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Chalmette Refining (1376), Chalmette

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #79189
State Police #05-03283
Accident Date2005-05-19
Report Date 2005-05-26
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
Nitric Oxide9hHydrocracker Light Ends Plant - Butane Splitter TowerNOYESNO77.0 pounds
Sulfur Dioxide9hHydrocracker Light Ends Plant - Butane Splitter TowerNOYESNO1,176.0 pounds

Accident Classified As: Reportable Quantity

Cause of Problem: Human Factors

Unit upset, pressure increase: Excess feed to the Depropanizer Tower caused overpressure. Hydrocracker Light Ends Plant Butane Splitter Tower overpressured, which caused propane to exit to the Butane Splitter from the excess feed in the Depropanizer Tower via the Depropanizer Bottoms. The material was vented to the refinery flare system to reduce pressure.

Discharge Preventable - No

Notes/Remedial Actions

Moves to reduce temperature and pressure were made in effort to prevent the depressurization of the Butane Splitter to the refinery flare system. Cooler back flushing was conducted in order to ensure that maximum cooling was available, heater firing was reduced in order to reduce tower temperatures and pressures.