| Home | Search | Pollutants | About the Database |
ExxonMobil, Baton Rouge
Causal Factor: Maintenance/Procedures
| LDEQ Incident Number Incident Date |
Point Source(s) | Notes | Amount of Release |
| No LDEQ Reported 2005-04-26 | West Gas Scrubber | Cause: the permit requirements were changed so they had to implement new changes in order to meet the requirements Followup: No Notes: Since this regulation is new and controller experience with these situations is limited, learnings from this event will be shared with all controllers. The new Wet Gas Scrubber Permit requires the CO furnaces to operate at lower excess oxygen concentrations for nitrogen dioxide emissions, thus making the unit more susceptible to carbon monoxide excursions. Additionally, more experience is needed to control the new permit and regulatory limit | Carbon Monoxide: 855.0 pounds |
| 89821 2006-08-08 | FLARE - C-30 compressor at the Refinery Gas Compression Unit - Flare #5, 23, 17, 19. | Cause: C-30 compressor at the Refinery Gas Compression Unit automatically shutdown due to a high vibration alarm. The high vibration alarm was due to work activities from nearby maintenance personnel. Followup: No Notes: There is no information as to why this incident was preventable. Remedial Measures - an investigation is ongoing and appropriate follow-up actions will be completed. NOTE: During the 20 min. flaring event, the #17 flare experienced a 5 min. duration during which instrumentation indicates that a flame was not present. According to the Light Ends Title V operating permit #2589-V3, issued April 11, 2006, flares must be continuously monitored to confirm the presence of a flame. It is constively estimated that during this 5 min. period when the pilot and flame were extinguished, hydrocarbons were being emitted to the air via the unlit flame. These circumstances resulted in the exceedence of the Louisiana State Police reportable quanti | Hydrocarbon: 1,110.0 pounds Sulfur Dioxide: 300.0 pounds Nitrogen Dioxide: 3.0 pounds Benzene: 1.0 pounds Butene: 40.0 pounds Isoprene: 1.0 pounds Nitric Oxide: 15.0 pounds Carbon Dioxide: 1.0 pounds Nitrogen Gas: 14.0 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide: 12.0 pounds Methane: 130.0 pounds Ethylene: 3.0 pounds Ethane: 87.0 pounds Propylene: 26.0 pounds Propane: 353.0 pounds Butene: 40.0 pounds Butane: 167.0 pounds Butane: 160.0 pounds Pentene: 9.0 pounds Pentane: 56.0 pounds Pentane: 43.0 pounds n-Hexane: 27.0 pounds Cycloheptane: 1.0 pounds |
| 119868 2009-12-05 | flange | Cause: Flange failure occurred after steam injected has been initiated during procedural maintenance. Followup: No Notes: RQ exceeded. Vacuum trucks recovered material. Flange will be repaired. | Oil: 117.6 pounds |
| No LDEQ Reported 2009-10-20 | No Information Given | Cause: Sample taken showed potential for hydrocarbon leak. Followup: No Notes: Company letter missing. Verbal report. RQ not exceeded. | |
| 115170 2009-05-21 | No Information Given | Cause: Release due to equipment cleaning. Followup: No Notes: No LDEQ report or follow up. | |
| 127179 2010-10-21 | Mixed Gas Oil tankage | Cause: The incident took place at the Mixed Gas Oil tankage. The flow valves that supply methane to the tanks fully opened when the computer control system was upgrading. The methane exceeded the tanks' vapor recovery unit, therefore their atmospheric vents opened releasing the gas. Followup: No Notes: The computer system was returned to service, and the valve was shut. The Methane flow valve will now be manually closed when computer system is shutdown. Exxon exceeded the reportable quantity threshold for flammable vapors when combined with a second release that occurred within 24 hours.The second release had the LDEQ number 127174. Combined 1,563 pounds for both incidents. | Methane: 861.0 pounds |
