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Valero (26003), Norco
LDEQ Accident Report
| Accident # | 159934 |
| PDF Available |  PDF |
| State Police # | 14-05012 |
| Accident Date | 2014-11-09 |
| Report Date | 2014-11-14 |
| 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 |
| Sulfur Dioxide | 30m | Hydrocracker-Hydrotreater | NO | YES | NO | 1,597.8 pounds |
| Carbon Monoxide | 30m | Hydrocracker-Hydrotreater | NO | YES | NO | 13.7 pounds |
| NOx | 30m | Hydrocracker-Hydrotreater | NO | NO | YES | 4.0 pounds |
| Particulate Matter | 30m | Hydrocracker-Hydrotreater | NO | YES | NO | 0.1 pounds |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) | 30m | Hydrocracker-Hydrotreater | NO | NO | YES | 17.9 pounds |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | 30m | Hydrocracker-Hydrotreater | NO | NO | NO | 8.6 pounds |
Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity
Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure
On 11/9/14 at approximately 21:30 hours, the Hydrotreater-Hydrocracker (HTHC) Recycle Compressor malfunctioned, which initiated a shutdown of HTHC and led to a reportable quantity of sulfur dioxide. The cause of the malfunction is under investigation.
Discharge Preventable - Under Investigation
Notes/Remedial Actions
Emissions were minimized by shutting down and then restarting the HTHC unit. Air monitoring was conducted in the downstream wind direction within and around the refinery. The incident is still under investigation to determine preventative measures.
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