Home Search Emissions Pollutants About the Database


CITGO Petroleum (1250), Lake Charles

Releases of Ethylbenzene

LDEQ Accident Number
Accident Date		 Point Source(s) Notes Amount of Release
88679

2006-06-19		B-12 flare, wastewater treatment plant
Cause: Refinery experienced a heavy rainfall event, greater than 8 inches;of rain in 36 hours. 250 psig steam lines became submerged in water and as a result the steam condensed and caused a drop in pressure, eventually stopping the flow of rich amine throughthe Central Amine unit. This resulted in the loss of acid gas production. The SROs eventually shutdown due to lack of feed. Off gas went to the B-12 flare. Rainfall runoff exceeded the available capacity of the wastewater treatment system storm water tanks and the treatment system. When the capacity of the storm water tanks was exceeded, slop oil and wastewater overflowed from the tanks into the protective dike area surrounding the tanks allowing evaporation of benzene, etc.

Followup: Yes

Notes: The lack of amine treatment of refinery fuel gas caused the hydrogen sulfide content in fuel gas to exceed permit limits Hydrogen Sulfide amounts exceeded not reportedÉTo increase the pressure of the steam system and to reuce hydrogen sulfide generation, emergency steam and hydrogen sulfide shedding steps were initiated. Several units feed rates were reduced to minimum and some were shut down. As soon as acid gas was available steps were taken to restart the SRUs. For each restart operations pnnel followed standard operations procedures for startup and shutdown. When the storm water tanks began to overflow, steps were taken to remove slop oil from the tank dike using vacuum dikes. The feed rte of wastewater from the wastewater tanks to		15,408.0 pounds
104698

2008-04-11		K-16 Area
Cause: see notes

Followup: Yes

Notes: Reformate was released into a pit due to a faulty dresser coupling. The bolts in the coupling released. Dresser coupling replaced with hard piping.		1,042.0 pounds
136963

2012-02-03		K-19 line leak
Cause: K-19 line leak. A dresser coupling failed and leaked 1 barrel of finished gasoline. Coupler between piping for a barrel. This is a seal between piping and vessel.

Followup: No

Notes: The materials were contained in a concrete area. The line was isolates, foam was added, and the line was repaired. Planning to replace it with a hard line. The RQs for Flammable Gas and VOCs were exceeded.		0.5 pounds
152225

2013-11-07		Furnace Tube
Cause: A fire occurred on the A-Reformer combination furnace during startup. Preliminary indication is that a furnace tube, located in the convective section, developed a leak which resulted in a fire.

Followup: No

Notes: 		3.0 pounds
151352

2013-09-21		Wastewater treatment unit
Cause: This incident involved a Benzene release associated with wastewater diversion CITGO's wastewater treatment plant. This wastewater diversion occurred as a result of a flash flood heavy rain event. CITGO diverted the wastewater into a concrete diked containment area surrounding the wastewater tanks. According to CITGO, the wastewater diversion was necessary to avoid overfilling of stormwater and equalization tanks. One of the WWTP Equalization Tanks (TK 310) had been out of service for inspection/maintenance going into the subject rainfall event.

Followup: No

Notes: Wastewater processing rates were maximized and material diverted to diked area was pumped to controlled storage as tankage became available. CITGO will be constructing a fourth wastewater storage tank as well as an additional API separator and aeration tank.		3.0 pounds