed to the refinery's oily water sewer system facilitating oil removal from the tank roof. Vacuum trucks were utilized to pick up free oil present within the tank dike. Oil booms were deployed to prevent further movement of free oil from affected areas. A root cause analysis was conducted and the following corrective actions were identified: 1) Revise refinery operating procedures so that gases remaining in lines are purged prior to routing to tank storage and block valves are used as isolation points instead of control valves. 2) Revise refinery operating procedures to include steps to liquid fill lines and minimize initial pumping rates so any remaining gases present in lines are not released quickly causing equipment damage 3) Revise refinery operating procedures to include steps to maintain unit pressures in a fashion that continuous steady state circulation is established in order to minimize the possibility of forming gases in circuits and pushing those gases to storage.