LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

About the Database

CITGO Petroleum (1250), Lake Charles

Releases in 2013

LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date	Point Source/Release	Cause	Notes
152862 2013-12-15	Point Source(s): Oil movement B reformate line Pollutant(s): Reformate - BRQ Reformate - 0 Benzene - 0	Cause of Problem: No Information Given A release of reformate and benzene to the soil due to a leak on a blend line. The line was 14 diameter and was being excavated to locate the leak location.	The leak was excavated and contaminated soils removed for disposal
152225 2013-11-07	Point Source(s): Furnace Tube Pollutant(s): Benzene - 10 pounds Xylene - 110 pounds Ethylbenzene - BRQ Toluene - BRQ Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure A fire occurred on the A-Reformer combination furnace during startup. Preliminary indication is that a furnace tube, located in the convective section, developed a leak which resulted in a fire.
152168 2013-11-06	Point Source(s): Pipe flange gasket along D-Dock Pollutant(s): Light Cycle Oil - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket A leaking flange caused a light sheen of oil in the Calcasieu River near the A-Deck.	The flange was tightened and the leak stopped. Absorbent mats were used to contain and remediate the unrecoverable sheen. The flange gasket was replaced.
151352 2013-09-21	Point Source(s): Wastewater treatment unit Pollutant(s): Benzene - 33 pounds Xylene - BRQ Ethylbenzene - BRQ Toluene - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Weather This incident involved a Benzene release associated with wastewater diversion CITGO's wastewater treatment plant. This wastewater diversion occurred as a result of a flash flood heavy rain event. CITGO diverted the wastewater into a concrete diked containment area surrounding the wastewater tanks. According to CITGO, the wastewater diversion was necessary to avoid overfilling of stormwater and equalization tanks. One of the WWTP Equalization Tanks (TK 310) had been out of service for inspection/maintenance going into the subject rainfall event.	Wastewater processing rates were maximized and material diverted to diked area was pumped to controlled storage as tankage became available. CITGO will be constructing a fourth wastewater storage tank as well as an additional API separator and aeration tank.
149504 2013-07-02	Point Source(s): Tank 182 Pollutant(s): Propane - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures On July 7 at approximately 9:35 PM, a blowdown of the girbotol unit to Tank 182 caused a release of propane (C3 mix) to the air from Tank 182.	System was secured after discovery of release. No specific information given on remedial actions. A review of operating data from event showed no RQs exceeded.
149329 2013-06-20	Point Source(s): B502 Reactor D-SRU Thermal Oxidizer Pollutant(s): Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ Sulfur Dioxide - 1,818 pounds	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure On June 20, a release of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide into the air was caused by a small leak from the B502 Reactor furnace in the D-Sulfur Recovery Unit was discovered.	The unit was shut down and the leak was repaired. According to CITGO, a review of the operating data from this event showed that no RQs were exceeded, but the start-up of the unit resulted in emissions that exceeded the RQ of 500 pounds for sulfur dioxide. During startup after the incident on June 22, the unit sent tail gas to the thermal oxidizer while heating up the catalyst beds with natural gas. Sulfur dioxide emissions during this time was 1818 pounds. Pursuant to Paragraph 93a of the NSR Consent Decree, stipulated penalties shall not apply to a tail gas incident attributable to the scheduled start-up of an individual train at the SRP located at the Lake Charles Refinery, provided that CITGO demonstrates that it has implemented good air pollution control practices.
149056 2013-06-10	Point Source(s): Tank 701 Pollutant(s): Oil - 28 gallons	Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket On June 10, a leak in a flange off of Tank 701, a feed tank containing light cycle oil or diesel, was discovered.	Flange was tightened and the leak was secured immediately. Clean up of the soil was completed by June 14. One roll off box of dirt was removed.
No LDEQ Number Available 2013-06-06	Point Source(s): LCMC A-Dock Pollutant(s): Diesel Fuel - 0 gallons	Cause of Problem: Human Factors On June 6, a mixture of water and diesel was spilled from the drip pan containment by a contractor to the Calcasieu River during maintanance activities on the CITGO Petroleum Corporation LCMC A-Dock creating a sheen.	The maintenance activity was stopped and SPCC measure were taken to contain the sheen. To prevent reoccurrence, maintenance procedures are under review.
148585 2013-05-09	Point Source(s): No information Given Pollutant(s): Flammable Gas - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures On May 9, 2013, CITGO Petroleum Complex notified LDEQ's Single Point of Contact of a flammable gas (propane) release during maintenance on a pilot gas for a flare. Purge gas was used to keep the flare lit. As a result of high winds, the pilot light went out and approximately 2800 lbs of gas was released to the atmosphere. The amount released was below the reportable quantity; therefore CITGO is regarding this as a courtesy call.
148120 2013-04-15	Point Source(s): NIG Pollutant(s): Flammable Gas - BRQ	Cause of Problem: No Information Given An initial report to the State Police Hazmat Hotline indicated a caller from CITGO Petroleum reported an incident involving a propane leak adjacent tot he truck terminal and that they are in attempts to isolate the leak. A refinery letter later indicates that no reportable quantities were exceeded of flammable gas. No other information is given.
148257 2013-03-24	Point Source(s): CLAW Tank 242 Pollutant(s): Gas Oil - 3,738 gallons	Cause of Problem: Under Investigation On March 24, 2013 89 barrels (3738 gallons) of light gas oil were released to the ground at CLAW Tank 242.	The leaking sample tap was closed. The tank operations were stopped and SPCC measures were taken to control and remediate the spill.
147294 2013-03-13	Point Source(s): Coker I JC-106 Pollutant(s): Sour Gas - BRQ Nitric Oxide - BRQ Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Process Upset On March 13, 203 CITGO Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex had a flaring event involving the Coker 1 JC-106 compressor. The JC-106 compressor shut down requiring flaring of sour gas through the b5 flare. Hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide were mentioned in the LDEQ report.	The refinery letter stated that no reportable quantities had been exceeded, with no additional information on specific substances.
147293 2013-03-12	Point Source(s): Distillate line near B-Reformer unit Pollutant(s): Flammable Gas - 2,667 pounds Benzene - 59 pounds	Cause of Problem: Corrosion On March 12, 2013, a leak was discovered on a distillate pipe, in the pipe rack east of the B-Reformer unit. It is believed that the leak was caused by internal corrosion of the distillate line. The event is currently under investigation.	Equipment which utilize the line were either shutdown or operated in such a way as to minimize the amount of material entering this line. Once minimized, the affected area of pipe was isolated and replaced with new piping. The affected area of piping has been changed out with new piping. In addition, this incident is under investigation.
146376 2013-02-01	Point Source(s): Tank 182 Pollutant(s): Flammable Gas - 12,000 pounds	Cause of Problem: Under Investigation On February 1, 2013, hydrocarbon vapors were discovered near tank 182. Tank 182 is a spent caustic tank which receives a portion of its feed from the Girbotol unit. It was determined that a spent caustic, flow control valve in the Girbotol unit had been manually opened to an extent and time which allowed a propane/ propylene mixture to migrate to tank 182. The propane/ propylene mixture was then released from tank 182. This event is currently under investigation.	Release calculations indicate that reportable quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and flammable gas were exceeded. The spent caustic line was closed preventing any additional release of C3 mix to tank 182. Of the 12,000 lbs of flammable gas released, 11,700 lbs were VOCs.