LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

About the Database

Marathon Ashland Petroleum (3165), Garyville

Releases of Butane

LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date	Point Source(s)	Notes	Amount of Release
80326 2005-07-06	UTLX Railcar No. 910150	Cause: There was a leak in the sample valve of UTLX Railcar No. 910150. Followup: Yes Notes: The MAP technician who discovered the leak attempted to tighten the valve but this just led to valve remaining open and inoperable. This event is currently under investigation. Water was sprayed on the railcar.	0.9 pounds
79431 2005-05-28	North Flare (EIQ No. 83-74)	Cause: The regenerate stream from the Unit 28 Butane Isomerization Liquid Feed Drier was inadvertently blocked in. The Liquid Feed Drier then over-pressured and released to the flare. Followup: Yes Notes: The rundown line was opened up and the regenerate was routed to the Tank Farm to lower the pressure of the Liquid Feed Drier. This incident is currently under investigation.	914.0
92878 2006-12-24	Conservation vents Tank 55-5(EQI No. 44-74/EQT No. 104)	Cause: Tank 55-5 high pressure equal to 2 inches of water column caused the tank conservation vents to open to the atmosphere. The pressure transmitter failed giving a false low pressure in tank 55-5. Followup: No Notes: Currently under investigation. BELOW REPORTABLE QUANTITY.	134.9 pounds
No LDEQ Reported 2006-10-08	Alky Cooling Tower (EIQ 61-74/ EQT 043)	Cause: A pin hole leak was found on the on the Alky C4 Overhead Condenser, which affected the allky cooling tower. Followup: No Notes: BELOW REPORTABLE QUANTITY.	40.0 pounds
96834 2007-06-06	Three pinhole leaks in the Unit 28 Butane Isomerization Regen line and North Flare	Cause: same leak that was clamped earlier in the year Followup: No Notes: Claims emission was below RQ.	978.0 pounds
119673 2009-11-23	kerosene hydrotreater unit	Cause: During start-up of the kerosene hydrotreater unit (KHT), a bleeder valve o a piperack outside the unit was inadvertently left open, releasing gas into the atmosphere. Followup: Yes Notes: the line was isolated, and the valve was closed.	5.0 pounds
143781 2012-10-12	Unit 59 North Flare	Cause: The initiating incident was a pump seal fire in the Gasoline Desulfurization Unit (Unit 55). The fire was fueled by a leaking seal on the pump. Extinguishing the fire was delayed by inability to close an EIV on the suction side of the pump. This resulted in emergency shutdown of the unit. Two other events also occurred on this day including an upset in Sulfur Plant Unit 234 and a flame-out of the North Flare. Due to the fire and emergency shutdown of the Gasoline Desulfurization Unit, the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit cut feed, sending vent gas to the North Flare. Process vent gas was sent to the North Flare which increased the steam to the flare suddenly, snuffing the flare out. Followup: Yes Notes: PDF too large to upload (109 pages) To re-light the North Flare, steam was gradually decreased and natural gas was added to the flare gas to allow the two available igniters to relight the North Flare. Parts to repair the North Flare pilot system were already on order when this incident occurred. The North Flare was taken out of service when the parts were received and repaired on October 31, 2012. Spare pilot and igniter assemblies are now in stock so that repairs can be made in a timely fashion if an incident like this is to occur again. Total amount of pollutants released was 59438.44 lbs, but 90% was claimed to be efficiently burned off, resulting in 5943.59 lbs that were actually released. The reportable quantity for Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs) (100 pounds) was exceeded during the 24 hour period.	4.7 pounds