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Phillips 66 (2538), Lake Charles

Causal Factor: Instrument Failure

LDEQ Accident Number
Accident Date		 Point Source(s) Notes Amount of Release
83456

2005-10-27		FLARE (Area B South Flare EP-31)
Cause: Incident due to excessive flaring associated with FCC unit Start-up.

Followup: No

Notes: Facility personnel were having difficulty in starting a compressor during the FCC start up due to faulty instrumentation on the compressor suction drum. Once the instrumentation was repaired, operations completed start yp of the unit and the release en		Sulfur Dioxide: 9,514.0 pounds
81473

2005-08-18		FLARE (South Flare EP-31)
Cause: The Incident involved a release of Sulfur Dioxide from the South Flare due to a shutdown of the South Flare Gas Recovery System (SFGR) resulting from a faulty O2 analyzer on the compressor inlet gas.

Followup: No

Notes: The O2 analyzer was repaired thus the SFGR system was returned to operation and the release ended.		Sulfur Dioxide: 472.0 pounds
77888

2005-05-08		FLARE (South Flare EP-31)
Cause: The oxygen analyzer sample plugged up causing a false reading in the analyzer which triggered a shut down of the flare recovery system.

Followup:

Notes: Instrument craftsmen cleaned out the sample system and the compressors were restarted.		Sulfur Dioxide: 3,200.0 pounds
78898

2005-05-07		FLARE (South Flare EP-31)
Cause: Failure of O2 Analyzer; failed and tripped out the South flare gas recovery system.

Followup: No

Notes: Instrument craftsmen is repairing the analyzer. Previously identified capital project w/in days of completion installs 2 redundant, non-intrusive 02 analyzers with 2 of 2 voting required for shutdown.		Sulfur Dioxide: 8,400.0 pounds
76779

2005-01-26		FLARE (South Flare and Refinery Process Heater/s Boilers)
Cause: Release of sulfur dioxide from the Refinery Process Heaters/Boilers and the south Flare due to an upset of the No.3 Amine Unit.

Followup: No

Notes: Corrective action to end the release entailed repairing a defective level indicator and stabilizing the amine system to return to normal operation. No permit limits were exceeded and the notification was made as a courtesy only.		Sulfur Dioxide: 298.0 pounds
92036

2006-11-17		Sulfuric Acid Plant
Cause: Acid strength analyzer failed

Followup: No

Notes: Letter states that emission was BRQ. No information given		Sulfur Dioxide: 76.0 pounds

88915

2006-06-27		#1/2 Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU)
Cause: An instrumentation malfunction occurred which resulted in a unit upset.

Followup: No Information Provided

Notes: No information given		Sulfur Dioxide: 40.0 pounds
85530

2006-02-02		Excel Paralubes' Boiler 76001 (EP109)
Cause: HDC loss of containment occurred. Nox instrument indicated a release of Nox but futher investigation determined this did not occur. Instrument air was lost during HDC incident and fuel gas BTU analyzer used in Nox calcs failed. Also, Nox CEMS sample system plugged from plume blowing from the HDC to this boile

Followup: No

Notes: Instrument malfunction gave false reading indicating excess emissions. No remedial action taken.
99970

2007-10-04		North Flare
Cause: loss of flare analyzer

Followup: No

Notes: Report states no excess emissions from North Flare during loss of flare analyzer
98796

2007-08-20		Tank T-1105
Cause: the level indicator malfunctioned

Followup: No

Notes: Vacuum truck sent to clean up area		Gas Oil: 1,386.0 gallons
97457

2007-06-27		None Reported
Cause: the level indicator malfunctioned

Followup: No

Notes: Level lowered in W-80 and indicator was repaired/replaced.
96694

2007-05-31		South Flare
Cause: instrument malfunction on a drum on the scrubber on the flare header

Followup: Yes

Notes: Cause analysis being performed to determine cause and prevent recurrence.		Sulfur Dioxide: 1,329.0 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide: 12.0 pounds
95165

2007-04-07		Excel Paralubes West Flare (EP110)
Cause: see notes

Followup: No

Notes: The shut down of the Sat-Gas compressor caused the release of sulfur dioxide. Shut down resulted from pressure transmitter producing a false reading of a compressor seal leak.		Sulfur Dioxide: 3,967.0 pounds
108145

2008-08-19		North Flare
Cause: instrument fails due to high temperatures from steaming out process

Followup: No

Notes: Technicians worked on 02 analyzer and the compressors were brought back to service
116058

2009-06-27		sump
Cause: Pump Failed to start and sump overfilled. Pump failure was caused by failure of level switch on T-74 sump pumps.

Followup: No

Notes: Pumps were started manually, and the spill was cleaned up		Gas Oil: 100.0 gallons
130644

2011-04-12		air-demand analyzer
Cause: According to the refinery letter, during the start-up of the sulfur reaction furnace, an air-demand analyzer malfunctioned causing excess air to the hydrogenation bed resulting in elevated SO2 emissions.

Followup: No

Notes: BRQ: No further information on remedial actions was given. Refinery letter and SPOC report only; no LDEQ report.
128741

2011-01-16		T-74 Oily Sewer Sump
Cause: Refinery unauthorized discharge notification report states that the T-74 oily sewer pump level indicator appears to have failed to start the pumps operating. Overflow of crude oil into a railroad ditch occurred.

Followup: No

Notes: The oil was cleaned up using vacuum trucks, absorbent booms, and pads. The frequency of operator rounds has been increased. Refinery letter states that no off-site impact occurred and that impact to the sides of railroad ditch were "almost nonexistent."		Crude Oil: 17,220.0 gallons
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): 18.0 pounds
Benzene: 0.0 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide: 0.0 pounds
144262

2012-10-27		1/2 SRU
Cause: Instrumentation failure caused the No. 1 SRU unit to shutdown.

Followup: No

Notes: An instrument tech repaired the instrument. Operations started the unit back up. Determined that the amount of sulfur dioxide released during the upset was less than the reportable quantity. The incident began at 0339 hours and was secured at 0742 hours on October 27, 2012.