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Shell Chemical East (26336), Norco

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #158697
State Police #14-04097
Accident Date2014-09-12
Report Date 2014-09-18
Follow-up Date 0000-00-00
Follow-up: No

Pollutants Released

Pollutant Duration Point Source Greenhouse Gas Criteria Pollutant Ozone forming chemical Amount of Release
Acetonitrile3h 15mDU-5 UnitNONONOBRQ
Benzene3h 15mDU-5 UnitNONOYESBRQ
1,3-Butadiene3h 15mDU-5 UnitNONOYESBRQ
Cumene3h 15mDU-5 UnitNONOYESBRQ
Ethylbenzene3h 15mDU-5 UnitNONOYESBRQ
Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs)3h 15mDU-5 UnitNONONOBRQ
Hydrogen Sulfide3h 15mDU-5 UnitNONONOBRQ
Styrene3h 15mDU-5 UnitNONONOBRQ
Toluene3h 15mDU-5 UnitNONONOBRQ
Xylene3h 15mDU-5 UnitNONONOBRQ

Accident Classified As: Below Reportable Quantity (BRQ)

Cause of Problem: Process Upset

On September 12, 2014, Motiva's DU-5 unit received a shipment of crude oil that contained an unusually large amount of water. DU-5's normal operations removes the water from the crude and sends the water to the unit desalters. The large volume of water that was removed from the crude formed an emulsion which caused the desalter level instrumentation to malfunction. After the desalters, the water is routed to the sour water drum, but due to the instrumentation malfunction on the desalter, the water sent to the sour water drum exceeded the volume that could be pumped from the drum. The water sent to the sour water drum overflowed into the Low Pressure Flare Header. Once the water overflowed to the Low Pressure Flare Header, the liquid went to the Shell Chemical LP Utilities East Flare Pot and was combusted at the Utilities East Flare.

Discharge Preventable - No Information Given

Notes/Remedial Actions