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Motiva Enterprises (2719), Convent
Releases in 2007
| LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date |
Point Source/Release | Cause | Notes |
| 101944 2007-12-28 | Point Source(s): Tank 37T 301 Pollutant(s):Oil - 0 gallons | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing A plugged drain line became unplugged allowing the wastewater to flow | DEQ report states that release was BRQ |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2007-12-21 | Point Source(s): HGU WWTU Flare EPN 85D-105 Pollutant(s):Ammonia - BRQ | Cause of Problem: No Information Given see notes. Flame outage on flare causes release. | Under investigation - no remedial actions specified |
| 101702 2007-12-20 | Point Source(s): API Separator No. 2 Pollutant(s):Sludge - 840 pounds | Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures AbClean, Inc was vacuuming sludge out of the API separator when some water broke free from the sludge and was sucked into the vacuum box. The vacuum box filled before AbClean could shut down the operation. Once the truck was shut off, the overfill proceeded back down the line and leaked out of the vacuum breaker onto the ground. | Approximately 2 barrels of dirty oil water/API sludge leaked onto the ground. All clean up activities completed on day of release. No further information given concerning remedial activities. Several measures were put into place to prevent a recurrence: (1) the vacuum box was moved to a level surface, (2) the vacuum hose (and vacuum breaker) was placed inside a concrete containment area, and (3) operations personnel were provided increased awareness and now check the level in the vacuum box at an increased frequency (i.e. every 10 minutes). |
| 101399 2007-12-02 | Point Source(s): Tank 20D-33 Pollutant(s):Heavy Cycle Gas Oil - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures Spill occurred during tank cleaning activities | Letter states that release was BRQ |
| 101094 2007-11-15 | Point Source(s): Unspecified location Pollutant(s):Spent Catalyst - 30,000 pounds Oil - 42 gallons | Cause of Problem: Human Factors A truck driver encroached upon the edge of an embankment which caused the tractor-trailer rig to turn over | Motiva used sand to dam off the containment ditch both upstream and downstream of the spill. Motiva will widen roadway, install barricades, and improve lighting |
| 100970 2007-11-13 | Point Source(s): Hydro Treating Unit Pollutant(s):Gas Oil - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Other see notes | Small packing leak on a control valve of the Hydro treating unit ignited. This info from a DEQ report - no corresponding letter from Motiva |
| 100801 2007-11-06 | Point Source(s): Steam Boiler EPN 31F-810 Tail Gas Treatment Unit No. 4 Incinerator Stack EPN 78H-101 VPS-2 Atmospheric Tower Feed Heater EPN 83H-101 Pollutant(s):Nitrogen Oxide - 437 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 3,694 pounds Sulfur Trioxide - 148 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 91 pounds Particulate Matter - 60 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 13 pounds Nitrous Oxide - 5 pounds Formaldehyde - 1 pounds Sour Diesel - 129,000 pounds | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket The seal on a diesel circulation pump on VPS-2 (a crude distillation unit) failed as a reslut of a suspected bearing problem. This seal failure caused the release of approximately 434 bbls of untreated (sour) diesel, which ignited, resulting in a fire. | Motiva has slowed down production throughout the refinery until investigations are complete. Inspected, repaired, and rebuilt the pump as necessary. W/r/t pump seal failure, rotating equipmt and other personnel will complete the investigation and implement necessary changes to monitoring, inspection, and maintenance procedures |
| 100454 2007-10-23 | Point Source(s): Fuel oil pump 70P-384 Pollutant(s):Fuel oil - 22 gallons Particulate Matter - 0 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 0 pounds Nitrogen Dioxide - 0 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 0 pounds | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket While conducting evening rounds on the H-Oil unit, operations personnel noticed a fire on the seal of the fuel oil pump 70P-384. A leaking seal on the pump and high process temperatures resulted in the fire. | The pump was isolated from the process to cease fuel oil leakage. Approximately 22 gallons of fuel oil was released during the incident with 20 gallons being contained on the unit slab and the remainder being combusted. Operations personnel quickly responded with a fire extinguisher and extingushed the fire. Other operations personnel ceased operation of the pump and isolated it from the process. Motiva quickly activated the Emergency Response Plan. Motiva will continue to inspect pumps and associated process equipment during normal operational rounds for abnormal operation and for environmentally unfriendly and unsafe conditions. |
