| Home | Search | Emissions | Pollutants | About the Database |
Marathon Ashland Petroleum (3165), Garyville
Releases in 2013
| LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date |
Point Source/Release | Cause | Notes |
| 152677 2013-12-04 | Point Source(s): Pipe leak at a pump in Unit 10 Crude unit Pollutant(s):Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 711 pounds Benzene - 1 pounds Xylene - 7 pounds Compressed Flammable Gas - 70 pounds Flammables - 641 pounds | Cause of Problem: Corrosion On December 4 at approximately 8:00 hours, there was a pinhole leak in 2 inch insulated piping. Corrosion caused the pinhole. Report states that none of the emitted pollutants are above reportable quantity levels. However, the RQ level for Flammable Liquids was exceeded during this event. | The unit was shut down to repair the leak as the piping could not be isolated. This piping will be routinely inspected and an upstream block valve was added to enable the isolation of this line. The material released was crude oil. It was entirely contained within the unit and routed to the Oily Water Sewer system. |
| 152421 2013-11-18 | Point Source(s): Unit 10 Naphtha Splitter Pollutant(s):Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 127 pounds Benzene - 2 pounds Compressed Flammable Gas - 39 pounds Compressed Flammable Liquid - 88 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure On November 18 during startup of the Naptha Splitter, a leak was found in the vessel shell. As soon as the leak was discovered, the vessel was deinventoried and all liquid feeds were blocked in. The source of the leak was from a hole the side of a pencil, the cause of which is under investigation. | As soon as the leak was discovered, the vessel was deinventoried and all liquid feeds were blocked in. An incident investigation will determine the cause and recommendations to prevent future occurrences will be made. |
| 152399 2013-11-14 | Point Source(s): Heater on Unit 43 Fuel Gas Mix Drum Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 1,699 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Human Factors Unit 19 received a slug of rich amine, during the unit 15 start-up, causing the amine regenerator to slump and was unable to be removed from the stream. The amine, still rich with Hydrogen Sulfide, was then sent to the Fuel Gas Absorber tower and was unable to remove Hyrdogen Sulfide from the fuel gas. The fuel gas was then sent to the Fuel Gas Mixed Drum, which was supplying fuel gas to 22 sources. As a result, several heaters and boilers experienced an increase in Sulfur Dioxide above the maximum allowable permitted lbs/hr rate. A TAPROOT investigation concluded that the accident was caused by Human Performance (the 519 operator thought the board operator meant to close the spillback instead of the lean internal circulation) and Equipment Difficulty (steam trap system malfunctioned due to new Fuel Gas Project tie in). LDEQ conducted an Air Quality Compliance Incident Investigation Report in response to this accident. | See Page 3 for very detailed list of point sources with names, unit numbers etc. The 60-day report recommends that the refinery revise the Unit 19 Start up procedure with more detailing events on when to use the internal lean circulation line while starting up Unit 15 with the appropriate line terminology, label lines accordingly, and retrain operators with the revisions. This report recommends additionally that the refinery evaluate the design of the existing steam tracing for the analyzer, and recommend proper mitigation. No report does not provide information of the the refinery's implementation of these recommendations. LDEQ Enforcement Division found that MPC failed to operate the lean amine circulation line in the closed position for the proper working order of the Lean Regenerator to control emissions by the facility. Facility will revise Unit start up procedures with operators. |
| 152298 2013-11-12 | Point Source(s): None Reported Pollutant(s): | Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures During Unit 22 startup activities, operations personnel utilized sour fuel gas to sweep nitrogen from the unit to flare. It was determined the emissions were related to unit startup, therefore, no unpermitted release resulted from this event. | Unit startup continued per procedure. Where asked 'which specific pollutants were emitted and how much of each compound was released' report states 'No compounds were released above permitted emission limits' but does not include specific pollutants released. Accident classified under the start-up exemption. |
| 152171 2013-11-06 | Point Source(s): North Ground Flare, Heaters on Unit 243, Unit 43, and Unit 59 North Ground Flare Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 15,962 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 5 pounds NOx - 6 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 32 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 52 pounds Methane - 20 pounds Ethane - 6 pounds Ethylene - 0 pounds Propane - 11 pounds Propylene - 2 pounds n-Butane - 12 pounds Isobutane - 5 pounds 1-Butene - 1 pounds Isobutylene - 0 pounds T-butene2 - 0 pounds Pentane - 19 pounds Carbon Dioxide - 1 pounds Nitrogen - 3 pounds Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs) - 2 pounds | Cause of Problem: Human Factors According to the the 60-day report, the Triconix safety control system inadvertently tripped the Unit 247 Amine Unit Lean Amine Pumps. The pump shutdown caused lean amine to stop circulating to the Fuel Gas Treaters which caused high H2S-laden fuel gas to be sent to the Unit 243 Fuel Gas Drum. In addition, untreated fuel gas was sent to the Unit 43 Fuel Gas Mix Drum. The Fuel Fuel Gas Mix Drums were supplying fuel ga to 26 different process heaters and boilers with the refinery during the incident. As a result, each heater and boiler experienced an increase in SO2 emissions above the maximum allowable permitted lbs/hr rate. In addition, the Unit 247 Flash Drum overfilled into the vapor line to the Unit 210 Compressor Suction Drum, thus causing the compressor to temporarily shut down which resulted in venting to the North Ground Flare. | The refinery Air Monitoring Team was dispatched inside and outside the refinery fenceline. All SO2 and H2S readings were non-detect except for one 4ppm SO2 reading on Marathon Avenue in the refinery. No elevated ambient air monitoring readings from MPCs four ambient air monitoring stations were detected during the event. Operations re-started the Unit 247 lean amine pumps and re-established amine circulation to the Amine Treaters. This recirculation brought the H2S amounts in the fuel down to acceptable levels. The reportable quantity for sulfur dioxide was exceeded during the event. In addition, the permitted SO2 and the NSPS Subpart J/Ja SO2 limit for the emission sources was exceeded for multiple hours. The opacity limits for the above listed heaters and boilers were exceeded. Report was unable to be uploaded. Recommendations made for the Root cause were:1) Human Performance- Revise the Unit 19 Start up procedure with more detailing events on when to the internal lean circulation line while starting up Unit 25 with the appropriate line terminology, label lines accordingly, and retrain operators with the revision. 2) Equitment Difficulty- Evaluate the design of the existing steam tracing for the analyzer, and recommend proper mitigation. |
