Home Search Emissions Pollutants About the Database


Placid Refining (2366), Port Allen

Releases of Crude Oil

LDEQ Accident Number
Accident Date
Point Source(s) Notes Amount of Release
No LDEQ Reported

2005-06-18
Pump
Cause: The discharge was a result of failure of redundant safety systems: 1. a faulty level control did not turn on the appropriate pump; 2. failure of the high level alarm system

Followup: No

Notes: Tank 27 dike area using a vacuum truck and transportating it to an onsite crude oil tank for reuse in the refining process. Visual estimate for amount spilled.
420.0 gallons
No LDEQ Reported

2013-05-10
North Dock Sump Pumps
Cause: During an extreme rainfall event, Placid's North Dock Sump was overwhelmed with water and overflowed into the Mississippi River, spilling an estimated 10-15 gallons of Crude Oil. The North Dock Sump Pump was unable to keep up with the heavy amount of rainfall.

Followup: No

Notes: To prevent reoccurrence, the North Dock Sump Pumps will be upgraded to new pumps that will have increased flow and discharge pressure. New pumps have been bid out and will be ordered on May 20, 2013. Design of the installation of these new pumps has been started and installation will begin upon delivery.
15.0 gallons
147466

2013-03-21
Tank 13
Cause: Crude oil was observed leaking from a buried section of piping which fills Tank 13. Estimated to have released between 2-4 barrels.

Followup: Yes

Notes: Placid placed a temporary clamp on the leak, left the line exposed for observation, and will be replacing the section of piping in the near future. Vacuum trucks, booms, and absorbent materials were used to clean the area. Contaminated soil removed and placed in roll-off boxes. A "French Drain" with a standpipe has been installed in the affected area to capture any residual oil. At this point, Placid is unsure of the duration of the discharge due to the small size of the hole in the piping underground. In a follow up report on 4/15/2014 it is stated that a report on 4/15/2013 found that no groundwater was encountered by this spill and requested LDEQ to approve of the use of "French drains" for collecting any residual oil that could not be removed. Not all impacted soil was removed as various structures in the area prevented the removal of all soil. The use of "French drains" was approved by LDEQ in a document dated 6/20/2013. As the time of the follow up report (4/15/2014), no additional oil had been encountered in the "French drains" and they had been removed and the site has been returned to its pre-incident condition.
84.0 gallons
159352

2014-10-09
Tank Farm, storage tank 25
Cause: In a post turnaround effort to re-inventory a crude charge line associated with Placid's crude oil storage tank 25, a blind flange was removed. When the line was pressured up, a leak developed at the previously blinded flange. The line was immediately depressured and the flange tightened. Approximately 2-3 barrels (84-126 gallons) of crude oil were discharged to the tank 25 secondary containment area.

Followup: No

Notes: Crude oil was recovered using vacuum trucks and sorbent materials. Recovered oil was returned to storage. Waste generated will be disposed of in accordance with applicable regulations. Impacted soil will be removed for disposal. Placid has counseled the employees involved regarding proper flange bolting procedures.
126.0 gallons
1532250

2014-01-13
Internal Sump, Outfall 006
Cause: Report indicates that on 1/13/14 an oily sheen was noticed in the ditches on the south side of the facility new Outfall 006. Upon review, Placid's internal sump had an oil sheen. Placid beleives heavy rains may have washed oil to the sump. Later in the report Placid indicates that the discharge was a result of an operational error.

Followup: No

Notes: Immediate remediation consisted of turning off the outfall pump and placing booms and absorbent materials in the ditches. An air pump was used to remove the floating sheen from the sump while the sump was out of service during clean up. The refinery reports that their future remedy is that Placid's Operations Department will pay closer attention to internal sumps during periods of heavy rainfall. This report was included in the same document as another discharge event with the same DEQ and LSP incident numbers. These cases occurred at different times in different places in the refinery and do not appear to be related. To differentiate the cases in this database this case is referred to as DEQ#1532250 while the first case is DEQ#153225. No state police reports were located for either incident.
0.3 gallons