| 100304 2007-10-18 | Point Source(s): Tail Gas Treatment Unit No. 4 Incinerator Stack EPN 78H-101 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Start Up, Shut Down unexpected shut down of Sulfur Recovery Unit No. | Under investigation - no remedial actions specified |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2007-10-14 | Point Source(s): Tail Gas Treatment Unit Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Process Upset upset occurs at Amine Regeneration Units leads to SO2 increase at tail gas treating units | Under investigation - no remedial actions specified |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2007-09-26 | Point Source(s): Tail Gas Treatment Unit 4 - EPN 78 H 101 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Start Up, Shut Down unexpected shut down of the inline heater caused a unit upse | Under investigation - no remedial actions specified |
| 99010 2007-08-28 | Point Source(s): HGU WWTU Flare EPN 85D-105 Pollutant(s):Ammonia - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Process Upset upset of natural gas flow to the flare results in a pilot outage | Under investigation - no remedial actions specified |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2007-08-21 | Point Source(s): None Reported Pollutant(s): | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket leaking auto vent gasket discovered on tank during offloading of barge | Under investigation - no remedial actions specified |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2007-08-18 | Point Source(s): Tail Gas Treatment Unit No. 4 Incinerator Stack EPN 78H-101 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Start Up, Shut Down while lighting the thermal reactor, visible emissions/pluming were observed from the TGTU sta | Letters states the release was BRQ |
| 98625 2007-08-14 | Point Source(s): HGU Pollutant(s):Hydrogen - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket see notes | Fire on the HGU began as a result of an Exchanger Leak |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2007-08-14 | Point Source(s): No information given Pollutant(s):Light Cycle Gas Oil - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing a flange began leaking on a pipeline internal to the plant | Letters states the release was BRQ |
| 98646 2007-08-14 | Point Source(s): No information given Pollutant(s):HGCO Sludge - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures spill occurred during a cleaning operation | Letter states that release was BRQ |
| 98209 2007-07-28 | Point Source(s): Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU-5) Pollutant(s):Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket see notes | trip on Sulfur Recovery Unit results in release |
| 98053 2007-07-23 | Point Source(s): Tank 20D-12 (EIQ 20D-12) Pollutant(s):Particulate Matter - 0 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 0 pounds Nitrogen Dioxide - 2 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 0 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 0 pounds | Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures While conducting demolition activities on the tank 20D-I2 floating roof, a fire began due to cutting of the roof with acetylene torches where residual hydrocarbon remained in the floating roof pontoon. | Motiva will inspect pontoons and other difficult to access areas that may contain hydrocarbon, and remove any material present prior to resuming demolition activiti |
| 97658 2007-07-08 | Point Source(s): HTU-1 Kerosene Reboiler (EPN 3F 404) Pollutant(s):Particulate Matter - 31 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 264 pounds Nitrogen Dioxide - 188 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 47 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 2 pounds | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing an unexpected heater tube rupture resulted in a fire at HTU-1 | Motiva is thoroughly inspecting the heater and other affected equipment and will make necessary repairs prior to restarting the heater and process unit. Will re-evaluate inspection frequencies, preventive maintenance frequencies, operating limits and associated procedures, and make necessary changes to help prevent recurrenc |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2007-06-13 | Point Source(s): Tail Gas Treating Unit-1 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure malfunction of SRU-2 Diverter valves | Under investigation - no remedial actions specified |
