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Valero (26003), Norco
Releases in 2008
| LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date |
Point Source/Release | Cause | Notes |
| 111449 2008-12-15 | Point Source(s): MSCCU Pollutant(s):Arsenic - 80 pounds | Cause of Problem: Other during catalyst removal from MSCCU, a breach of containment resulted in release of catalyst to ground and nearby areas | Stopped catalyst removal process immediately and clean up the impacted area. Revise catalyst loading and unloading procedure to require gauging of hoppers with a temperature gun or heat scan to allow the level to be tracked with less frequent manual gauging. Set up a log to make sure procedure is followed. |
| 111397 2008-12-12 | Point Source(s): None Reported Pollutant(s): | Cause of Problem: Other leak from MSCCU Reactor Secondary Cyclone | Steam applied to leak immediately. |
| 111397 2008-12-12 | Point Source(s): MSCCU Reactor Secondary Cyclone Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 287 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 6 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 287 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 6 pounds | Cause of Problem: Other pinhole leak on MSCCU Reactor Secondary Cyclone | Letter states that emission were BRQ. |
| No LDEQ Number Available 2008-12-07 | Point Source(s): Prospect Tank Farm Alkylate Tank 150-26 Pollutant(s):Alkylate - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Other Prospect Tank Farm Alkylate Tank 150-26 had a weep hole | Tank taken out of service for inspection and repair |
| 111000 2008-11-22 | Point Source(s): VGO Line Pollutant(s):Vacuum Gas Oil - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing A VGO line leaked | Oil booms and vacuum trucks and a small plastic pool used to contain and recover material. |
| 110357 2008-10-27 | Point Source(s): Flares 1 and 2, Thermal Oxidizer Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 930 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Design power interruption causes upset at East Plant and multiple emissions. Design used purchase power instead of UPS power | Immediately stabilized process units. Provide uninterruptable power supply instead of purchased power supply to the combustion blowers. PSSR electrical check list will be revised to add a step to physically shut off power to the equipmt to verify that UPS is working properly. |
| 110405 2008-10-27 | Point Source(s): 12 inch hose Pollutant(s):Diesel Fuel - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Other 12 | NA |
| 110214 2008-10-17 | Point Source(s): Refinery Outfall 002 Pollutant(s):Unknown Substance - 1,008 gallons | Cause of Problem: No Information Given Under investigaton | Vacuum trucks mobilized to recover material |
| 109888 2008-10-07 | Point Source(s): TOX 1 and TOX 2 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 3,714 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure failed FBM card leads to 3700 SRU shut down. | reduced the crude rate, thereby sulfur load to sulfur units and restarted SRU 3700 as soon as possible. |
| 109887 2008-10-07 | Point Source(s): Acid pipleine in the Alkylation Unit Pollutant(s):Sulfuric Acid - 2,831 pounds | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing leak from an acid pipleine in the Alkylation Unit | Alkylation unit was shut down to release the pressure in the acid pipeline and stop the leak. The line is now repaired. |
| 109833 2008-10-04 | Point Source(s): Tank - T-130-9 Pollutant(s):Vacuum Gas Oil - 2,100,000 gallons | Cause of Problem: Corrosion tank leaking VGO through floor | Emergency team mobilized to pump VGO to another tank. Emergency respose company contracted to recover non-pumpable VGO and perform soil remediation. Valero will begin to use acoustical testing on all of its tanks. |
| 109755 2008-10-01 | Point Source(s): Flares 1 and 2 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ Volatile Organic Compounds - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure Hot Separator develops crack allowing material and gases to release. | Emissions minimized with a controlled shutdown of the unit. Firewater sprayed on to control vapors and mitigate inflammation. Oil absorbent booms deployed. Water collected by vacuum truck from drainage routes. |
| 109671 2008-09-29 | Point Source(s): Wastewater Treatment Unit Pollutant(s):Crude Oil - 420 gallons | Cause of Problem: Process Upset WWTU experienced an upset and oil was carried through the unit into the treatment pond system | Absorbent boom used to contain oil. |
