LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

About the Database

Chalmette Refining (1376), Chalmette

Releases of Gasoline

LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date	Point Source(s)	Notes	Amount of Release
No LDEQ Reported 2009-01-08	No Information Given	Cause: No Information Given Followup: Notes: Gasoline recovered via vacuum truck. Below reportable quantities.	9.0 gallons
126093 2010-08-19	Tank 6344 Tank 6344 in the East Tank	Cause: LDEQ report states that a seven day follow report was received from the facility for a release that occurred stating that gasoline was released as a liquid to the roof of a tank and to the ground adjacent to the tank. The transfer of material into the tank was stopped and the roof drain closed. VOC emissions from the release exceeded reportable quantities. Report stated the release was not preventable by the facility investigating the root cause of the release. Operator checking equipment noticed gas smell. FOLLOW-UP: Report from facility states, that incident was preventable and resulted operators not following written procedures causing an uncalibrated level controller. Discharge was released to air. Followup: Yes Notes: RQ. LDEQ report states DEQ database was checked several times in November for a 60 day follow-up notification report. No report found in the systems. Chalmette Refinery environmental representative stated he was not aware of the 60 day notification requirement. The facility referred to circuit rider for not submitting a follow-up notification in accordance with LAC 33.I.3925.A.3. On 12/16/2010, the facility submitted a second follow-up notification report. The report states that the leak was preventable and was due to operators not following written procedures causing an uncalibrated level controller. The facility failed to have control facilities in place to prevent to overflow. This is an area of concern with LAC 33:III.905.Control Facilities to be Installed when Feasible."	17,303.0 pounds
121281 2010-02-04	storage tank	Cause: floating storage tank roof tilted during heavy rains, released gasoline to roof and roof drain, traveled down drain to soil. Release picked up by air monitor at Chalmette HS. DEQ report only in this file--references a "seven-day notification" but it's not included. Followup: No Notes: RQ. gasoline foamed to reduce volatilization, recovered from soil with vacuum truck, contaminated soil excavated, bioremediation agent applied to soil.	798.0 gallons
120686 2010-01-10	TANK 56; fast loop sampling pump G3832	Cause: Leaking gasoline blend pump. Gasoline release adjacent to Tank 56. Followup: No Notes: Liquid removed with vacuum truck, contaminated soil removed & disposed of. Report stated that no groundwater impact or health effects were identified as a result of incident.	147.0 gallons
134390 2011-10-07	Tank 71 Floating roof Tank 403 Cam Lock fiting	Cause: Oil was initially discovered on the roof of Tank 71 on August 9, 2011. The emissions were determined to be less than reportable quantities, so no notifications were required. To mitigate leak potential and offsite impacts, the oil was removed daily to prevent accumulation and emissions potential until repair investigation efforts could be completed. On October 7, 2011, at approximately 1040 hours, while cleaning the tank roof to allow for additional inspection, roof scale was dislodged, and a roof leak developed, eventually covering the entire surface area of the tank roof with oil. Foam was applied to the tank roof at 1540 hours, mitigating odors and emissions. Oil was removed from the tank roof October 9, 2011. Though ongoing emissions following removal of the oil are estimated to be below reportable quantities, the tank roof is not floating on the product, thus incident response efforts are still considered in progress, as repairs are completed. At approximately 0915 hours on October 11, 2011 a separate incident at a different tank resulted in hydrocarbon and benzene emissions for approximately 1 hour. Followup: Yes Notes: Mitigation efforts to reduce emissions potential commenced promptly, as tank level was reduced, however, the product could not be removed from the tank roof. Foam was applied to the tank roof at 1540 hours,greatly reducing emissions from the event. The tank roof was landed Sunday, October 9, and the oil was able to be removed from the floating roof. Additionally, the tank contents were drained and water was introduced into the tank, however, a thin oil layer remained present as repairs were progressed. Repairs were completed October 14, 2011. Repairs were completed on areas where thickness readings determined necessary on October 14, 2011.	20.0 gallons
132743 2011-07-28	No Information Given	Cause: According to the LDEQ report, "spill resulted from a dewatering operation near a gasoline pump." Followup: No Notes: BRQ According to SPOC report, standing liquids were removed with a with a vacuum truck. Soil remediation was planned.	42.0 gallons