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Motiva Enterprises (2719), Convent

Releases in 2009

LDEQ Accident Number
Accident Date		 Point Source/Release CauseNotes
119917

2009-12-08
Point Source(s):
no information given

Pollutant(s):
Carbon Monoxide - 0
Cause of Problem: No Information Given

Alarm system indicated CO emissions were above permitted per hour levels. No further info--hazmat report only in this file.		No information given. Verbal report only, no letter from Motiva.
No LDEQ Number Available

2009-12-08
Point Source(s):
FCCU wet gas scrubber

Pollutant(s):
Carbon Monoxide - 215,800 pounds
Cause of Problem: Weather

Sudden temperature drop due to severe thunderstorm upset Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit, sending it into partial-burn mode, resulting in increased emissions.		"Immediate and appropriate action was taken by operations to address the situation by slowing down and/or shutting down multiple units throughout the refinery." Will modify procedures, train operations, field test oxygen analyzers on the FCCU to verify accurate readings.
119481

2009-11-12
Point Source(s):
BACT box and FCCU

Pollutant(s):
Carbon Monoxide - BRQ
Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

Exceeded minimum hourly average in BACT box for O2--excess CO emissions during shutdown of Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit due to mechanical problems with recycle feed pump. (CO not mentioned in follow-up letter but is noted in DEQ report). SEE ALSO incident 119480 from the previous day--looks like it was an ongoing problem. No RQs exceeded.		no information given
119480

2009-11-11
Point Source(s):
FCCU wet gas scrubber

Pollutant(s):
Carbon Monoxide - 0
Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

Exceedance of CO maximum of emission rate limit due to shutdown of Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit Wet Gas Scrubber Stack because of mechanical problems with the recycle feed pump. Exceeded RQ for CO but no amount given. SEE ALSO incident 119481 from the next day--looks like it was an ongoing problem.		no information given
No LDEQ Number Available

2009-11-11
Point Source(s):
FCCU wet gas scrubber

Pollutant(s):
Carbon Monoxide - 1,701 pounds
Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

Mechanical problems with recycle feed pump, had to shut the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit down to make repairs, resulting in increased CO emissions. File contains no DEQ report--hazmat and follow-up only; wrong DEQ and state police #s seem to have been written on top of the follow-up.		Tried to minimize CO emissions during event, will modify startup and shutdown procedures, will update current standard alarm and add an additional critical alarm to monitor the amount of CO exiting the stack. Operations will be trained on both the procedure modifications & the alarm updates.
119343

2009-11-05
Point Source(s):
Tail Gas Treating Unit #4

Pollutant(s):
No Information Given - 0
Cause of Problem: No Information Given

"pluming event" in excess of permitted limits		No Information Given
119319

2009-11-03
Point Source(s):
Refinery Flare #4

Pollutant(s):
No Information Given - 0
Cause of Problem: No Information Given

Flame outage on flare--air permit deviation--no details. No RQs exceeded.
119017

2009-10-23
Point Source(s):
Tank 20T-210 and Tank 20D-47

Pollutant(s):
Slop Oil - BRQ
Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

Routing slop oil to tank 20T-210 while tank operators were simultaneously transferring slop from tank 20T-210 to tank 20D-47. Tank level in 20T-210 got too low and tank floating roof came to rest on its legs. Level gauge on tank 20T-210 malfunctioned & not reading accurately. Incident does not seem to have caused any emissions or releases.		No Information Given.
119055

2009-10-22
Point Source(s):
Vacuum Pipe-Still No. 2 Unit Atomospheric Heater

Pollutant(s):
Oxygen - 0
Cause of Problem: Weather

Severe thunderstorm caused water to enter the oxygen analyzer probe of the VPS-2 Atmospheric Heater resulting in erroneous analyzer readings--caused exceedance of BACT box minimum oxygen hourly average for one hour. No reportable quantities exceeded.		Analyzer repaired, gave correct readings after fixed.
118650

2009-10-12
Point Source(s):
HTU no. 3

Pollutant(s):
Hydrogen - 0
Cause of Problem: No Information Given

Sight glass on a vessel blew out. State police hazmat report only.		No info given. Verbal report only, no letter from the refinery or LDEQ.
117554

2009-08-22
Point Source(s):
FCCU wet gas scrubber stack

Pollutant(s):
Nitrous Oxide - 0
Cause of Problem: No Information Given

NOX emissions in excess of maximum emission rate during start-up of Fluid catalytic Cracking Unit Wet Gas Scrubber Stack after a subsequent trip on 8/17/09--related to use of platinum promoter in addition to catalyst to maintain temperatures inside the FCCU regenerator within equipment metallurgical limits. Did not exceed reportable quantities.		no info given
117144

2009-08-07
Point Source(s):
flare no. 2 and wet gas scrubber

Pollutant(s):
Sulfur Dioxide - 76,337 pounds
Nitrogen Oxide - 333 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide - 191 pounds
Carbon Monoxide - 11,369 pounds
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 688 pounds
Particulate Matter 10 - 37 pounds
Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

Regenerated Catalyst Slide Valve (RCSV) of the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU) changed position without a corresponding command from the control system causing trip of the gas turbine driving the Wet Gas Compressor because of high exhaust temperature--overpressure control valve opened to flare. Exceeded RQ's.		"Took immediate action to begin the process of stabilizing, slowing down, and diverting feed from the FCCU riser." Circuit board replaced, cleaned the servo and will replace it when spare arrives.
116617

2009-07-19
Point Source(s):
TGTU incinerator

Pollutant(s):
Sulfur Dioxide - 1,554 pounds
Cause of Problem: Weather

Booster blower motor failed to due to lubrication problem caused by rain getting inside it during a heavy storm--automatic oiler did not replenish oil that was drained off with the water afterward. Motor failure caused Tail Gas Treating Unit (TGTU) 4 to unexpectedly shut down and unit charge was diverted to the TGTU incinerator from the SRU (sulfur recovery unit); sour gas combustion then resulted in excess emissions. Exceeded RQ's. No DEQ report in this file--hazmat and follow-up only.		Made efforts to reduce operating rates on units producing acid gas or rich amine and to distribute the acid gas flow to other operating SRU/TGTUs. Installed motor from another piece of idled equipment in booster blower and restarted it.
116626

2009-07-18
Point Source(s):
Broken Pipe

Pollutant(s):
Water - 0
Cause of Problem: Human Factors

Steam release only, contractor cut into a pipe and got a blister on his right wrist.		Went to St. Elizabeth's ER for treatment. No letter or report from Motiva.
116576

2009-07-14
Point Source(s):
FCCU

Pollutant(s):
Carbon Monoxide - BRQ
Cause of Problem: Process Upset

"While performing Instrument Protective Function trip checks on the FCCU [fluid catalytic cracking unit), a pressure control valve tripped open. This caused low air flow to the FCCU regenerator, which resulted in the unit to shutdown [sic]." Caused exceedance of the hourly CO emission rate limit. No DEQ report in this file--follow-up only.		IPF trip checks halted, opened pressure valve manually closed, FCCU operation stabilized to reduce CO emissions below the permitted limit.
116459

2009-07-14
Point Source(s):
flare

Pollutant(s):
Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ
Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ
Cause of Problem: Instrument Failure

"H-Oil recycle compressor inadvertently tripped due to a false vibration indication, which forced the H-Oil Unity to depressure;" had to flare. No DEQ report in this file. RQs not exceeded.		No info given.
116293

2009-07-07
Point Source(s):
protection suit

Pollutant(s):
Sulfuric Acid - BRQ
Cause of Problem: Human Factors

Worker burned on wrist by sulfuric acid residue during decontamination procedure after repairing a sulfuric acid leak in a tank unit. Small amount of acid was on the duct tape holding his gloves connected to the suit and came into contact with his skin.		Worker treated at St. Elizabeth hospital with "minor injuries" & discharged. No letter or report filed by Motiva.
116028

2009-06-28
Point Source(s):
Sulfur block, Sulfur Truck Loading

Pollutant(s):
Molten Sulfur - 1,800 pounds
Cause of Problem: Human Factors

Truck driver overloaded a sulfur truck, then attempted to offload the excess amount before transport; removed cap to connect hose without first ensuring that the offloading valve was closed. Molten sulfur spilled into the impervious sulfur block containment loading-areavand splashed on his PPE (personal protective equipment) suit and went down his boot, giving a 2" 2nd degree burn on his foot and ankle. No RQ's exceeded.		Driver given medical attention on-site, then sent to Our Lady of the Lake hospital, treated & released. Spill cleaned from containment area.
113955

2009-04-04
Point Source(s):
SRU-4 thermal reactor; TGTU-3

Pollutant(s):
Sulfur Dioxide - 7,000 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide - 147 pounds
Ammonia - 2 pounds
Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

Level 2 fire at Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRU)no. 4's thermal reactor due to failure of the SRU-4 thermal reactor vessel. Tail Gas Treating Unit (TGTU) No. 3 upset during firefighting efforts causing additional emissions. Fenceline monitoring indicated no offsite impacts. Exceeded RQs.		In-house fire dept and ERT worked to extinguish fire, reduced operating rates on units producing acid gas or rich amine and to distribute the acid gas flow to other operation SRU/TGTUs during firefight to safely shut down SRU/TGTU-4.
113193

2009-03-06
Point Source(s):
No Information Given

Pollutant(s):
No Information Given - BRQ
Cause of Problem: No Information Given

Trip of the HGU Torvex unit.		N/A
112974

2009-02-24
Point Source(s):
Tail Gas Treating Unit Number 1 (17AH-103)

Pollutant(s):
Sulfur Dioxide - 0
Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure

The Booster Compressors (17BC-101 & 17BC-102) unexpectedly shutdown due to high differential pressures, while operations was swapping booster compressor operations. A malfunction of the stackmatch pilot delayed the restart of the inline heater, which ultimately caused emissions to exceed the RQ.		Ceased emitting once Convent Refinery restarted the TGTU-1 inline heater and resumed normal acid gas processing.
112631

2009-02-09
Point Source(s):
No Information Given

Pollutant(s):
No Information Given - 0
Cause of Problem: Equipment Design

Excess emissions from flaring as the refinery PSA compressor was shut down due to a malfunction.		N/A
112489

2009-01-31
Point Source(s):
cooling water tower exhaust

Pollutant(s):
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 0
Cause of Problem: Process Upset

Upset in the refinery's cooling water systems resulting in the apparent exceedance of the VOC emission rate limit due to mechanical failure within a set of heat exchangers which resulted in releasing VOCs into the cooling water system. No DEQ report in this file, follow-up letter only.		VOCs stripped in the cooling water tower and emitted to the atmosphere in cooling tower exhaust, samples taken at the battery limits of multiple units until source was identified, isolated heat exchangers to minimize hydrocarbon carryover across cooling water system
112352

2009-01-28
Point Source(s):
Valve

Pollutant(s):
Sulfur Dioxide - 6,250 pounds
Hydrogen Sulfide - 15 pounds
Cause of Problem: Process Upset

An upset of the refinery's evulated-bed residuum hydrocracker (H-Oil Unit)cause the emitting of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from flaring of hydrogen and hydrocarbons. A valve failure most likely caused the incident.		Operations took action to begin the process of stabilizing, slowing down and shutting down the H-Oil Unit, as necessary.