LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

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Alon Refining (3116), Krotz Springs

Releases in 2011

LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date	Point Source/Release	Cause	Notes
135089 2011-12-22	Point Source(s): Crude Unit Flare and FCCU Unit Flare Pollutant(s): Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 925 pounds Nitric Oxide - 104 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 447 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 456 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 5 pounds Hexane - 48 pounds Ethylene - 51 pounds Propylene - 172 pounds 1,3-Butadiene - 0 pounds	Cause of Problem: Weather Extreme cold front moving through area with heavy rains and "tomadic" winds. Power trip upset that resulted in unusual flaring. During severe weather and winds, power feeding the plant from the utility company tripped off, shutting down the entire refinery.	Safety reliefs vented to the flares as designed to control the upset. Permit limits were exceeded, but no reportable quantities were released. Flares smoked for approximately 5 minutes in compliance with Title V permit conditions.
135219 2011-11-14	Point Source(s): FLARE: FCCU Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 636 pounds Nitric Oxide - 43 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 235 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 498 pounds Hexane - 31 pounds Particulate Matter - 3 pounds Ethylene - 27 pounds Propylene - 114 pounds	Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures FCC unit started up after 2 weeks of planned maintenance. Relief valves opened to flare when weight gas compressor for FCCU malfunctioned. Two odor complaints received by LDEQ connected to this accident. Starting unit for the wet gas compressor on the FCCU malfunctioned. 2 Citizen Complaints included: 135203 and 135197	Report states that Title V permit limits were exceeded. A site visit was made on 11/15/2011. Unit started up after two weeks of maintenance. Unauthorized Discharge Notification Report received 11/22/11. Report states that the maximum hourly permit limit was exceeded for hexane but no reportable quantities were exceeded. they did not realize until the next morning that RQ was exceeded.
131573 2011-06-02	Point Source(s): None Reported Pollutant(s):	Cause of Problem: Process Upset Alon Refinery notified SPOC of a planned start up the facility scheduled for 6/2/11 as a precautionary measure due to the potential to exceed reportable quantities into the air during start up.	The letter confirms that no reportable quantity air releases associated with the start up occurred, and notification was for courtesy purposes only. No information as to what was released, if anything, or quantities of anything that may have been released.