LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

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CITGO Petroleum (1250), Lake Charles

Releases of Naphtha

LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date	Point Source(s)	Notes	Amount of Release
84791 2005-12-23	B-Topper Unit B-7 Flare	Cause: Piping leak at the B-Topper Unit. Due to the temperature of the naphtha steam and the elevation of the line relative to the ground, the leaking material evaporated and did not reach the ground. Followup: Yes Notes: Original letter states that the phone call to report this incident occurred on December 24, 2005, while the follow up letter states the incident occurred on December 23, 2005 at 23:45 hours. Claims all pollutants were released as liquids but vaporized before reaching the ground. Heavy naphtha release was below reportable quantities. The pumparound piping from which the leak was coming was shutdown and isolated for repair when the Unit was shutdown. A Failure Analysis was scheduled for this incident. Second attached letter states that upon re-start up of the B-Unit Topper on December 29, H2S and SO2 were possibly released but below reportable quantities	2,072.0
81115 2005-08-08	B-9 FLARE	Cause: Sulfolane Unit over pressurized Followup: No Notes: Claims emission was below RQ
81074 2005-08-06	B-9 Flare	Cause: Sulfolane Unit Followup: No Notes: Claims emission was below RQ
77898 2005-03-30	Flare F 206 A reformer Unit	Cause: release of naphtha to a lined sump open to the atmosphere during start up of Sulfolane Unit Followup: No Notes: Claims emission was below RQ. Foam was applied and vacuum truck. Flare drum overfilled	55.0 gallons
77024 2005-02-18	B-401 furnace	Cause: Followup: No Notes: Flange fire at the outlet to Capitol B 401 furnace in the B Reformer Unit. Claims what was released through flare did not exceed permit. Rest of naphtha was consumed in fire
91973 2006-11-09	Line feeding ALCOH Unit	Cause: leak in the line feeding ALCOH unit Followup: No Notes: The line was replaced	17,800.0 pounds
108148 2008-08-19	B Reformer C 402B Fin Fan	Cause: see notes Followup: No Notes: Leak in the Fin Fan causes release
105850 2008-05-22	B-Reformer's C-408 Fin Fan Cooker	Cause: see notes Followup: No Notes: Leak in the Fin Fan Cooker causes release
156037 2014-05-18	Tank 143, EQT 0130, Logistics Area	Cause: Citgo reported a naphtha release from Tank 143 (A 23,500 barrel feed tank for the A Reformer Unit). The real ease began when there was a reverse flow of hydrogen (caused by an unexpected shut down of the A reformer feed pumps) into the tank from the A Reformer Unit. This reverse flow caused the level in the tank to increase rapidly, lifting the roof and damaging the floating roof seal, allowing product to drain off the roof and into the tank dike area. Fence line monitoring, conducted during the incident reported no readings of a volatile compound. As a effort to reduce VOC emissions, foam was applied to the product during the night. In a letter dated 5/23/14 Citgo requested additional time to provide release calculations for the incident. According to the report the LDEQ quants for flammable liquid and benzene from volatilization were exceeded. 53 barrels of Heavy Naptha Mixture were released from the tank and contacted the ground. Approximately 37.5 barrels were recovered and the balance evaporated. 50 pounds of Benzene a naphtha constituent released from evaporation. Followup: Yes Notes: As a corrective action the flow line was immediately blocked in, foam was applied to the spill area, and all liquid/contaiinated soil was removed and disposed of according the state regulations.	13,200.0 pounds