| 151755 2013-10-21 | Point Source(s): Pollutant(s):Benzene - BRQ Toluene - BRQ Ethylbenzene - BRQ Xylene - BRQ 2-methylnaphthalene - BRQ Anthracene - BRQ Fluoranthene - BRQ Napthalene - BRQ Phenanthrene - BRQ Hydrocarbon - BRQ | Cause of Problem: No Information Given During an excavation in the refinery's crude unit on October 21 at 16:44 hours, hydrocarbon impacted soil was discovered adjacent to an underground pump out line. The line was previously used to deinventory the unit for maintenance activities but was decommissioned prior to 2000. Samples were taken and analyzed for various pollutants. Amounts of several hydrocarbons (2-Methylnapthalene, Napthalene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Dibenz(a,h)anthracene and Aromatics>C10-C12) in at least one of the samples exceeded standards put in place Louisiana Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program. | A work plan is currently being developed to determine the area of contamination. Report does not indicate if additional excavation and soil disposal is planned. |
| 151641 2013-10-15 | Point Source(s): Pinholeleak on diesel fuel line of emergency fire water pump Pollutant(s):Diesel Fuel - 75 gallons | Cause of Problem: Corrosion An oil sheen was noticed at Dock #2. The source was found to be a pinhole leak in a 3/4" fuel line that developed as a result of corrosion. Besides the sheen, there was no other reported off-site impact. The emission point was a pinhole leak on the diesel fuel line of an emergency fire water pump at Dock #2. | Boom was deployed to prevent the diesel from floating downriver. An incident investigation was initiated on 10/15/13 and is currently in progress. No follow up has been posted to EDMS database as of 3/12/2014. |
| 151455 2013-10-08 | Point Source(s): FCCU Scrubber Vent (EQT#165, EIQ# 86-74) Pollutant(s):Hydrogen Cyanide - 158,045 pounds | Cause of Problem: Other - See text There was no upset. The unit is operating as designed. Marathon performed the original stack test in response to learning of the possibility of the existence of HCN from a stack test performed at the Robinson, IL refinery. Robinson performed the stack test per the ICR issued by the U.S. EPA in March 2011. An incorrect stack diameter of 91.75 inches was use to calculate the mass emission rate. The correct stack diameter is 156 inches. Using the lower stack diameter caused the emission rate to be under reported in the 2012 report. 01/27/12- Caller reports a continuous release of hydrogen cyanide through the fluidized catalitic cracking unit. Upper bound reported as 150 lbs/day. http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/reports/rwservlet?standard_web+inc_seq=1001479 10/08/13- Caller states that based on updated stack test, hydrogen cyanide is being released over the permit limit (198 lbs/day). It is from fluidize catalytic cracking unit and it is continuous. The facility is permitted to release 235 lbs/day. Upper bound of release is 433 lbs/day. http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/reports/rwservlet?standard_web+inc_seq=1062414 | The emissions were found during a stack test of the FCU and the Title V operating Permit will be modified to include these emissions. There were no remedial actions taken. A permit application is being prepared for submittal to the LDEQ. Additional testing will be performed November 2013 to verify emissions. Report states that modeling has been performed to determine teh ambient air concentrations and ensure that they are less than the Louisiana Toxic Air Program Ambient Air Standards for Hydrogen Cyanide. |
| 151454 2013-10-08 | Point Source(s): Barge Loading of Coke (EQT#030, EIQ#8-00) Pollutant(s):Coke - 406 pounds | Cause of Problem: No Information Given During the loading of the barge, the coke pile became too large and overflowed the lip of the barge in to the Mississippi River. | Boom was deployed to prevent the coke from floating downriver. Attempts to recover the petroleum coke were made using a vacuum truck and skimmers. An incident investigation was initiated on 10/08/13 and is currently in progress. There is no reportable quantities for petroleum coke, but the spill violated state environmental regulatory code LAC 33:111.1305. |
| 151160 2013-09-20 | Point Source(s): flange bolts on HGO flush line Pollutant(s):Heavy Gas Oil - 42 gallons | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket Flange bolts on the HGO flush line to the 01 charge pump were loosened upstream of the isolation causing HGO to be released. | The sift emergency response team (SERT) was activated as a precaution to the HGO flashing. The flange bolts to the pump were tightened and the leak isolated. |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2013-09-13 | Point Source(s): Pollutant(s):Crude Oil - 1 gallons | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure Crude oil seeped through the deck plugs of the pump containment of Bouchard Transportation barge B235 which filled the pump containment area spilling approximately 1/2 gallon of product into the Mississippi River. | Product was contained on the barge and boom was deployed in the Mississippi River. |
| 150862 2013-09-07 | Point Source(s): Unit 222 Liquid feed pump (222-1501-02) Pollutant(s):Compressed Flammable Gas - 99 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 2 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 97 pounds | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing The emission point involved was a pinhole leak on the pump casing of 222-1501-02. Sour LPG leaked to the atmosphere causing the unit fixed monitor 222-AI-0019 to go in and out of alarm. Operators donned SCBA's to investigate and discovered a leak in the weld for the seal flush piping at the pump casing of 222-1501-02. The 222-1505-02 Liguid Feed Pump was out of service, leaving no spare. Emergency Shutdown of Unit 222 Sats Gas Plant (SGP) was activated. | Unit 222 Sats Gas Plant was shutdown when the emergency shutdown EIV-1 was closed from a remote location by the Shift Emergency Response Team (SERT). The pump was kept on until all liquid could be diverted to Unit 222 (Sats Gas Plant). The pump was then isolated for maintenance. Once the investigation is complete, recommendations will be implemented. |
