LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

Placid Refining Co., LLC, Port Allen

Releases in 2009

LDEQ Incident Number Incident Date	Point Source/Release	Notes
118307 2009-09-30	Point Source(s): Sump pump Pollutant(s): Diesel Fuel - BRQ Kerosene - BRQ #6 Oil - BRQ	Cause: A delay in the automatic start-up of sump pump 839 on Placid's south dock allowed oily material to back up into secondary containment. A previously unknown crack in the secondary containment curb allowed material to seep out and cause a sheen. Followup: No Notes: Automatic switches were replaced, and the pump was reset. Also the crack was repaired.
117777 2009-09-06	Point Source(s): FLARE Pollutant(s): Flammable Gas - BRQ	Cause: planned flaring during start up of an unit. Followup: No Notes:
117362 2009-08-18	Point Source(s): #2 Sulfur Recover Unit Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 1,054 pounds	Cause: Water got into the instrument air system which resulted in the diversion of acid gases to the number three sulfur unit that resulted in the excess emissions from the #2 Sulfur Recover Unit. Followup: No Notes: Police report only. No letter or follow up from the refinery.
116624 2009-07-21	Point Source(s): FLARE Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - BRQ	Cause: Water from the farm tank reached the crude unit, that result in flaring of preflash gas. Followup: Yes Notes: No Information Given
116433 2009-07-09	Point Source(s): Flare Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 1,100 pounds	Cause: The released has been happened as a result of flaring during unplanned FCCU shutdown. On 7/9/09 FCCU experienced an uninterruptible power supply malfunction causing an emergency shutdown valves to go into fail position and flared sour water and wet gas. Followup: No Notes: No information given. The release has be contained within few hours.
116009 2009-06-25	Point Source(s): Flare Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 940 pounds	Cause: Placid#3 sulfur unit experienced a malfunctioning PLC due to overheating. Resulting in the flaring of acid gas and sour water. Followup: No Notes: Placid installed a cooler on the PLC panel.
115997 2009-06-25	Point Source(s): Flare stack, EQT016, EPN 18-74 Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 10,520 pounds	Cause: No. 3 sulfur unit experienced a malfunctioning PLC, due to overheating, which resulted in flaring of acid gas and sour water. Followup: No Notes: No information given
114651 2009-05-03	Point Source(s): Placid's Marine recovery Pollutant(s): Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - BRQ	Cause: Placid's Marine vapor recovery unit malfunctioned due to high temperatures. Followup: No Notes: no information given. Placid was granted a variance on its title V permit. VOC's controlled by the carbon absorption system to another control device in order to repair the system.
112709 2009-02-11	Point Source(s): FCCU Pollutant(s): FCCU Feed - 0	Cause: Placid's emergency shutdown system was activated in the FCC unit due to a closing control valve and low main air blower discharge flow. During the shutdown valve leaked and the gases ignited. Flaring of debutanizer occurred during start up and shutdown. Followup: No Notes: Fire extinguished, eliminated charge from unit, unit brought back online. In addition, training was conducted to prevent similar incidents in the future.
112709 2009-02-11	Point Source(s): refinery Pollutant(s): FCCU Feed - BRQ	Cause: The emergency shutdown system was activated in the FCC unit due to a closing control valve and low main air blower discharge flow. During shutdown, a remote operating valve leaked and the gases ignited. Flaring occurred during start-up and shutdown. Root cause is identified as closed control valve. No information is given on releases. Followup: No Notes: Fire was extinguished, eliminated charge from unit, unit brought back online. In addition, training was conducted to prevent similar incidents in the future.