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ExxonMobil Refinery (2638), Baton Rouge
Releases of Hydrogen
| LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date |
Point Source(s) | Notes | Amount of Release |
| 05-BB009-1844 2005-07-13 | tank732 | Cause: C-830 compressor shut down causing ICN unit to shutdown. F-761 control valve was left on control to allowing the liquid level in the ICN product stabilizer tower to continue to tank732. Excess flammable vapor was released. Followup: No Notes: it was discovered that the F-761 control valve had not been closed, so it was closed once discovered and the release stopped; procedures will be reviewed and appropriate corrective actions will be ma | 45.0 pounds |
| 05-BB009-1721 2005-02-27 | FLARE | Cause: the controller responsible for the operation of the Refinery Gas Compression Unit (RGCU) began experiencing problems Followup: No Notes: C-50 was started up to eliminate the flaring and was run on manual. Incident not preventable because normal preventative precautions not used due to concern over clanging noises. | 2.0 pounds |
| 87870 2006-05-16 | D-104 Hydrocracker | Cause: the clamp on the Hydrocracker D-104 overhead line was leaking. The pressure of the overhead gas was reduced and several attempts were made to reseal the clamp, including trying several different kinds of sealant. The leak would stop for a short durationand then return Followup: No Notes: As of 7:30am on 5/22/2006 - the date of this letter - the leak was ongoing. In this letter, Exxon claims states that the reportable quantities for hydrogen sulfide and flammable vapor were exceeded only during the first 24 hours of the incident. This incident was not preventable because the clamp was considered to be a permanent repair (installed in Dec. 2005) until the scheduled unit downtime in 2008. Remedial Measures- a larger engineered clamp will be installed over the existing clamp. " | 549.0 pounds |
| 86579 2006-03-18 | East Train Hydrofiner (HHLA-E) | Cause: -Exchanger on the East Train Hydrofiner (HHLA-E) was leaking into a cooling tower. The seating surface and gasket on the floating head were upgraded during the turnaround. Operations personnel installed the exchanger correctly . However, when the exchanger was worked offsite, the contracting company installed the wrong bolts in the floating head of the exchanger. The bolts broke due to wet hydrogen sulfide cracking which caused the exchanger to leak. Note: the accident started at 10:00am on 03/17/06 but was not discovered until 1:50pm on 03/18/2006 Followup: No Notes: The cause of the accident is listed as preventable in the company's report, but there is no explanation whatsoever as to why it was preventable - that section is blank. In the report it does state that further investigation of the incident is currently being conducted. Remedial measure are listed as - the exchanger bolts replaced with appropriate material for the predetermined run length. Reportable quantities were exceeded for hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic compounds | 127.0 pounds |
| 85263 2006-01-19 | No. 2 Powerformer Unit T-4X | Cause: a leak on the shell of their tower (T-4X) is believed to have been caused from the failure of the mortar in the joints of the tile which lines the inside of the tower, which allowed acid to attack the carbon steel shel Followup: No Notes: Incidents 06-00380, 06-00401 occurred simultaneously on January 19th and on Jan. 20th 06-00406 occurred, overlapping with the first two. The reportable quantities for highly reactive volatile organic compounds and flammable vapors were exceeded when the emissions from these three events were summed over the first 24 hour period beginning with the initiation of the release from the No. 2 Powerformer Unit. With regard to the 24 hour period beginning with the release at the MTBE Unit, there wereeportable quantity exceedances for this period of time. The emissions limit exceeded the reportable quantity threshold only during the time when all three incidents were taking place simultaneously. The mortar in T-4X will be replaced with a Furan r | 16.0 pounds |
| 99633 2007-09-20 | atmospheric release | Cause: Followup: Yes Notes: Unit depressurized immediately in accordance with emergency process. Investigation is ongoing, appropriate follow up will be complete | 1,402.0 pounds |
| 94172 2007-02-23 | Exchanger leak | Cause: underdeposit corrosion Followup: No Notes: Leaking exchangers were removed from service. The metallurgy of the exchangers is being evaluated for upgrading. | 77.0 pounds |
| 94023 2007-02-17 | safety valve release | Cause: safety valve release Followup: No Notes: unit feedrate was reduced until the faulty indicator could be repaired. | 1,679.0 pounds |
| 108033 2008-08-13 | safety valve release | Cause: Equipment failure-valve blocked Followup: Yes Notes: a pressure indicator and associated alarms will be installed on the line to prevent a similar overpressure incident from occuring. | 11,866.0 pounds |
| 107540 2008-07-28 | hydrocracker compressor C-102C | Cause: Leak in the hydrocracker compressor C-102C caused a released of Hydrogen. Followup: No Notes: They brought the compressor down. No reportable quantities were exceeded. | |
| 107539 2008-07-26 | Hydrocracker unit reactor #101 safety valve flange | Cause: Hydrocracker unit Reactor #101 safety valve flange is leaking. Followup: No Notes: source is subject to facility's Leak Detection and Repair program and is permittable activity under Hydroprocessing Complex Title V permit. | |
| 106262 2008-06-07 | Atmospheric release/FLARE-Flare 17,19,23 | Cause: The C-101 Recycle Compressor on the HCLA unit shut down due to a fault in the transformer that supplies power to the compressor motor. The compressor trip automatically activated the units emergency depressurization procedures, which caused gases in the HCLA reactor system to be vented to the atmosphere via the condensable blow down drum. The transformer failed due to overheating. The air conditioner in the substation was found to have failed causing the temperature in the building to increase and the transformer to overheat. FLaring also occurred. Followup: Yes Notes: The unit was depressurized automatically in accordance with the emergency procedures. Temporary ventilation conditioning was installed in the substation to cool the remaining electrical equipment. Total amount of flammable vapor released was 108,206 pounds. Total amount of VOC's released was 93,904 pounds | 10,147.0 pounds |