| 150563 2013-08-23 | Point Source(s): Seal on Crude Tank 500-1 Pollutant(s):Crude Oil - 2,568 pounds | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket The leak occurred on Storage Tank 500-1, however the leaking component was an agitator which is permitted with Tank Farm- Unit 63 Fugitives. The Unit 63 Fugitives EIQ number is Unit 63 Fug (EQT No. FUG 084). Approximately 9.05 barrels (2568 pounds) of crude oil was released onto the ground within the tank dike. Also Human Performance Difficulty (procedures not used and training needs improvement), Product Control did not turn off mixer when spotted the leak. | The shift supervisor dispatched a vacuum truck to the site to recover the oil that had leaked onto the ground. In addition, a large catch basin was placed under the leaking mixer seal so the crude oil could be collected as it was leaking while the tank was being emptied. Recommendations: - Provide training on the message responses and operating procedures. - Develop a Lessons Learned to address Process Safety recognition failure. Evaluate changing the 12 feet message to and actual alarm on 63-LI-5001. |
| 149911 2013-07-24 | Point Source(s): Unit 259 North Ground Flare Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 613 pounds | Cause of Problem: Process Upset On July 24, the Unit 222 Debutanizer Accumulator level reached 100%. This condition caused the pressure controller to open sending liquid overhead to the Unit 210 Compressor Suction Drum. The high level in the Compressor Suction Drum caused a shutdown of the Crude Overhead Compressors and a release to the North Ground Flare. | Liquid was drained from the Unit 210 Compressor Suction Drum. The unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor was restarted. To prevent recurrence of a liquid overfill from putting liquid into the Low Pressure Recovery Header (LPRH) and tripping the U210 compressors, it is recommended to: institute a high level override on 222PC0316-02 that will close 222PC0316-02 in the event of a high level in the Debutanizer Accumulator; institute a high level trip on U214 Feed Surge Drum pressure controller, U214 LP Stripper Overhead Receiver, U215 Coker Feed Surge Drum, U215 Feed Surge Drum, U215 Fractionator Overhead Receiver, and U215 Naphtha Splitter Overhead Receiver that will close the vent to the LPRH in the event of a high level in the respective vessel. To prevent recurrence of tripping the compressors due to overwhelming the Suction Drum pumps, it is recommended to: evaluate all sources to the LPRH that do not currently have a control valve, and evaluate all sources to the Eocene header to determine if additional safeguard are required to prevent liquid carryover. Also, it is recommended to determine what the normal operating pressure and low alarm set point should be to insure the Interstage KO Drum Pumps can successfully pump any material that condenses in the KO drum, update the alarm database with information regarding the importance of KO drum pressure on operation of the KO Drum pumps, and evaluate the performance of the U210 Interstage KO Drum Pressure during INC49711 to determine if tuning parameters can be changed or controls modified to allow the pressure set point on the drum to be reached quickly after startup of the U210 compressors. An additional followup on 10/23/13 corrected the initial followup report's emissions data regarding greenhouse gas releases. |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2013-07-24 | Point Source(s): Unit 250 North Ground Flare Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 613 pounds Ethane - 6 pounds Ethylene - 0 pounds Propane - 58 pounds n-Butane - 123 pounds Isobutane - 66 pounds 1-Butene - 0 pounds Pentene Plus - 101 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 7 pounds NOx - 25 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 137 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 350 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 3 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 3 pounds Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs) - 0 pounds Carbon Dioxide - 371 pounds Methane - 2 pounds Nitrous Oxide - 0 pounds Propylene - 0 pounds | Cause of Problem: Process Upset On July 24, 2013, the Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor shut down at 16:11 hours and was restarted at 16:26 hours. A second shutdown occurred at 16:48 hours and was restarted at 17:02 hours. A third shutdown occurred at 17:25 hours and was re-started at 17:56 hours. The duration of Unit 210 venting to the North Ground Flare was 60 minutes. Approximately 613 pounds of sulfur dioxide were released (over the reportable quantity of 500 pounds). | Liquid was drained from the Unit 210 Compressor Suction Drum. The Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor was re-started. A very similar event occurred on March 25, 2013 with emissions from the same point source. This report retrieved from EDMS was labeled with the LDEQ number corresponding to the March 25, 2013 incident (LDEQ # 147603). The March 25th event also involved multiple shutdowns of the Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor, and the report labeled that event as preventable. It is interesting to note that a similar event labeled preventable occurred less than four months later. |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2013-07-21 | Point Source(s): Crude Unit Overhead Accumulator Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 33 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 97 pounds NOx - 18 pounds Ethane - 1 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 2 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 2 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 247 pounds | Cause of Problem: Process Upset On July 21, 2013, an overpressure condition in the Crude Unit Overhead Accumulator due to the shutdown of the Sats Gas Unit. | An initial report for this incident, which included details on what happened and what pollutants were emitted in what quantities, was submitted to LDEQ on July 26, 2013. This follow-up report corrects emissions data submitted by Marathon which originally included greenhouse gas emissions in the incident calculations. |
