LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

ExxonMobil, Baton Rouge

Releases of Hydrogen

LDEQ Incident Number Incident Date	Point Source(s)	Notes	Amount of Release
05-BB009-1844 2005-07-13	tank732	Cause: C-830 compressor shut down causing ICN unit to shutdown. F-761 control valve was left on control to allowing the liquid level in the ICN product stabilizer tower to continue to tank732. Excess flammable vapor was released. Followup: No Notes: it was discovered that the F-761 control valve had not been closed, so it was closed once discovered and the release stopped; procedures will be reviewed and appropriate corrective actions will be ma	45.0 pounds
05-BB009-1721 2005-02-27	FLARE	Cause: the controller responsible for the operation of the Refinery Gas Compression Unit (RGCU) began experiencing problems Followup: No Notes: C-50 was started up to eliminate the flaring and was run on manual. Incident not preventable because normal preventative precautions not used due to concern over clanging noises.	2.0 pounds
87870 2006-05-16	D-104 Hydrocracker	Cause: the clamp on the Hydrocracker D-104 overhead line was leaking. The pressure of the overhead gas was reduced and several attempts were made to reseal the clamp, including trying several different kinds of sealant. The leak would stop for a short durationand then return Followup: No Notes: As of 7:30am on 5/22/2006 - the date of this letter - the leak was ongoing. In this letter, Exxon claims states that the reportable quantities for hydrogen sulfide and flammable vapor were exceeded only during the first 24 hours of the incident. This incident was not preventable because the clamp was considered to be a permanent repair (installed in Dec. 2005) until the scheduled unit downtime in 2008. Remedial Measures- a larger engineered clamp will be installed over the existing clamp. "	549.0 pounds
86579 2006-03-18	East Train Hydrofiner (HHLA-E)	Cause: -Exchanger on the East Train Hydrofiner (HHLA-E) was leaking into a cooling tower. The seating surface and gasket on the floating head were upgraded during the turnaround. Operations personnel installed the exchanger correctly . However, when the exchanger was worked offsite, the contracting company installed the wrong bolts in the floating head of the exchanger. The bolts broke due to wet hydrogen sulfide cracking which caused the exchanger to leak. Note: the accident started at 10:00am on 03/17/06 but was not discovered until 1:50pm on 03/18/2006 Followup: No Notes: The cause of the accident is listed as preventable in the company's report, but there is no explanation whatsoever as to why it was preventable - that section is blank. In the report it does state that further investigation of the incident is currently being conducted. Remedial measure are listed as - the exchanger bolts replaced with appropriate material for the predetermined run length. Reportable quantities were exceeded for hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic compounds	127.0 pounds
85263 2006-01-19	No. 2 Powerformer Unit T-4X	Cause: a leak on the shell of their tower (T-4X) is believed to have been caused from the failure of the mortar in the joints of the tile which lines the inside of the tower, which allowed acid to attack the carbon steel shel Followup: No Notes: Incidents 06-00380, 06-00401 occurred simultaneously on January 19th and on Jan. 20th 06-00406 occurred, overlapping with the first two. The reportable quantities for highly reactive volatile organic compounds and flammable vapors were exceeded when the emissions from these three events were summed over the first 24 hour period beginning with the initiation of the release from the No. 2 Powerformer Unit. With regard to the 24 hour period beginning with the release at the MTBE Unit, there wereeportable quantity exceedances for this period of time. The emissions limit exceeded the reportable quantity threshold only during the time when all three incidents were taking place simultaneously. The mortar in T-4X will be replaced with a Furan r	16.0 pounds
99633 2007-09-20	atmospheric release	Cause: Followup: Yes Notes: Unit depressurized immediately in accordance with emergency process. Investigation is ongoing, appropriate follow up will be complete	1,402.0 pounds
94172 2007-02-23	Exchanger leak	Cause: underdeposit corrosion Followup: No Notes: Leaking exchangers were removed from service. The metallurgy of the exchangers is being evaluated for upgrading.	77.0 pounds
94023 2007-02-17	safety valve release	Cause: safety valve release Followup: No Notes: unit feedrate was reduced until the faulty indicator could be repaired.	1,679.0 pounds
108033 2008-08-13	safety valve release	Cause: Equipment failure-valve blocked Followup: Yes Notes: a pressure indicator and associated alarms will be installed on the line to prevent a similar overpressure incident from occuring.	11,866.0 pounds