| 109312 2008-09-18 | Point Source(s): Coker Wet Gas Compressor Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 3,060 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure Coker Wet Gas compressor tripped on low lube oil pressure when the main lube oil pump turbine tripped. This cause Coker off gas to relieve to the flare. Sulfur dioxide was released from the refinery flares and rapidly dispersed. The cause of this incident is under investigation. | Emissions were minimized by immediately restarting the Wet Gas Compressor. |
| 109312 2008-09-18 | Point Source(s): Flares 1 and 2 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 3,060 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure coker wet gas compressor tripped on low lube oil pressure when the main lube oil pump turbine tripped. | Incident still under investigation; Follow-up letter cites acquisition of facility from Orion again. |
| 108720 2008-09-05 | Point Source(s): Flares Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Weather ; controlled refinery start up due to Gustav | Sent to alert outside agencies of possibility of flaring due to start up |
| 108613 2008-08-30 | Point Source(s): Flares Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Weather shutting down some units in anticipation of Gustav | Report sent in advance of shut down of some units in preparation for Gustav. Some flaring expected. |
| 107876 2008-08-08 | Point Source(s): Chemical tote Pollutant(s):Sulfuric Acid - 125 gallons | Cause of Problem: Other a chemical tote being carried on a forklift fell on the ground and began leaking after forklift hit a pothole. | Material was neutralized using soda ash. |
| 107841 2008-08-07 | Point Source(s): Flares 1 and 2 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 3,660 pounds | Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures while conducting maintenance on the steam system on the compressor, the WGC tripped on low lube oil pressure | Emissions minimized by immediately restarting WGC |
| 107543 2008-07-26 | Point Source(s): Flares Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 192 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure FCCU lost its air blower and the debutanizers pressurized and relieve to the flares | Letter states that emission were BRQ. |
| 106899 2008-07-07 | Point Source(s): CCR Unit Pollutant(s):Hydrogen Chloride - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Start Up, Shut Down departure from start up, shut down, & malfunction plan for CCR Unit | Letter states that emission were BRQ. |
| 106972 2008-07-07 | Point Source(s): Thermal Oxidizer #1 (EQT 195 (99-3)) Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Process Upset an obstruction blocked the #4 run down sulfur trap from closing, allowing vapors to back flow through TOX | Letter states that emission were BRQ. |
| 106285 2008-06-09 | Point Source(s): Flares 1 and 2 Pollutant(s):Volatile Organic Compounds - BRQ Sulfur Dioxide - 425 pounds | Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures MCCU was shut down so that a pinhole leak on the Millisecond Cat Cracker unit could be repaired | A plug was installed to minimize the leak. |
| 105908 2008-05-27 | Point Source(s): 71A Refrigerant Condenser Pollutant(s):Volatile Organic Compounds - 3,312 pounds | Cause of Problem: Other VOC leak from process unit in cooling tower | Condenser was isolated and is in the process to be repaired [sic]. Follow-up letter states that emissions were BRQ. |
| 105151 2008-04-27 | Point Source(s): CT-04-600 Cooling Tower Pollutant(s):Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing leak on a heat exchanger on the recycle gas cooler in the HTHC | Valero routed gases to the Flare Recovery Syste, |
| 104831 2008-04-17 | Point Source(s): Flares 1 and 2 (EQT 013 and 007) Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 215 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Start Up, Shut Down difficulty during startup of catalytic cracker and gas Desulfurization Unit | Startup rates of units kept low to reduce emissions |
| 104105 2008-03-22 | Point Source(s): Tank T-150-18 Pollutant(s):Crude Oil - 714 gallons | Cause of Problem: Other leak in tank farm of unknown origin | vacuum trucks deployed to remove material. Remaining crude oil in tank transferred to another tank. Water used to separate oil from leak point. |
| 103790 2008-03-10 | Point Source(s): Flares 1 and 2, Thermal Oxidizer #1, Cooling Tower (CT-04-02) Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ Propane - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Start Up, Shut Down start up of Alky and MSCU Units following a major refinery turnaround reveals propane leak. | Valero secured a Temporary Variance prior to this turnaround. Incident still under investigation at time of report. Follow up letter states that VOC emissions were 1238 lbs/hr, but it does not state how long this emission rate lasted. |
| 103676 2008-03-06 | Point Source(s): Wastewater Treatment Unit Pollutant(s):Crude Oil - 42 gallons | Cause of Problem: Other a wastewater secondary clarifier bottoms tank overflowed. | vacuum trucks deployed to remove material. Personnel aided in clean up, removed surface sediments for disposal. |
