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Shell Chemical East (26336), Norco

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #158624
State Police #14-40747
Accident Date2014-09-10
Report Date 2014-09-17
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
Propylene30mOL5 Elevated FlareNONOYESBRQ

Accident Classified As: No Information Given

Cause of Problem: Process Upset

The OL5 Unit at Shell Chemical flared propylene at the OL5 Ground and Elevated Flares. Flaring occurred as a result of the overfilling of the propylene refrigerant compressor (PRC) accumulator. The overfilling of the PRC accumulator caused the downstream piping that is routed to the primary demethanizer column reboiler to fill with liquid propylene. Normally, vapor propylene is routed to the primary demethanizer column reboiler from the PRC accumulator to heat the demethanizer column. Contrarily, the overfilling of this line with liquid propylene caused the primary demethanizer column reboiler to operate improperly and affect the primary demthanizer operation.

Discharge Preventable - Under Investigation

Notes/Remedial Actions

To mitigate this abnormal situation, Operations personnel flared the excess propylene to the propylene refrigerant compressor (PRC) accumulator. Report states that an investigation is ongoing. No information given about remedial actions taken or pollutant amounts released.