| 149704 2013-07-15 | Point Source(s): Unit 259 North Ground Flare Pollutant(s):Nitrogen Oxide - 10 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 334 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 100 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 56 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 1 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 1 pounds Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs) - 0 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure ON July 15, 2013, an upset in Crude Unit 210 caused the Crude Compressor Suction Drum to vent to the North Ground Flare for approximately one minute. The first incident was due to a crude oil switch causing the Unit 22 Sats Gas Plant Compressor to shutdown on high level. The second incident was due to an upset in the Unit 210 Crude Unit that cause the Unit 210 Crude Compressor Suction Drum to vent to the North Ground Flare. | Operating personnel made operating changes to the unit to bring it out of upset conditions. October 23, 2013 additional follow-up report corrects emissions data submitted by MPC. MPC erroneously included greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the incident calculation. GHGs are not permitted pollutant and are not required to be evaluated for reportable quantities. |
| 149651 2013-07-15 | Point Source(s): Unit 259 North Ground Flare Pollutant(s):Hydrogen Sulfide - 4 pounds Nitrogen Oxide - 10 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 334 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 100 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 1 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 1 pounds Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs) - 0 pounds | Cause of Problem: Process Upset On July 15, 2013, due to a crude oil switch, a high level occurred in the Unit 222 Sats Gas Plant (SGP) Compressor Suction Drum which caused the Sats Gas PLant Compressor to temporarily shutdown. This resulted in some flaring of the overhead gas to the North Ground Flare for about 55 minutes. The first incident began at 09:05 hours on July 15, 2013, and was secured by 10:00 hours. The second incident began at 19:32 hours on July 15, 2013, and was secured by 19:33 hours. | For Incident 1, the level in the Sats Gas Plant Compressor Suction Drum was lowered and the Sats Gas Plant Compressor was re-started. For Incident 2, operating personnel made operating changes to the unit to bring it out of upset conditions. These incidents will be investigated and an action plan to prevent recurrence will be generated. Follow up report submitted 10/23/13 states that original report included Greenhouse Gas emissions, however these emissions are not required to be evaluated for reportable quantity because they are not permitted pollutants. The report updates the calculations without greenhouse gases included. |
| 149432 2013-06-29 | Point Source(s): leak from process line in U263 piperack Pollutant(s):Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 839 pounds Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs) - 2 pounds Compressed Flammable Gas - 840 pounds Methane - 0 pounds Ethane - 0 pounds Propane - 0 pounds n-Butane - 0 pounds Isobutane - 0 pounds Pentane - 1 pounds n-Pentane - 0 pounds Isopentane - 0 pounds Pentene Plus - 3 pounds Cyclohexane - 1 pounds n-Hexane - 2 pounds Benzene - 0 pounds Toluene - 0 pounds Xylene - 0 pounds Hydrogen - 0 pounds | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing On June 29, a pinhole leak was discovered in the LPG feedline from U212 to U222. | The line was purged with nitrogen and isolated for repairs. The Shift Emergency Response Team was activated and fire monitors were put on the leak to suppress any vapors. Reduced the U212 charge rate to minimize the leak. The line was isolated at battery limits in U222 and U212 to stop the leak. Once the investigation is complete, recommendations will be implemented. |
| 149428 2013-06-29 | Point Source(s): flange on process line in U212 Platformer Unit Pollutant(s):Compressed Flammable Gas - 6 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 9 pounds Benzene - 0 pounds Xylene - 0 pounds Compressed Flammable Liquid - 3 pounds | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket On June 29, a small leak and hydrogen fire was observed on the 48" flange on the process piping going from Cell 2 of the Unit 212 Charge Heater to Reactor #2. The leak was hair line sized in width and no larger than 1" around the circumference of the flange. | Steam was applied to the flange to extinguish the flame and the flange was hot bolted to secure the leak. Once investigation is complete, recommendations will be implemented. There were no known offsite impacts. |
| 149346 2013-06-24 | Point Source(s): all heaters and boilers that are supplied fuel gas from the Unit 43 Fuel Gas Mix Drum Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 37,913 pounds | Cause of Problem: Process Upset The Unit 47 Amine Unit tripped twice on June 24. The trips caused an increase in hydrogen sulfide going to the Unit 43 Fuel Gas Mix Drum which would have normally been removed by the Amine Unit. The Fuel Gas Mix Drum supplies fuel gas to 28 different process heaters within the refinery. As a result, each heater experienced an increase in sulfur dioxide emissions above the maximum allowable permitted lbs/hr rate. The two ambient air monitoring stations located downwind of the incident did not detect a significant increase in sulfur dioxide emissions. | Operations re-established amine system levels, restarted the Unit 47 lean amine pump and re-established amine circulation to the Amine Treaters. The U-5 LPG Treater amine circulation rate was restricted at a lower flow rate due to foaming/emulsion as evidenced prior to shutdown. The Unit 47 Amine Unit was brought back on-line removing hydrogen sulfide from the fuel gas. Recommendations: - Tech Service to be present while inspecting the Sponge Oil Absorber during the October 2013 Shutdown. - Develop temporary operating guidelines to address tower operation at reduced gas rates. - Issue a lesson learned on this incident to D5, D7, & D8 operators & supervisors. - Add a low level override controller on the U-19/47/221/232/247 amine strippers to reduce the amine flow to their respective treaters. - Add a low level override controller on the U-32 mine stripper flow to the respective treaters (4). - Modify the low level override controller on the U-21 amine stripper flow to the respective treaters (3) to include #3 TGTU. |