| 103521 2008-02-29 | Point Source(s): Flare Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 7,800 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 213 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds - 81 pounds Nitrogen Dioxide - 39 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 21 pounds | Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures while initiating corrective actions for another incident the WGC tripped. | Emissions minimized by immediately restarting WGC. |
| 103514 2008-02-28 | Point Source(s): Fill line from #1 manifold to T-130-7 Pollutant(s):Vacuum Gas Oil - 42 gallons | Cause of Problem: Piping or Tubing Fill line from #1 manifold to T-130-7 appeared to be leaking VGO | Absorbent boom and vacuum trucks used to contain and recover material. VGO line was excavated and removed. |
| 103290 2008-02-21 | Point Source(s): Sour Water Stripper Acid Gas Valve Pollutant(s):Hydrogen Sulfide - BRQ Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Other pinhole leak on MSCCU Reactor Secondary Cyclone | Letter states that emission were BRQ. |
| 102905 2008-02-08 | Point Source(s): East Plant Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ Volatile Organic Compounds - BRQ Nitrogen Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures East Plant coming down for a scheduled maintenance turnaround | Courtesy notification of scheduled turnaround |
| 102759 2008-02-01 | Point Source(s): Flares 1 and 2 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 7,240 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure failure of WGC due to low lube oil pressure | Emissions minimized by immediately restarting WGC. |
| 102359 2008-01-16 | Point Source(s): #1 Flare Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure Vacuum tower lost its vacuum | Letter states that emission were BRQ. |
| 102262 2008-01-13 | Point Source(s): Flare Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 4 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 2 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure the blow down system off the Wet Gas Compressor was routed to flare to relieve coke drum pressure after one of the coke drums cracks. | Letter states that emission were BRQ. |
| 102201 2008-01-10 | Point Source(s): Flare Gas Recovery Compressor Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - 20 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds - 1 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 1 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure Flare Gas Recovery Compressor tripped | Letter states that emission were BRQ. |
| 102198 2008-01-09 | Point Source(s): Tank T-150-2 Pollutant(s):Diesel Fuel - BRQ | Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures personnel digging holes around tank T-150-2 to place covers over the grounding leads around tank notice diesel leaking from these holes. | Refinery personnel used absorbent boom and vacuum trucks to contain and recover the material. |
| 102102 2008-01-06 | Point Source(s): Coker Wet Gas Compressor Flares 1 and 2 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ Sulfur Dioxide - 6,930 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds - 72 pounds Particulate Matter - 1 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 19 pounds Nitrogen Oxide - 35 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 189 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure failure of WGC | DEQ report states that there have been many WGC failures, enough that they have made repeated calls to the facility urging them to repair the unit to prevent recurrence of such events. According to report, Valero has repaired the WGC. |
| 102089 2008-01-05 | Point Source(s): Thermal Oxidizer #1 (EQT 195 (99-3)) Pollutant(s):Hydrogen Sulfide - 460 pounds | Cause of Problem: Equipment Failure TOX 1 for SRU tripped | Repeated attempts to rebuild the igniter and restart the THOX |
| 102086 2008-01-03 | Point Source(s): Flares 1 and 2 Pollutant(s):Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ Carbon Monoxide - 162 pounds Particulate Matter - 1 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds - 61 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 16 pounds Nitrogen Oxide - 30 pounds | Cause of Problem: Instrument Failure Guardian over speed device malfunction causes WGC to trip | Emissions minimized by immediately restarting WGC. A series of follow-up reports reveal that Valero did not know age or maintenance history of WGC upon purchase of facility from Orion. Valero has now replaced major components of WGC and plans to replacethe guardian over speed device next. |
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