LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

About the Database

CITGO Petroleum (1250), Lake Charles

Releases in 2012

LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date	Point Source/Release	Cause	Notes
145571 2012-12-26	Point Source(s): Coker 2 Unit Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ Nitrous Oxide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Process Upset A compressor upset on the Coker 2 Unit caused the gases to go to the flare.	An unknown amount of sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and nitrous oxide went to the flare as a result of this incident. Air monitoring was being preformed up to the fence line and readings are unknown at this time.
145516 2012-12-23	Point Source(s): Tail Gas II vent Pollutant(s): Carbonyl Sulfide - BRQ Carbon Disulfide - BRQ Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: No Information Given Citgo Petroleum reported elevated levels of reduced sulfur compounds in the Tail Gas II vent at the Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex, but no information is given about the cause of the release. In the initial notifications made by phone, Citgo reports that the suspected cause is a leak and that repairs were being made.	CITGO's preliminary review of the operating data from this incident indicated that an RQ for H2S may have been exceeded, but CITGO confirms that no RQs were exceeded in a report submitted 1/9/13.
144515 2012-11-07	Point Source(s): fin fan in the Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Hydrotreater unit Pollutant(s): Water - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing A tubing leak released materials from a fin fan in the Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Hydrotreater unit at the CITGO Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex.	The LDEQ initially reports that a tubing leak in a unit released Hydrogen, Hydrogen Sulfide, and Diesel. However on 11/12/12, the facility reported a false alarm and reported that only water was leaking from the unit in question. The facility shut down the unit and investigated the root cause of the leak. No further action was taken after the false alarm was reported.
142203 2012-08-17	Point Source(s): Bleeder valve K-16 pit Pollutant(s): Heavy Naphtha - 1,269 pounds	Cause of Problem: Under Investigation On August 17, 2012, operators discovered an open 1/2 inch bleeder on a naphtha pump. The bleeder was draining into the K-16 concrete pit. Upon discovery, the K-16 operator closed the open bleeder valves. At this time, the cause of the open valves is unknown. The valves were not believed to have been open when the pump was returned to service, earlier in the same day. This incident is being investigated.	There are no known offsite impacts of the air release. Upon discovery of the an open bleeder, the operator closed the bleeder valve. Aqueous film foaming foam (AFFF) was then applied to the K-16 pit to limit the amount of evaporation to the atmosphere and vacuum trucks were called to remove the material in the pit. The bleeder tubing and valve assembly on this pump has been replaced with a single valve and bull plug.
144156 2012-08-07	Point Source(s): B-11 Flare Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 23,714 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 258 pounds Nitrogen Oxide - BRQ Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure The Coker II unit gas compressor (JC-201) shutdown. Shutdown resulted in unit gas relieving to the B-11 flare. Specific cause of shutdown was under investigation until September 21, 2012.	Half of Coker II unit was shut down and unit feed rate reduced to minimum rate (feed rate reduced by two thirds). In addition, immediate repair was begun on the JC-201 compressor. Compressor JC-201 was repaired and compressor was restarted. Investigation team was assembled to conduct a root cause investigation of shutdown. Release calculations indicate that reportable quantities of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide were exceeded during this flaring event.
141912 2012-08-07	Point Source(s): NA Pollutant(s): Crude Oil - 151 gallons	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure During transfer operations, crude oil was released to the ground. The release was due to the mechanical failure of the crude oil transfer pump.	The transfer operations were shutdown. The soil remediation by vacuum truck and excavation began. The repairs to the crude oil transfer pump have been completed. 3.6 barrels was listed and converted to 151.2 gallons. Accident listed as "NA," but oil released did exceed reportable quantity.
141834 2012-08-06	Point Source(s): Tank 81 Pollutant(s): Gasoline - 84 gallons Hydrocarbon - BRQ	Cause of Problem: No Information Given On August 6, 2012, Citgo Petroleum reported an incident at their Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex. During routines rounds by an operator, Tank 81 (in the oil movement area) was discovered to be leaking gasoline from the top of the tank. According to Lee Liebendorfer with the company's Environmental Group, approximately 2 barrels of gasoline had leaked while putting a line in service. Nitrogen had been trapped in the tank and had escaped the floating roof tank causing the spill. LDEQ verbal report states that nitrogen gas had been trapped in the tank and escaped the floating roof tank causing the spill.	A vacuum truck pulled from the room drain and clean up the spill. The refinery reported the amount of gasoline leaked was below reportable quanity, but the amount that was leaked was 2 barrels of gasoline. The 2 barrels was converted to 84 gallons. Verbal report states that nitrogen gas had been trapped in the tank and had escaped the floating roof tank causing the spill, but refinery does not mention nitrogen gas at all in their written notification. Initial report states the material did go offsite.