| 128798 2010-10-06 | Pipstill Unit PSLA-9 | Cause: LINE BEING PREPARED FOR MECHANICAL WORK DEVELOPED LEAK, RELEASING 1.2 BBLS LIGHT VIRGIN GAS OIL TO SOIL. Followup: No Notes: RQ. LINE WAS ISOLATED AND REPAIRED. MATERIAL CONTAINED ON-SITE AND SOIL REMEDIATED. | Virgin Gas Oil: 50.4 gallons |
| 126817 2010-10-02 | No Information Given | Cause: "Fire training at the fire training grounds" The chemicals involved was Diesel and compressed Natural gas, and smoke was released into the air. Followup: No Notes: No Information was given for remedial actions. Planned procedure for fire training. Training occurred on two separate days, the 2nd and the 3rd. | |
| 122406 2010-03-26 | flare | Cause: "Planned and controlled release for maintenance" but no specification of what chemicals were released. Followup: No Notes: Below reportable quantities. | |
| 134484 2011-10-11 | Retired tank | Cause: An empty tank was being moved/demolished and residue from previous contents caused smoldering. The previous contents of the tank are unknown. Followup: No Notes: Smoldering stopped and air monitoring was conducted to confirm there was no offsite impact. | |
| 132752 2011-07-27 | CT-39 | Cause: Routine sampling of cooling water tower CT-39 discovered possible leak. Followup: No Notes: BRQ. | |
| 129440 2011-02-24 | Sulfur Recovery Unit incinerators | Cause: On February 24th, 2011, at approximately 8:23 am, there was a Tail Gas Incineration event at the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery.
The Sulfur Recovery Unit (SRLA) was undergoing monthly equipment evaluation when material that is normally routed from SRLA to the Tail Gas Clean Up Unit(TGCU) instead bypassed TGCU and was directed to the SRLA incinerators. This resulted in approximately 476 pounds of sulfur dioxide emissions above the incinerator permit limit. The cause of this release was inadvertent human error.
Within the same twenty four hour period, the Powdered Catalyst Unit(PCLA) experienced seal leaks on furnace F-301. The furnace produces steam, and the steam production tubes exit the furnace convection section. Seals where the steam tubes exit the furnace were leaking, allowing flue gas containing sulfur dioxide to exit the furnace. The leaks released 30 pounds of sulfur dioxide to the atmosphere.
Together, these two releases emitted approximately 506 pounds of SO2.
There were no offsite impacts, injuries, or complaints as a result of this incident. Followup: Yes Notes: To end the release, SRLA tail gas was routed through the Tail Gas Clean Up Unit (TGCU). After further review, ExxonMobil determined that the leaks from the Powdered Catalyst Unit were successfully repaired prior to February 24, 2011. Approximately 476 pounds of sulfur dioxide were released on February 24 due to Tail Gas Incineration. No reportable quantities were exceeded. Total sum of two incidents in 24 hours was 506 lbs | Sulfur Dioxide: 506.0 pounds |
| 129074 2011-02-06 | No Information Given | Cause: LDEQ states that during planned maintenance activity when checking for leaks in the equipment smoke will be emitted into the air. Followup: No Notes: BRQ. No Information Given. LDEQ Included. No Refinery Letter. | |
| 128817 2011-01-25 | Underground Pipe | Cause: LDEQ states that an underground pipe was being excavated for inspection, and powerformer feed, which contains benzene and naphtha were released. Incident location was identified in SPOC report as corner of V and 3rd streets between units. Followup: No Notes: BRQ. A hole was dug, and the chemicals were vacuumed out. Soil was also cleaned up. Refinery letter states that "due to prompt incident response no reportable quantities were exceeded." | Naphtha: 8.0 gallons |
| 136547 2012-01-16 | FLARE: Flare #17 and #23 | Cause: The Feed Prep unit experienced an upset which resulted in flaring of SO2 from flares #17 and #23. Followup: No Notes: No information given regarding remedial actions taken. | Sulfur Dioxide: 94.0 pounds Nitric Oxide: 6.5 pounds Nitrogen Dioxide: 1.1 pounds |
Connect With Us: