LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

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Phillips 66 (2538), Lake Charles

Releases in 2013

LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date	Point Source/Release	Cause	Notes
153015 2013-12-25	Point Source(s): caustic scrubber pump Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure Sulfur Dioxide was released from the facility's API/CPI flare due to the unexpected failure of a pump on the caustic scrubber system due to low temperatures.	Refinery personnel reestablished circulation through the scrubber using steam to heat the pump and associated piping. Causal factor could also be Equipment design if the currently used equipment is not able to support the low temperatures that are occurring.
152968 2013-12-20	Point Source(s): 4/5 SRU Pollutant(s): Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure The thermal oxidizer on the unit lost the flame when the when the combustion air blower shut down.
152894 2013-12-17	Point Source(s): Tank Farm Pollutant(s): Kerosene - BRQ	Cause of Problem: No Information Given On December 17, a kerosene spill to the ground was discovered in Area D, Tank Farm. The spill occurred when a sump overflowed and kerosene discharged toward the outfall 003. The release was prevented from reaching the outfall.	Report states that spill was less than one barrel, and no remedial action was taken.
152618 2013-11-28	Point Source(s): #1 and #2 Sulfur Recovery Units Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Weather On November 28, there was a unit upset due to cold weather which caused a loss of the sour water gas flow indication and a release of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Report states that the amount of pollutants released were less than the reportable quantities, and no further action will be taken.
152440 2013-11-16	Point Source(s): T-71001 Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 268 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 8 pounds Ammonia - 2 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 1 pounds	Cause of Problem: Under Investigation On November 16, a fire occurred within the vapor space of the roof on T-71001, the Sour Water Stripper feed tank at Excel Paralubes. Immediately after the incident, process changes were made to minimize the flow to the tank. The process of removing feed from the tank was completed at 3pm on November 17. Deinventory of the tank contents is nearly complete with an estimated 2 feet of material left in the tank. The process of diluting and removing the remaining material is expected to be completed throughout the next week. Once the tank is completely emptied, a damage assessment will be completed for the tank and any associated equipment. The cause of the incident is under investigation.	The fire was extinguished quickly and no offsite impact occurred. Based on engineering calculations, it is estimated that the combustion emissions of sulfur dioxide and volatile organic carbons from the first did not exceed the respective reportable quantities.
151828 2013-10-23	Point Source(s): Abandoned P66 pipeline Pollutant(s): Crude Oil - 150 gallons	Cause of Problem: Corrosion On October 10, a leak was discovered on an abandoned P66 pipeline, which was actually abandoned in the 1970s. It was determined that the leak was caused by external corrosion.	Leak was identified on abandoned 20" Phillips 66 pipeline that ran in the same ROW area at 04:30 on 10/25/2013. Clamp was installed on that pipe to stop leak at 10:00 the same day. All contaminated soil has been excavated and stored in a covered roll-off box. Samples were taken and analyzed for TPH 1005 & 1006, BTEX, GRO, and DRO. A vacuum truck was used to pump out the abandoned pipeline in order to expose the other capped end of the abandoned pipeline, and then secured both ends. The excavations will be backfilled with clean imported fill. Impacted soils will be properly disposed. To prevent recurrence, the pipeline was completely purged and capped.
151000-151047 2013-09-13	Point Source(s): bottom sediments Pollutant(s): Creosote (Coal Tar) - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Other - See text Starting on September 13, a presence of a slight sheen near the Phillips 66 docks located on the Calcasieu river was reported. Another sheen was reported on September 16. The sheen on the water near the docks was generated by unsettled creosole salts releasing from the bottom of the water body after being disturbed. There are two reports made by Phillips 66 to LDEQ, but detail the same incident. The two reports have been merged into one document.	A response contractor was called for any remediation.
150505 2013-08-20	Point Source(s): Roll off box Pollutant(s): Sludge - 240 pounds	Cause of Problem: No Information Given Approximately 240 pounds of sludge spilled from a roll-off box while being staged in the North Landfarm area. The sludge was characterized as a hazardous waste. Spill response personnel was contacted for clean up.	ES&H contacted for clean up. Environmental personnel have discussed requirements for transporting material to land farm area with transportation contractor.
No LDEQ Number Available 2013-07-20	Point Source(s): Area D Docks Pollutant(s): Slurry - 0 gallons	Cause of Problem: No Information Given Dock 1 personnel were unloading slurry to Tk-67. The Docks Loader noticed the dock catch pans under the loading arm were full of slurry material and one had overflowed. The transfer was stopped. Operations is working to determine how the slurry material migrated backward up the catch pan drain lines to the pans.	The flow to the sump was stopped. Absorbent pads were placed around the pans. Valves were pressure tested to 60psi with nitrogen. The barge discharge pressure is 100psi. When the level in the pan started to build, operators shut down unloading and cycled valves. Cycling the valves reduced the volume in the containment area. Offsite impact is some slurry splashed over the Dock containment boom and into the Calcasieu river.
149447 2013-07-01	Point Source(s): FCC Regenerator RLP0057 Pollutant(s): Hydrogen Cyanide - 641 pounds	Cause of Problem: Other - See text Due to a change in estimating methodology based on a proactive analysis of stack test data from other facilities, the Phillips 66 Lake Charles Refinery believes that the HCN emissions from our refinery are above the reportable quantity of 10 lbs/day. The continuous release being reported is not the result of a malfunction or any change in operations but rather is due to a change in estimating methodology. These emissions occur during normal operations and, in our best professional judgement; these emissions are stable in quantity and rate during normal operations.	Phillips 66 Lake Charles are evaluating applicable requirements to determine if these HCN emissions meet the federally-permitted release exemption.
148896 2013-05-28	Point Source(s): Common line between T-340 and T-342 Pollutant(s): Diesel Fuel - 84 gallons	Cause of Problem: Corrosion Refinery personnel discovered a leak in piping connected to Tank-340 in the Area D Tank Farm which contained finished diesel. Internal corrosion led to a hole in the piping.	After the discovery, the leak was depressured, isolated, and clamped. Remediation was done immediately. Diesel was recovered and contaminate soil was removed. The leaking section of pipe was blinded and then removed.
148023 2013-04-08	Point Source(s): Tank-77 Pollutant(s): Gasoline - 5,800 pounds Benzene - 44 pounds Xylene - 285 pounds	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure A plug from a previous repair on the roof of Tank-77 failed. The tank was full; the gasoline pool on the roof grew until the roof was landed on 4/9/13, and estimated to be 14 ft. in diameter at that time.	Notified SPOC on 4/10/13. The gasoline was drained off and 500 lbs were recovered; an estimated 5800 lbs evaporated between 4/8/13-4/9/13. Based on the composition, an estimated 44 lbs of benzene and 285 lbs of xylene evaporated. Tank-77 taken out of service to repair roof. Engineering calculations estimate 5,800 lbs of VOCs, 44 lbs of Benzene, and 285 lbs of Xylene gases were released, which exceeds the reportable quantity for these compounds.
147916 2013-04-08	Point Source(s): NIG Pollutant(s): Sheen of Unknow Origin - BRQ	Cause of Problem: No Information Given Sheen near the Phillips 66 dock on the Calcasieu River, discovered by employees, drifting towards the Area D docks from the Mike Hooks facility.	Phillips 66 made this regulatory notification as a 3rd party courtesy only notification. The spill response contractor was contacted for clean up. No additional information was provided.
147429 2013-03-20	Point Source(s): Pollutant(s): Sheen - 0	Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures Sheen observed in Bayou Verdine. Stated that work is being conducted under the guidance of Bayou Verdine Removal Action Consent Decree; this was an anticipated sheen that is generated from the debris removal operations.	The sheen was contained and cleaned up by on-site personnel. SPOC states that sheen was less than 100 square feet with unknown color.
No LDEQ Number Available 2013-03-16	Point Source(s): truck Pollutant(s): Hydraulic Oil - 10 pounds	Cause of Problem: Other - See text Leaking hose on a truck owned by Sentinel Transportation released hydraulic fluid to the concrete/ground along a section of the Old Spanish Trail roadway. Spill occurred as truck was entering the Phillips 66, Lake Charles Refinery.	The spill was immediately cleaned up by spill response personnel.
146063 2013-01-16	Point Source(s): external floating roof of Tank-7 tank-7 roof drain Pollutant(s): Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 7,752 pounds Benzene - 1 pounds Gas Mixture - 63 gallons	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure External floating roof check valve failed, slowing tank contents on top of the roof. The incident resulted from a mechanical failure of a check valve. Tank material (gasoline/oil/water mix) got on top of floating roof allowing mixture to spill to ground via roof drain. Estimated 2bbls of oil to ground into secondary containment.	s13-22018 due to a damaged floating roof, gasoline released to containment. A notification was made regarding a release from the external floating roof of Tank-7 located in Area D Tank Farm. An estimated 2 barrels of a gasoline, oil, and water mixture was spilled to the ground through the roof drain within secondary containment. Evaporative losses from spill contained benzene and potentially H2S. Immediate area monitoring non-detect for H2S but detected for benzene. ESH personnel remediated the spill. Blocked roof drain to limit mixture spilling to ground. Drained material from roof but due to slow drain and rain, pump to be put roof top and pump material off floating roof. An estimated 7752 lbs of volatile organic carbons were released to the air exceeding the reportable quantity for VOCs. Fenceline monitoring was conducted for VOCs and Benzene and no offsite impact occurred. Material was cleaned up without any offsite impacts. Investigation will provide more specific cause(s) and any appropriate actions to prevent reoccurrence.
145717 2013-01-05	Point Source(s): lube oil containment Pollutant(s): Lubricating Oil - 10 gallons	Cause of Problem: Human Factors This was an overfill of lube oil caused by operator error on barge. 10 gallons of lube oil was spilled by barge personnel during the loading process. They claim that the barge was not being operated by Phillips 66 personnel.	In the initial report, they state that Conoco Phillips is not the responsible party and that this is 3rd party information. Lube oil spilled into Clooney Loop just off Calcasieu River/Ship Channel and it appeared that it had slight overfill of lube oil barge. The area was boomed off and ES&H began clean-up of area. Oil was released to the water due to overfill of lube oil containment. On January 5, 2013, the Phillips 66 Refinery near Lake Charles experienced a release of approximately 10 gallons of lube oil from a dock area near the Calcasieu River Ship Channel. ES&H was the cleanup contractor and the sheen was boomed off and evacuated from the water. A courtesy notification was sent to the SWRO on 01/09/13. The spill was satisfactorily cleaned up by the contractor. No further action is required. Phillips 66 made this regulatory notification as a 3rd party courtesy only notification.