| 105717 2008-05-17 | Cause: Release was a spontaneous occurrence from a flange. Followup: No Notes: Release occurred at the hydrocracker unit. | ||
| 105542-105544 2008-05-11 | safety valve release/ FLARE-Flare 17,23 | Cause: process upset/under investigation Followup: Yes Notes: In response to the suspected exchanger tube leak, the unit was shut down per appropriate procedures. Safety valve inlet line was cleaned and replaced. | 3,408.0 pounds |
| 104916 2008-04-18 | Cause: They were starting up a unit and the flange started leaking on the exchanger. Followup: No Notes: Amount of pollutant released is unknown. | ||
| 118656 2009-10-11 | No Information Given | Cause: Hydrogen compressor for the hydrocracker had a bladder rupture. Followup: No Notes: RQ not exceeded. Situation secured. | |
| 117870 2009-09-11 | FLARE | Cause: Safety release flaring. No further information provided. Followup: No Notes: Release is BRQ. No further information provided. | |
| 117482 2009-08-25 | FLARE | Cause: Hydrogen compressor leaked which caused flaring. Followup: No Notes: Release is BRQ. Compressor was de-pressurized to stop flaring. | |
| 127131 2010-10-16 | E-304 exchanger | Cause: A possible leak in the flange of the exchanger caused the incident. Followup: No Notes: State Police report states that they blocked exchanger and began the process of depressurizing it. The area was ropped off until leak stopped. No information given on repairs. Initial State Police report estimates release as greater than 1000 lbs of hydrogen. Refinery Letter states that no reportable quantities were exceeded. [BRQ]. | |
| 126814 2010-10-01 | Hydro Finers Unit | Cause: Hydrogen leak in Hydro Finers Unit. Followup: No Notes: Isolated section of line. This release was below reportable quantities. | |
| 125972 2010-08-27 | no information given | Cause: A leak on a gasket caused a release of Hydrogen. Followup: No Notes: Compressor valve isolated and depressurized. This release was BRQ. | |
| 125129 2010-07-23 | exchanger E101 | Cause: There was a small exchanger fire during a unit shutdown which resulted in a hydrogen leak from exchanger E101. Followup: No Notes: Team sent in to secure leak. No information provided about how much material was released or if it was BRQ. LABB only has access to the LDEQ report and not the refinery letter. | |
| 123706 2010-05-25 | no information given | Cause: Crack in weld off of a gas line. Followup: No Notes: Steaming it to prevent ignition, and shut tower down. No RQs exceeded. LABB only has access to the LDEQ incident report. | |
| 120709 2010-01-11 | safety valve on gas compressor | Cause: Safety valve lifted on gas compressor releasing hydrogen. Followup: No Notes: No reportable quantities were exceeded. | |
| 133778 2011-09-03 | Safety Valve | Cause: A level controller went bad on a hot separator, causing a safety valve to release. The root cause of this event was a plugged level instrument that resulted in high unit pressures. Followup: Notes: Upon discovery of the venting, the level instrument controls were bypassed. This allowed unit pressures to return to normal which ended the release. | 18.0 pounds |
| 131965 2011-06-23 | Pin hole leak in piping | Cause: A pin hole leak was found in a piece of piping connected as discharge from the Hydro Cracker Effluent. Followup: No Notes: No information given regarding remedial action. CO monitor was used to detect the hydrogen leak and read 600ppm. BRQ | |
| 131897 2011-06-18 | flange | Cause: ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery wrote a letter to the LDEQ on June 18, 2011 for notification of the events and circumstances surrounding the flange release that occurred at the facility. Due to prompt incident response to mitigate the event duration, no reportable quantities were exceeded. Followup: No Notes: No information given. | 28.0 pounds |
| 130721 2011-04-18 | Leak in HCLA unit | Cause: Hydrogen release from a leak in the HCLA unit. Followup: No Notes: The HCLA unit was depressurized to stop the leaking. | |
| 130442 2011-04-05 | Unspecified furnace | Cause: Hydrogen released when a furnace had a pipe go through a temperature swing. Tied to T130054 incident. Furnace shutdown was on f-901 furnace. Followup: No Notes: No Information Given regarding remedial actions. | |
| 130354 2011-04-04 | Flange leak on core outlet of furnace | Cause: A flange leak on the core outlet of the furnace caused a release of hydrogen. When this release was reported, the incident was not secured and hydrogen was still being released. Followup: No Notes: ExxonRefinery has determined that no reportable quantities are being exceeded while shutdown procedures are being executed for Furnace F-901. This incident is related to Incident # 130442. | |
| 128384 2011-01-03 | Flange | Cause: LDEQ states that hydrogen was released due to a fire on the flange. Followup: No Notes: BRQ. The fire was extinguished. The reactor that caught fire was depressurized. Refinery letter states that air monitoring was conducted during incident and all readings were below equipment detection limits. | 18.0 pounds |
| 136303 2012-01-05 | flange on ICN unit | Cause: A contractor detected a hydrogen smell on compressor C-830. A flange on the ICN unit leaked Hydrogen. The leak rate was 100lbs/hr. Followup: No Notes: Unit personnel tightened the flange and the leak was isolated. No RQs were exceeded. 60.7 pounds of hydrogen, 7.9 pounds of methane, 1.4 pounds of ethane, and less than a pound of propane was released. | 60.7 pounds |
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