| 149069 2013-06-11 | Point Source(s): Heat Exchanger 215-1304-02 Pollutant(s):Compressed Flammable Gas - 74 pounds Compressed Flammable Liquid - 48 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 7 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 71 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure On June 11, 2013, a small vapor leak developed on Heat Exchanger 215-1304-02. There were no offsite impacts. | The area was cordoned-off. The exchanger head was hot bolted to secure the leak. No specific action is recommended for this incident. |
| 148974 2013-05-31 | Point Source(s): North Stick Flare (EQT 162/EIQ 83-74) Pollutant(s):Propylene - 1 pounds Propane - 0 pounds NOx - 0 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 0 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 1 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 0 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 0 pounds Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs) - 1 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure On May 31, 2013, while discharging a propylene tank truck, the operator noticed that the propylene unloading drum was leaking to the North Stick Flare. There were no known offsite impacts. | Shutdown the unloading of the tank truck and blocked in the propylene drum to prevent any additional product into the drum. To reduce pressure, the liquid in the drum was pumped down from 50% to 20% and routed to the spheres. Both the truck and rail racks were shutdown. The bypass valve will be replaced An additional followup on 10/23/13 corrected the initial followup report's emissions data regarding greenhouse gas releases. |
| 148876 2013-05-22 | Point Source(s): U212 Platformer unit Pollutant(s):Methane - 0 pounds Ethane - 0 pounds Propane - 0 pounds n-Butane - 0 pounds Isobutane - 0 pounds Pentane - 0 pounds n-Pentane - 0 pounds Pentene Plus - 0 pounds Cyclohexane - 0 pounds n-Hexane - 0 pounds Benzene - 0 pounds Toluene - 0 pounds Xylene - 0 pounds Hydrogen - 0 pounds NOx - 0 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 0 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 1 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 0 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 0 pounds Carbon Dioxide - 1 pounds | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket On May 22, a small leak and hydrogen fire was observed on the 48" flange on the process piping going from cell 1 of the Unit 212 Charge Heater to Reactor #1. The leak was pinhole sized in width and no larger than 1" around the circumference of the flange. The emission point involved was a flange on a process line in the U212 Platformer unit. | Steam was applied to the flange to extinguish the flame and the flange was hot bolted to secure the leak. Once the investigation is complete, recommendations will be implemented. An additional followup on 10/23/13 corrected the initial followup report's emissions data regarding greenhouse gas releases. |
| 148807 2013-05-19 | Point Source(s): Flow indicator 15FI0214 Pollutant(s):Methane - 829 pounds Ethane - 798 pounds Propane - 1,064 pounds n-Butane - 382 pounds Isobutane - 413 pounds n-Pentane - 105 pounds Pentene Plus - 557 pounds Hydrogen - 1,848 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 29 pounds Isopentane - 219 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Design On May 19, the impulse lines on flow indicator 15FI0214 pulled away from the root valve. Blow taps on the valve blew off and released make-up hydrogen to the atmosphere. The causal factors leading to the failure of the tubing was Equipment Difficulty/Design Specs/Problem Not Anticipated. There were issues with the metallurgy of the tubing and the elevation of the transmitter in relation to the orifice taps. | Water from the fire monitors was sprayed on the release to help disperse the gas and prevent ignition. The board operator began depressurizing the unit through the dump valve in preparation for emergency shutdown. The line was isolated from the rest of the process unit to prevent further release of make-up hydrogen. To prevent recurrence, the following recommendations were made: 1) relocate the transmitter above the orifice taps on 15FE0214, and 2) replace stainless steel components of 15FT0214, including the impulse tubing with Hastelloy to prevent chloride-induced stress corrosion cracking. Also to tag the instrument tubing to indicate that the material is Hastelloy. Approximately 6.214 pounds of compressed flammable gas and 28 pounds of hydrogen sulfide were released. |
| 148646 2013-05-12 | Point Source(s): Marine Vapor Combustor Hydroseal Pot Pollutant(s):Diesel Fuel - 1,079 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Design The release occurred when the suction line from the Marine Vapor Combustor Hydroseal Pot disconnected from the hose fitting causing spill of diesel fuel to the ground. Approximately 3.71 barrels of diesel fuel was released onto the ground. | The suction line was reattached and secured by the operator as soon as the spill was discovered. An incident investigation was conducted to determine the cause or causes of the incident. Per the investigation, the root cause was identified as Design/Understanding need Improvement. The following recommendations will be implemented: 1) Coach/Train operators on the requirements of tying down cam lock fittings. 2) Evaluate installing a second hydroseal pump or a larger pump to maintain hydroseal drum level. 3) Train dock operators on header flushing procedure changes to prevent hydrocarbon from accessing the vapor system. 4) Evaluate installing a check valve between the dock drain piping and the separator 5) Coach/Counsel supervisors on the expectations of spill reporting. All of the recommendations are to be completed by July 18, 2013. |