106262 2008-06-07	Atmospheric release/FLARE-Flare 17,19,23	Cause: Equipment failure-fault in power supplying transformer/air conditioner stopped working Followup: Yes Notes: Unit depressurized, temporary air conditioner installed to cool remaining electrical equipme	10,147.0 pounds
105542-105544 2008-05-11	safety valve release/ FLARE-Flare 17,23	Cause: process upset/under investigation Followup: Yes Notes: In response to the suspected exchanger tube leak, the unit was shut down per appropriate procedures. Safety valve inlet line was cleaned and replaced.	3,408.0 pounds
118656 2009-10-11	No Information Given	Cause: Hydrogen compressor for the hydrocracker had a bladder rupture. Followup: No Notes: RQ not exceeded. Situation secured.
117870 2009-09-11	FLARE	Cause: Safety release flaring. Followup: Yes Notes: RQ not exceeded.
117482 2009-08-25	FLARE	Cause: Hydrogen compressor leaking which caused flaring. Followup: No Notes: RQ not exceeded. De-pressurizing to stop flaring.
127131 2010-10-16	E-304 exchanger	Cause: LDEQ states that a possible leak in the flange of the exchanger caused the incident. Followup: No Notes: State Police report states that they blocked exchanger and began the process of depressurizing it. Roped of the area until leak stopped. No information given on repairs. Initial State Police report estimates release as greater than 1000 lbs of hydrogen. Refinery Letter states that no reportable quantities were exceeded. [BRQ].
126814 2010-10-01	Hydro Finers Unit	Cause: Hydrogen leak in Hydro Finers Unit. Followup: No Notes: Isolated section of line. Below Reportable Quantities.
125972 2010-08-27	no information given	Cause: leak on gasket--no details Followup: No Notes: Compressor valve isolated and depressurized.
125129 2010-07-23	exchanger E101	Cause: "Small exchanger fire during unit shutdown." Hydrogen leak from exchanger E101. Followup: No Notes: Team sent in to secure leak. No additional information given. LDEQ report only. No refinery letter.
123706 2010-05-25	no information given	Cause: Crack in weld off of a gas line. Followup: No Notes: "Steaming it to prevent ignition," and shut tower down. No additional information given. LDEQ report only. No refinery letter.
120709 2010-01-11	safety valve on gas compressor	Cause: "Safety valve lifted on gas compressor releasing hydrogen." Followup: No Notes: No information given. No reportable quantities were exceeded.
133778 2011-09-03	Safety Valve	Cause: Level controller went bad on a hot separator, causing a safety valve to release. Root cause of event was a plugged level instrument that resulted in high pressure. Only identified 18pounds out of 20 pound release. Followup: Notes: BRQ.	18.0 pounds
131965 2011-06-23	Pin hole leak in piping	Cause: A pin hole leak was found in a piece of piping connected as discharge from the Hydro Cracker Effluent. Followup: No Notes: No information given regarding remedial action. CO monitor was used to detect the hydrogen leak and read 600ppm. BRQ
131897 2011-06-18	flange	Cause: ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery wrote a letter to the LDEQ on June 18, 2011 for notification of the events and circumstances surrounding the flange release that occurred at the facility. Due to prompt incident response to mitigate the event duration, no reportable quantities were exceeded. Followup: No Notes: No information given.	28.0 pounds
130721 2011-04-18	Leak in HCLA unit	Cause: Hydrogen release from a leak in the HCLA unit. Followup: No Notes: The HCLA unit was depressurized to stop the leaking.
130442 2011-04-05	Unspecified furnace	Cause: Hydrogen released when a furnace had a pipe go through a temperature swing. Tied to T130054 incident. Furnace shutdown was on f-901 furnace. Followup: No Notes: No Information Given regarding remedial actions.
No LDEQ Reported 2011-04-04	Furnace F-901	Cause: Refinery letter states that hydrogen was released during the shutdown of furnace F-901 Followup: No Notes: BRQ. No Information Given. Refinery Letter Included. No LDEQ Report Included.
130354 2011-04-04	Flange leak on core outlet of furnace	Cause: Flange leak on the core outlet of the furnace. Might be caused by a storm or by the F-901 furnace shutdown. Followup: No Notes: Steam lance placed on the furnace to try and contain it.
128384 2011-01-03	Flange	Cause: LDEQ states that hydrogen was released due to a fire on the flange. Followup: No Notes: BRQ. The fire was extinguished. The reactor that caught fire was depressurized. Refinery letter states that air monitoring was conducted during incident and all readings were below equipment detection limits.	18.0 pounds
136303 2012-01-05	flange on ICN unit	Cause: A leak on a flange on the ICN unit leaked Hydrogen. Leak rate = 100lbs/hr. Smell was detected on compressor C-830 Followup: No Notes: Unit personnel tightened the flange and the leak was isolated. LDEQ received this Report on the 19th, a week after the reported date of being issued.	60.7 pounds