LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

About the Database

Placid Refining (2366), Port Allen

Releases in 2010

LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date	Point Source/Release	Cause	Notes
128378 2010-12-30	Point Source(s): No Information Given Pollutant(s): Wastewater - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Weather Initial notification to report potential permit exceedances for permits: LPDES LA0039390 - due to excessive rainfall. Written report states that "thankfully it appears at this time none of the parameters listed in [permit] were exceeded. Placid was able to manage the excessive water and no by-pass condition was necessary."	BRQ. No information given.
128247 2010-12-18	Point Source(s): No Information Given Pollutant(s): Hydrocarbon - 0	Cause of Problem: Under Investigation Transport truck loading at placid Refining Company truck rack caught on fire. Due to the large volume of water used, water,foam and residual hydrocarbons migrated off site into drainage conveyances to the East and to the South of the refinery. Cause is under investigation. FIRE.	Placid's automated fire suppression systems activated and extinguished the fire within five minutes. The drainage ditch was blocked using various mechanical methods including sorbent booms and a sand dike to prevent more migration. Still under investigation. Refinery letter only. No LDEQ report included.
127940 2010-12-01	Point Source(s): Process Unit Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 0	Cause of Problem: No Information Given LDEQ states that a loss of hydrogen caused the shutdown of several process units. Sulfur dioxide was re-routed to the incinerator.	No Information given. As of June 2011 incident is still classified as "open" by LDEQ. LDEQ report only. No refinery letter.
127340 2010-10-28	Point Source(s): FLARE: Boiler & Flare Stack (EPN 18-74 EQ016) Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 4,351 pounds	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure Refinery letter states that due to a low waste heat boiler level, flaring occurred. Fire eye problems caused the plant to be shut down longer than expected. Refinery letter states that "it should be noted that flaring continued for approximately one hour and seven minutes more due to the Flare Gas Recovery System being shut down during acid gas flaring. However, during that time, no sour material was flared." FLARE.	RQ. Reportable quantities were exceeded. Bridles were cleaned.
126184 2010-09-07	Point Source(s): Tank 17 - flange on an oil transfer line Pollutant(s): Gas Oil - 294 gallons	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure A flange on an oil transfer line south of Tank 17 was discovered leaking gas oil which is a heavy hydrocarbon.	RQ. Reportable quantities were exceeded for gas oil. The line was blocked, the dike area was also blocked, and the spill was contained with absorbent pads, boom and a vacuum truck.
126128 2010-09-02	Point Source(s): FLARE: FCCU Unit Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures Flaring resulting from planned FCCU start-up. FLARE.	BRQ. Refinery letter states that no reportable quantities were exceeded. No additional information given.
126110 2010-09-02	Point Source(s): No Information Given Pollutant(s): None - 0	Cause of Problem: Other - See text Molasses was spilled near the Placid Refinery Complex, although Placid was not responsible for the incident.	Placid assisted in the cleaning of the molasses.
125988 2010-08-28	Point Source(s): FLARE: FCCU Unit Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure Flaring due to unexpected FCCU shutdown due to a malfunctioning flapper valve, which caused catalyst carryover. FLARE.	BRQ. Refinery letter states that no reportable quantities were exceeded. No additional information given.
126002 2010-08-28	Point Source(s): FLARE: FCCU Unit Pollutant(s): Hydrocarbon - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure Refinery letter states that flaring occurred due to unplanned FCCU shutdown caused by a malfunctioning flapper valve.	BRQ. No information given.
125903 2010-08-24	Point Source(s): FLARE: FCCU Unit Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure Flaring of slightly sour stream due to unexpected shutdown of FCCU because of air blower failure. No information given re: what was released. FLARE.	BRQ. Refinery letter states that calculations determined that no reportable quantities were exceeded. No information given.
124744 2010-07-12	Point Source(s): FLARE:Catalytic Hydrotreater, SRU #2 & #3 [EPN 18-74] Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 12,681 pounds	Cause of Problem: Human Factors Power failure caused shut down of Catalytic hydrotreater, Sulfur Recovery Units # 2 and # 3 and resulted in flaring acid gas and sour water gas...and 12,681 lb SO2 emissions. ROOT CAUSE was an "errant setting on the Feeder Management Relay for Powerhouse 11. The relate was set to trip on an instantaneous over current to neutral."	RQ. Refinery letter states that "setting was disabled in the relay to prevent future errant power interruptions." LDEQ report states that incident will "be taken up at the next scheduled inspection. Need calculations and whether it could have been prevented the duration."
123707 2010-05-25	Point Source(s): FLARE: FCCU and sour water stripper FLARE: FCCU & sour water stripper Pollutant(s): Carbon Monoxide - BRQ Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 94 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 727 pounds	Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures "FCCU shut down to replace packing on Regen Slide valve." Flaring occurred upon restart of unit. FLARE.	RQ. Incident exceeded reportable quantities for sulfur dioxide. LDEQ report states that incident investigation status is "deferred until next inspection." No information given regarding remedial actions. LDEQ report only. No refinery letter.
123636 2010-05-20	Point Source(s): No Information Given Pollutant(s): None - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures Notification to LDEQ and SPOC of possible SO2 emissions due to planned work on preflash tower, but no flaring occurred.	No information given.
123466 2010-05-15	Point Source(s): FLARE Pollutant(s): No Information Given - BRQ	Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures "Unscheduled maintenance requiring shutdown of FCC Unit. The packing on the slide valve stem in the regenerator side of FCCU failed and had to shut down the unit and flaring ensued." No details given regarding what was emitted. FLARE.	BRQ. Refinery letter states that no reportable quantities were exceeded during this incident. Valve removed and sent for repair.