| 95180 2007-04-09 | Point Source(s): Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure malfunction of a relief valve | Letter states that follow-up investigation indicated no RQ's were exceeded for Flares 1 and 2 |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2007-04-08 | Point Source(s): HGU Torvex Incinerator (EPN 79J-904) Pollutant(s):Carbon Monoxide - 161 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds - 176 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 5 pounds Methanol - 176 pounds | Cause of Problem: Instrument Failure a temp. swing triggered a temperature alarm and an operator responded to the alarm by making adjustments to the operation of the unit | Motiva will incorporate control valve set point guidance into supporting documentation for operators to prevent swings in incinerator burner outlet temp. from triggering the low temp. alarm; Implement a troubleshooting guide to assist operators with operating the control valve when it is believed to be sticking. |
| 94903 2007-03-27 | Point Source(s): No information given Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: No Information Given No information given | Letter states that RQ's were exceeded. More information to be provided in follow-up report. |
| 94606 2007-03-14 | Point Source(s): H-Oil Resid Charge Pumps Pollutant(s):Process Fluids - BRQ | Cause of Problem: No Information Given No information given | Letter states that no RQ's were exceeded and all releases occurred on-site. |
| 94481 2007-03-09 | Point Source(s): Drain hub at base of Flare 3 Pollutant(s):Sewer Sludge - 2,800 pounds Sewer Sediment - 15 pounds | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing a plugged sewer line impeded proper drainage and caused the overflow of a drain hub | The following measures are being put in place to prevent a recurrence. 1) A secondary containment system is being installed around the drain hub; 2) The area surrounding the base of the flare is being graded to improve surface drainage; and 3) the operating procedure is being revised to include two (rather than one) operator while draining the flare tip molecular seal - one operator will operate the control valve while the other visually verifies proper drainage to the hub. |
| 94473 2007-03-09 | Point Source(s): Sulfur Recovery Unit Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 500 pounds | Cause of Problem: Other see notes | Release results from trips in the Sulfur Recovery Unit. This is a verbal notification - no letter from Motiva included. |
| 94049 2007-02-19 | Point Source(s): Tank 20D-19 Pollutant(s):MTBE - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Other see notes | MTBE contamination detected in soil and groundwater samples takne beneath the floor of Tank 20D-19. |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2007-02-17 | Point Source(s): None Reported Pollutant(s): | Cause of Problem: Start Up, Shut Down chain of events followed upon start up of Vacuum Pipestil | Minimal info provided. Possible exceedance of visible emissions noted. |
| 93890 2007-02-10 | Point Source(s): West Tank Farm Pollutant(s):FCCU Feed - 26,500 pounds | Cause of Problem: Seal or Gasket PUL Operations stopped a transfer of FCCU Feed from tank 20D-10 via pump 21G-48 and noticed a hydrocarbon odor in the are during the process. FCCU Feed was discovered by PUL Operations within tank 20D-10's dike area. The release source was identified as a pump flushing station for pump 21G-48. Cause of release was an open high-point vent valve with a removed cap on the discharge of a product pump. Release source id'd as a pump flushing station for pump 21G-48 | 85 bbls was released to soil. A "Learning from Incident" was written and shared to refinery personnel. A focus team was formed to discuss a system to assure caps and plugs are in place and evaluate options to reduce missing caps and plugs. |
| 93827 2007-02-08 | Point Source(s): Catalytic Reforming Unit Pollutant(s):Aviation Fuel - 17 pounds | Cause of Problem: Start Up, Shut Down during CRU start up, the mixture of products in the exchanger and the temperature of the exchanger led to the combustion of the avjet fu | Start-up procedures will be modified to monitor the flowrates from the reformate splitter and the Avjet rundown to the heat exchangers to minimize thermal expansion and shock to the system during unit start-up |
| 93779 2007-02-06 | Point Source(s): Refinery Flare No. 2 19AH-901 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ Hydrogen Sulfide - 10 pounds | Cause of Problem: Start Up, Shut Down during start up of FCCU and shut down of the electric-motor driven pump, the turbine-driven pump failed to maintain adequate feed flow and both charge heaters tripped. During FCCU Start up the Main Fractionator vented to fla | Motiva revised the FCCU normal startup procedure to highlight the desire to slowly increase circulating reflux flow rates in an attempt to minimize pressure spikes due to water pockets. |
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