141792 2012-08-02	Point Source(s): K-16 pit Pollutant(s): Benzene - 59 pounds Flammable Gas - 2,252 pounds	Cause of Problem: Instrument Failure The cause of the incident was an unforeseen failure of a level indication to a control valve on a water wash vessel. This failure allowed hydrocarbons to enter the oily water sewer. Hydrocarbons from an oily water sewer backed up into the K-16 pit where a portion evaporated into the atmosphere.	Evaporative loss calculations indicate that Benzene and flammable gas reportable quantities were exceeded. The length of time was estimated from the time the water wash level controller valve output opened fully to the time the K16 pump pit was foamed and draining activities initiated. Upon discovery of hydrocarbon in the K-16 pit, a search of the source of hydrocarbon was initiated. When identified as the source of the hydrocarbon to the oily water sewer, the water wash valve was closed. In addition, foam was applied to the K-16 pit to limit the amount of evaporation to the atmosphere and vacuum trucks were called to remove the remaining material in the pit. A block has been added to the TDC water wash level controller to limit the flow rate of material to the oily water sewer.
140013 2012-05-25	Point Source(s): A unit bonnet gasket on a pipeline Pollutant(s): Benzene - 1 gallons	Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket The spill resulted from a leaking pipeline bonnet gasket at "B" Dock, which is in oil movement A unit.	The area of the spill (10 cubic yards) was excavated and placed into a roll-off box that was sent to CWM for lab testing to profile and ship for disposal.
139986 2012-05-24	Point Source(s): Steel tubing in Unit C Pollutant(s): Sour Naphtha - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing A pinhole leak developed in some steel tubing in Unit C.	The leak was secured and plans were made to fix it.
140064 2012-05-21	Point Source(s): Tank #187 (spent caustic) Pollutant(s): Propane - 3,150 pounds Light Hydrocarbons - 376 pounds	Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket There was a faulty seal on the floating roof of Tank #187, causing it to release a mixture of caustic and propanes.	No Information Given
139848 2012-05-21	Point Source(s): Acid Plant Pollutant(s): Nitrogen Oxide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure While neutralizing a tank located in the acid plant, residual nitrosylfuric acid reacted with water and caustic, releasing nitrogen oxides into the ambient air. Nitrosylfuric acid is formed as a result of combustion in the sulfuric acid furnaces and accumulates inside equipment and lines.	The refinery continued to dilute the contents of the tank with water until the reactions stopped. The water knocked down the gases and kept them in the tank. Material left site (NRC report)
138676 2012-04-08	Point Source(s): Oil Movement D-Area Tank 75 Pollutant(s): Oil - 466 gallons	Cause of Problem: Process Upset A release valve used to draw water leaked from an overflow. There was a spill of 11.1 barrels of contaminated water from Oil Movement D-Area Tank 75 because an open release valve overflowed.	Valve was closed. Contaminated soils will be excavated and disposed of. There is no incident report in the file. Offsite was impacted.
137864 2012-03-10	Point Source(s): Sewer of C-Cat unit Pollutant(s): Heavy Gas Oil - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Process Upset The process sewer in the C-Cat Unit of the facility backed up and catseed (heavy gas oil) was discharged to soil.	The problem was contained and clean-up occurred.
137532 2012-02-29	Point Source(s): Exchanger #C-234 Pollutant(s): Amines, Liquid - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Under Investigation Exchanger #C-234 started leaking due to a leak in the central amine unit. Liquid amines were contained to concrete but did go offsite.	The unit was shutdown and the area was to be washed down with water. There is no LDEQ report attached to this file.
136963 2012-02-03	Point Source(s): K-19 line leak Pollutant(s): Flammable Gas - 13,619 pounds Benzene - 1 pounds Toluene - 37 pounds Xylene - 3 pounds Ethylbenzene - 1 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 1 pounds	Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket K-19 line leak. A dresser coupling failed and leaked 1 barrel of finished gasoline. Coupler between piping for a barrel. This is a seal between piping and vessel.	The materials were contained in a concrete area. The line was isolates, foam was added, and the line was repaired. Planning to replace it with a hard line. The RQs for Flammable Gas and VOCs were exceeded.
136840 2012-01-30	Point Source(s): flange on the slop oil line Pollutant(s): Slop Oil - 210 gallons	Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket The flange on the slop oil line for the OMB Slop Transfer System separated releasing slop oil to the ground.	Vacuum trucks were used to clean up the oil. Stated that they would file a follow up report but none was included in the LDEQ report.
136319 2012-01-05	Point Source(s): FLARE: Multiple flares coming from UNI Cracker, Coker 2, Acid Plant, and SRU Pollutant(s): Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Power Failure There was a total plant power failure. The UNI Cracker, Coker 2, Acid Plant, and SRU are all flaring.	The electrical problem was corrected and air monitoring took place.