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ExxonMobil Refinery (2638), Baton Rouge
Releases of Propane
| LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date |
Point Source(s) | Notes | Amount of Release |
| 05-BB009-1893 2005-11-13 | No3 Depropanizer condensor | Cause: leak in the No3 depropanizer condensor due to corrosion Followup: No Notes: Exchanger was taken out of service on 11/13 at 9:35am; the inspection department plans to re-inspect the overhead piping system to determine if other corrosion issues exist and to repair the tube bundle that was leaking; this was not preventable becausepiping inspections were performed according to API code and the inspection did not indicate problems with the overhead system integrity | 474.0 pounds |
| 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 | 963.0 pounds |
| 05-BB009-1815 2005-07-08 | alkylation unit | Cause: Followup: No Notes: water was sprayed on the vapor cloud to mitigate hazards from the release. Upstream and downstream block valves had to be closed to stop the leak; this was not preventable because the gasket failed- it was an appropriate gasket for the service | 87.0 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. | 41.0 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. " | 509.0 pounds |
| 86548 2006-03-16 | FLARE - Alkylation Feed Preparation Unit | Cause: The Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether Unit was converted to an Alkylation Feed Preparation Unit (AFP). The AFP was beginning its initial start up. As the level in one of the towers increased, steam was added to the reboiler to begin producing overhead product. During this time, the safety valves on the tower began relieving to the flare system, which resulted in the reported flare. During the conversion of the unit the overhead pressure meter was reranged in the field, but was no reranged in the control room. Due to this oversight the operator believed he was at a significantly lower pressure and did not immediately discover that the safety valves on the tower had lifted to the flare system. The calculations automtically completed by the flare system 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. The only remedial measure listed is that the pressure meter range was corrected in the control room. The letter to LDEQ states that reportable quantities of nitrogen oxide and butenes were exceeded. | 316.0 pounds |
| 97173 2007-06-17 | Leak-tower leak | Cause: Internal and external Followup: Yes Notes: Tower shut down to stop leak. Tower repaired before returned to service | 31.0 pounds |
| 95990 2007-05-08 | FLARE-Flare #5,20 | Cause: Followup: Yes Notes: Attempts were made to restart compressor and without success a back up compressor was started. Feed rates were reduced to stop flaring. | 35.0 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. | 152.0 pounds |
| 93020 2007-01-03 | FLARE-Flare #5,7,17,19 | Cause: OTHER-Electrical failure of Coker units Followup: No Notes: Personnel initiated startup of idle compressor recovering most of coker gas. Alternate electrical coordination settings and power supply designs are being evaluated for this system. | 72.0 pounds |
| 106022 2008-05-16 | Depropanizer feed line | Cause: A leak was discovered on the Depropanizer feed line at the #3 Light Ends Unit. Caused by underdeposit corrosion due to residual acid attack Followup: No Notes: The leak was isolated and the line depressured. | 406.9 pounds |
| 104428 2008-04-02 | Cause: Leak on a small line at the alkylation unit occurred. Followup: No Notes: They were in the process of depressurizing the line and as well as other actions to secure the line. They will need to clamp the line to repair. | ||
| 103091 2008-02-14 | Leak/feed line leak | Cause: Corrosion/corrosion leak occurred through a 3/8 hole on the #2 feed inlet pip Followup: No Notes: The tower that the corroded pipe led to was shut down and filled with water to stop residual hydrocarbon vapors from leaking out of the hole. The hole was plugged.An engineered leak box was installed on the line. | 116.0 pounds |
| 102274 2008-01-15 | no information given/leak no informaiton given/leak | Cause: no information given Followup: No Notes: Written notification from Exxon Mobile surrounding the leak that occurred at the facility stating that no reportable quantities had been exceeded. | 52.0 pounds |
| 117187 2009-08-10 | cooling tower | Cause: A cooling tower leaked propane. Followup: No Notes: Release is BRQ. Fixed leak. | |
| 125762 2010-08-19 | Alky line to depropylizer feed | Cause: An Alky line to depropylizer feed leaked. Followup: No Notes: Line blocked & depressurized. This release was BRQ. | |
| 124047 2010-06-06 | no information given | Cause: A crack on press instrument leaked propane found on 6/6/10. Later it was found that leak started 16 hours earlier. 4200 pounds of propane released. Reportable Quantities [RQ] exceeded. Followup: No Notes: No Information Given. LABB only has access the LDEQ incident report. | 4,200.0 pounds |
| 122467 2010-03-30 | No Information Given | Cause: Worker discovered ice ball around flange which indicates a leak of gas had occurred. Followup: No Notes: Equipment shut down, leak isolated and repaired. This release was BRQ. | |
| 120611 2010-01-08 | flare | Cause: Over pressure to flare due to cold weather. LDEQ indicates it is a safety issue and flared with smoke.
No information given as to amounts of releases. Followup: No Notes: LABB only has access to LDEQ incident report. No information provided if release was BRQ. | |
| 134100 2011-09-20 | #8 depropanizer | Cause: Alarm went off on console because it lost pressure. They discovered a pump lost a seal on the number 8 depropanizer overhead. Followup: No Notes: Approximately 35 pounds of material was release, the majority of which was propane. Less than one pound of hydrogen sulfide was released. To end the release, the pump was shut down, isolated, and depressurized. An initial report indicated a release of greater than 1000 pounds of flammable gas and more than 100 pounds of hydrogen sulfide. However, upon further review from ExxonMobil, Exxon confirmed that no RQs were exceeded. | 34.0 pounds |
| 132824 2011-08-02 | F-105 orafice flange off of D-40 propane drum | Cause: There is an ongoing leak on the F-105 orafice flange off of D-40 propane drum. Followup: No Notes: 39 pounds of propane was released from valve's leak before an attempt to repair was made. The leak has now been reduced in size to less than one pound of propane per 24 hour period and permanent repair is underway. | 39.0 pounds |
| 131902 2011-06-21 | Bleeder pump P-105 and exchanger E-700F | Cause: On June 21st, 2011, at approximately 6:34 am, the Baton Rouge Refinery experienced a release.
Operations personnel at the Alky unit discovered a bleeder on pump P-105 suction line releasing caustic, propane, and isobutane. Caustic is used throughout the refinery to remove sulfur compounds from the hydrocarbon streams, and a pressure gauge located on the suction line at this bleeder. The nipple connecting the pressure gauge to the suction line had worn threads, allowing the gauge to become disconnected from the piping system. All caustic was contained on concrete and did not reach the environment. Approximately 1,923 pounds of vapor were released.
Additionally, during the same twenty four period, the RHLA-1 unit experienced a release from the channel box of the exchanger E-700F. Emissions from this release are currently estimated to be 704 pounds per 24 hours. Development of a plan to repair this release is underway. Followup: No Notes: To end the P-105 release, the bleeder was closed and the pump suction line isolated. To prevent recurrence, the bleeder will be repaired before being returned to service. Additionally, bleeders in similar service will be evaluated for similar leak potential by x-ray inspection. | |
| 128479 2011-01-05 | Feeder Line | Cause: LDEQ states that an unknown quantity of propane was released due to a hole in the feeder line. Followup: No Notes: BRQ. No Information Given. Refinery letter states that "due to prompt incident response, no reportable quantities were exceeded." | |
| 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. | 1.0 pounds |
| 153956 2014-02-17 | NIG | Cause: On February 17, 2014, there was a release of 565 lbs of propane at the ExxonMobil refinery in Baton Rouge, LA. There were no reportable quantities exceeded. Followup: No Notes: | 565.0 pounds |
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