| 148554 2013-05-06 | Point Source(s): Tank Farm, Tank 300-5 pump, FUG-0084 (Unit 63 Fugitives) Pollutant(s):Asphalt - 2,982 gallons | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing Incident at the refinery's tank farm which resulted in a spill of asphalt. On May 6, the asphalt pump 63-1539-02 was started to put Tank 300-5 on tank circulation. An hour and a half later, the operator noticed asphalt spraying from a cracked 3/4" relief valve inlet line. The definition of oil provided in LAC 33:1.3905 states that an oil is "any of numerous smooth, greasy, combustible hydrocarbons that are liquid or at least liquefiable on warming, are soluble in ether but not in water, including but not limited to crude oil, petroleum, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuge, and oil mixed with wastes other than dredge spoil." Asphalt is not a combustible liquid and requires high temperatures to become a liquid; therefore, asphalt does not meet this definition of an oil. Therefore no reportable quantities were exceeded during this event. | Immediate remedial action was to shut down the asphalt pump as soon as the spill was discovered. Once investigation is complete, recommendations to prevent recurrence will be implemented. No reportable quantities were exceeded because asphalt does not meet any of the conditions to be defined as an oil. The definition of oil provided in LAC 33:I:3905 states that an oil is "any of numerous smooth, greasy, combustible hydrocarbons that are liquid or at least liquefiable on warming, are soluble in ether but not in water, including but not limited to crude oil, petroleum, fuel oil, sludge, oil refuse, and oil mixed with wastes other than dredge soil." Asphalt is not a combustible liquid and requires high temperatures to become a liquid. |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2013-05-02 | Point Source(s): dock platform sump Pollutant(s):Oil - 15 gallons | Cause of Problem: Instrument Failure During a heavy rainfall event on May 2, the electric sump pump on Dock 3A did not function properly. A dock operator found the oil and water mixture from the sump going onto the dock platform and into the Mississippi River. After an incident investigation, the root cause was identified as Equipment Difficulty/Design/Design Specs Need Improvement. The equipment that was improperly designed was the level indicator on the oily water sump - therefore the root cause per LABB's protocol is Instrument Failure. | Once the spill was detected, all transfers on Docks 2, 3A, and 3B were terminated. Approximately 1300 feet of absorbent boom was deployed in the Mississippi River. A spare air pump was brought to the dock to pump the sump and oily water on the dock out. Absorbent pads were utilized to clean up oil that sprayed on, or was leaked on, the dock. The Refinery's Shift Emergency Response Team and Air Monitoring Teams along with ES&H were dispatched to assist with the containment, monitoring the cleanup activities. The next day, two US Coast Guard representatives witnessed the cleanup efforts. The area was monitored for emissions and odors, and the Air Monitoring Data can be found in attachment 1 of the attached PDF. The actions taken to prevent recurrence are to install secondary level indications on the oily water sumps on all docks. This recommendation is to be completed by January 15, 2014. No applicable air quality regulations were exceeded; however, the reportable quantity for oil spilled into a water-body was exceeded. |
| 148240 2013-04-20 | Point Source(s): Unit 259 North Ground Flare Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 76 pounds Methane - 17 pounds Ethane - 2 pounds Ethylene - 0 pounds Propane - 4 pounds n-Butane - 2 pounds Isobutane - 2 pounds 1-Butene - 0 pounds cis-2-Butene - 0 pounds Carbon Dioxide - 44 pounds Hydrogen - 4 pounds Nitrogen - 1 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 1 pounds NOx - 3 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 16 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 9 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 0 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 0 pounds Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs) - 0 pounds | Cause of Problem: Process Upset On April 20, 2013 the Unit 210 Crude Unit experienced an upset due to a change in the incoming crude state. The flaring in U210 and U222 associated with the upset started at 7:12 AM on April 20, 2013 and was complete at 8:35 AM on April 20, 2013. The duration of Unit 210 and 222 venting to the North Ground Flare was 83 minutes. Approximately 75 pounds of sulfur dioxide were released. The Unit 210 Crude Unit experienced an upset due to a change in the incoming crude state. The incoming crude had a greater quantity of light components as well as some water. The upset resulted in high liquid levels in vessels upstream of the crude off-gas compressors and the sals gas compressor. In order to minimize the amount of liquid sent to the compressors, which could cause a shutdown of the compressor, a portion of the liquid generated in the upset was routed to the North Ground Flare knock out drum. This action reduced the severity of the incident. | The crude tank line up was modified to remove the tank thought to be the cause of the water and light ends going to the Crude Unit. In addition, the crude charge rate was reduced to help manage the unit upset. The routing of liquids to the flare knock out drum was an attempt to minimize the results of the upset and prevent equipment shutdowns which would ahve resulted in a much more significant release. An additional followup on 10/23/13 corrected the initial followup report's emissions data regarding greenhouse gas releases. |
| 147603 2013-03-25 | Point Source(s): Unit 259 North Ground Flare Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 3,385 pounds Methane - 2 pounds Ethane - 22 pounds Ethylene - 0 pounds Propane - 74 pounds Propylene - 1 pounds n-Butane - 55 pounds Isobutane - 22 pounds 1-Butene - 0 pounds trans-2-Butene - 1 pounds cis-2-Butene - 0 pounds n-Pentane - 7 pounds Pentene Plus - 2 pounds Carbon Dioxide - 216 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 79 pounds Hydrogen - 0 pounds Nitrogen - 0 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 37 pounds NOx - 15 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 169 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 2 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 2 pounds Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs) - 2 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Design The two root causes identified were the benzene stripper lower level controller malfunctioned and the operator did not have sufficient response time. On March 25, 2013 the Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor shut down at 18:03 hours and was restarted at 18:26 hours. A second shutdown occurred at 19:23 hours and was re-started at 19:41 hours. The duration of Unit 210 venting to the North Ground Flare was 40 minutes. Approximately 3,385 pounds of sulfur dioxide were released (above the reportable quantity of 500 pounds). On March 25, 2013 at 17:45 hours, issues developed in the Unit 210 Desalter vessels. As a result of the event, liquid was carried over from the Desalters to downstream Unit 210 vessels. Eventually, liquid filled the Unit 210 Overhead Compressor Feed Knockout drum which shut down the Overhead Compressor. The ambient air monitoring stations located by the ground flares did not detect a significant increase in sulfur dioxide emissions. | Liquid was drained from the Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor Feed Knockout Drum. The Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor was re-started. While sulfur dioxide was the only chemical released above reportable quantity, NOx, monoxide, VOCs, PM10, PM2.5,HRVOCs, and hydrogen sulfide were released over the permit limit. An accident investigation was conducted to determine the cause(s) of the incident. The two root causes identified were 1. Equipment difficulty, design, problem not anticipated (Benzene stripper lower level controller malfunctioned); and 2. human engineering, non-fault tolerant system, errors not recoverable (operator did not have sufficient response time). The following recommendations will be implemented: 1. redesign or upgrade the benzene stripper level indicator 210L10197 to provide backup level indication for 210LC0187 due 12/20/13; 2. add soft stops to 210L1097 to limit flow from the 1st stage Desalter to the Benzene Stripper- complete; and 3. evaluate the hydraulics of the Benzene Stripper bottoms circuit and consider developing a project to eliminate constraints in the system- due 12/20/13. |
| 147398 2013-03-18 | Point Source(s): Unit 205 sump drain Pollutant(s):Oil - 2 gallons | Cause of Problem: No Information Given On March 18, 2013 a strong odor was detected within the plant. The odor was caused when 2-3 gallons of Disulfide Oil backed out of a drain and into a sump located at Unit 205. | The oil was contained to the unit concrete slab. A vacuum truck was called out to lower the Unit 205 sump level. |
| 146849 2013-02-21 | Point Source(s): Unit 259 South Ground Flare and Unit 259 North Ground Flare Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 2,499 pounds Methane - 114 pounds Ethane - 75 pounds Ethylene - 0 pounds Propane - 45 pounds Propylene - 0 pounds n-Butane - 15 pounds Isobutane - 14 pounds 1-Butene - 0 pounds T-butene2 - 0 pounds n-Pentane - 4 pounds Pentene Plus - 4 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 208 pounds Hydrogen - 82 pounds Nitrogen - 0 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 27 pounds NOx - 38 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 89 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 4 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 4 pounds Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOCs) - 0 pounds Pentane - 4 pounds | Cause of Problem: Human Factors The Unit 214 Kerosene Hydrotreater experienced an emergency shutdown at 16:18 hours on February 21, 2013. The process unit vented to the South Ground Flare for 94 minutes. The Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor shutdown at 16:39 hours on February 21, 2013 was re-started at 16:58 hours on February 21, 2013. The duration of Unit 210 venting to the North Ground Flare was 19 minutes. On February 21, 2013, at 16:18 hours, a power failure caused the Unit 214 Kerosene Hydrotreater to experience an emergency shutdown. As a result of the event, liquid was carried over from Unit 214 to the Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor system. The liquid filled the Unit 210 Overhead Compressor Feed Knockout drum which shut down the Overhead Compressor. The ambient air monitoring stations located by the ground flares did not detect a significant increase in sulfur dioxide emissions. The main parts of this accident were the emergency shutdown of the 214 Kerosene Hydrotreater and flaring from the Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor. The causal factor for the Unit 214 Power Failure and subsequent emergency shutdown was determined to be Equipment Difficulty/Tolerable Failure. The Causal factor for the Unit 210 flaring event was determined to be Human Performance Difficulty/Management System/SPAC Not Used/Enforcement Needs Improvement. | Power was restored to the Unit 214 Kerosene Hydrotreater and the unit was re-started. Liquid was drained from the Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor Feed Knockout Drum. The Unit 210 Crude Overhead Compressor was re-started. An incident investigation will result in recommendation items designed to prevent the recurrence of this event. In the 60 day follow up report dated 4/22/13, the following remedial actions were listed in response to the release: Unit 214 portion of the upset: 1) Maintenance corrective actions immediately following release. Electricians and instrument Techs responded to the Satellite building. Power panel 214-PP-B01 main breaker and substation 214-MCC-B01 were reset establishing power to the first power supply. 214-HVAC-B008 was repaired and brought back online. 2) Operations corrective actions after the release. Unit 214 board operator started procedures for shutting down unit. Unit 214 valves 214FC0007 (Heavy Coker Naptha Feed Valve) and 214FC0006 (Kerosene from tankage valve) were closed 15 minutes after the start of the release. Operations awaited Maintenance's confimation that the unit was ready to restart. Unit 210 portion of the upset: 1) Unit 210 operators followed the event reponse matrix to verify the compressor suction drum (210-1202) level, the compressor suction drum valve position, and whether or not the suction drum pumps were running. Operations than began working to get the level down in the suction drum in preparation for restarting the OFFGAS compressors. For the Unit 214 portion of the incident the following recommendations were made: 1) Update the Marathon Standard Practice to require a cicuit breaker cooridination study for all 480V power panel installations for future projects - due 12/31/13; and 2) Evaluate the cicuit breaker coordination for all existing 480V power panels throughout the refinery and determine necessary solutions to achieve coordination where required - due 8/30/14 3) For the Unit 210 portion of the incident the following recommendation was made: Review and Reinforce the Emergency Shutdown Procedures for Unit 214 with the Board Operators - complete. An additional followup on 10/23/13 corrected the initial followup report's emissions data regarding greenhouse gas releases. |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2013-02-07 | Point Source(s): North Flare Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 57,313 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 611 pounds | Cause of Problem: Process Upset The Unit 215 Hydrocracker Hot High Pressure Separator level control failed causing a liquid carryover to the Unit 243 Sour Fuel Gas System. The liquid hydrocarbon entered the Unit 247 amine system through the sour fuel gas treaters. Once the hydrocarbon was in the amine system, the capability to regenerate the amine was compromised, resulting in high H2S in the sweet fuel system. While working to recover regeneration, hydrocarbon was carried into the Unit 220 and Unit 234 Sulfur Recovery Units (SRU) resulting in activation of their associated ESD system. After several unsuccessful attempts to restart the SRUs, the unit 247 Amine Regenerator Tower overhead product was routed to flare to remove the hydrocarbon from the amine. Once the hydrocarbon was removed, the system returned to normal operation. The resulting emissions from this event were 57,312.75 lbs/SO2 and 611 lbs/H2S. | 1. Process unit charge rates were reduced in accordance with the refinery's sulfur shedding plan. 2. The amine that was contaminated was stripped to ensure hydrocarbon did not reach the sulfur plants and cause further emissions and/or unnecessary unit trips. 3. Maintenance was contacted to address the failed level instrumentation in Unit 215. |
| 146481 2013-02-07 | Point Source(s): Sulfur Recovery Unit flange Pollutant(s):Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 1 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 0 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 0 pounds NOx - 0 pounds | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket On February 7, 2013, at 10:17 hours, the LDEQ Official was contacted via the Louisiana State Police. The incident was a flange fire that began at 9:51 hours on February 7, 2013, and was secured by 10:00 hours (9 minutes). The intial reports approximates that 6 pounds of total volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were released during the flange fire. A followup on October 23, 2013, revised the VOC estimate to 0.58 pounds. The Unit was placed on internal circulation due to the Sulfur units shutting down. The outlet flange on 56-2501 Reactor outlet developed a small leak and caught on fire and burned for approximately 9 minutes. | The flange fire was extinguished with a water hose reel station and a steam hose was placed under the insulation blanket. An incident investigation was conducted to determine the causes or causes of the incident. Per the investigation, the root cause was identified as Management System - Communication of SPAC needs improvement. 1. Evaluate the U 56 Internal Circulation Procedure to determine if any modifications can be made to mitigate or minimize the unit temperature/ pressure swings experienced. This recommendation is to be completed by May 16, 2013. 2. Investigate modifying the insulation core spec (SP-80-01) to state that all flanges are to be uninsulated. This recommendation is to be completed by July 17, 2013. 3. Coordinate the effort to verify the flanges identified which operate at temperatures above 400 degrees Fahrenheit have had their insulation removed. This recommendation is to be completed by May 31, 2013. Material did go offsite as a result of this fire. A final follow up submitted on October 23, 2013 describes greenhouse gas emissions in the original follow-up as erroneous and updates the emission estimates. |
| 146471 2013-02-07 | Point Source(s): Unit 59 North Flare Heaters on the Unit 243 Fuel Gas Mix Drum, Unit 234 Thermal Oxidizer #5, Unit 59 North Flare Pollutant(s):Hydrogen Sulfide - 611 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 57,313 pounds Nitric Oxide - 14 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 79 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 1 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 2 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 2 pounds Carbon Dioxide - 17 pounds | Cause of Problem: Process Upset On February 7, 2013, around 2:15am heavy rains caused 215-1202 Hot HP Separator to swing 8 degrees high and 215-1204 Hot LP Flash Drum causing liquid carry over to the Sour Fuel Gas header. Hydrocarbons hit Unit 243 Fuel Gas Treaters and carried through to Unit 247 Amine Regenerator. This caused high SO2 on sulfur units (U34, U220, U234) thermal oxidizer stacks and high H2S in the 243 Fuel Gas Mix Drum. In order to minimize any further upsets in the refinery, the hydrocarbons were routed to the North Stick Flare. As a result, Opacity from the Units 205, 210, 212, 214, and 215 heater stacks and the North Stick Flare were observed. Emission points involved were Unit 59 North Flare, Coker Charge Heater, Crude Heater, Naptha Hydrotreater Stripper Reboiler Heater, Platformer Heater, KHT Reactor Charge Heater, KHT STripper Reboiler Heater, HCU Train 1 Reactor Heater, HCI Train 2 Reactor Heater, HCU Fractionator Heater, Boiler #1, Thermal Oxidizer #5. A Root Cause Investigation determined the causes of the accident to be 1) Human Performance and 2) Equipment difficulty. Details about causal factor investigation are found in attached PDF. | Refinery wide, unit charge rates were reduced and hydrotreaters were placed on internal circulation where possible to reduce production of sour gas and sulfur plant feed. The amine that was contaminated with hydrocarbon was stripped to ensure hydrocarbon did not reach the sulfur plants and caused further emissions and/or unit trips. The Unit 215 Hydrocracker level instrumentations heat tracing and insulation was inspected to ensure proper operation. The Unit 247 Amine System Carbon Filter was also placed on-line after the carbon was replaced to remove any remaining trace hydrocarbon from the system. An additional followup on 10/23/13 corrected the initial followup report's emissions data regarding greenhouse gas releases. |
| 146138 2013-01-17 | Point Source(s): Unit 259 North Ground Flare Pollutant(s):Nitrogen Oxide - 90 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 487 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 1,138 pounds Particulate Matter 10 - 10 pounds Particulate Matter 2.5 - 10 pounds Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds - 1 pounds Methane - 96 pounds Ethane - 12 pounds Ethylene - 1 pounds Propane - 76 pounds Propylene - 1 pounds n-Butane - 565 pounds Isobutane - 442 pounds 1-Butene - 3 pounds Pentene Plus - 46 pounds Carbon Dioxide - 3 pounds Hydrogen - 3 pounds Nitrogen - 7 pounds | Cause of Problem: Instrument Failure Unit 222 Sats Gas Plant experienced an upset due to an over-pressure condition on the debutanizer column. As a result, pressure relief valves lifted, sending debutanizer overhead material to the refinery's North Ground Flare. Root cause was a faulty pressure transmitter. | The Board Operator decreased pressure on the debutanizer column. The faulty transmitter was replaced. Initial reports from January, 2013 stated no permit limits were exceeded concerning released pollutants. Final calculations from April 4, 2013 determined otherwise. |
Connect With Us: