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Phillips 66 (2418), Belle Chasse

LDEQ Accident Report

Accident #115614
State Police #09-1803
Accident Date2009-06-12
Report Date 2009-06-19
Follow-up Date 0000-00-00
Follow-up: No

Pollutants Released

Pollutant Duration Point Source Greenhouse Gas Criteria Pollutant Ozone forming chemical Amount of Release
Sulfur Dioxide360 minutes308F-D-1 (Low Pressure Flare); 308F-D-2 (High Pressure Flare)NOYESNO1,446.0 pounds

Accident Classified As:

Cause of Problem: Instrument Failure

Approximately three hours following the installation of the level transmitter, operating conditions within the saturated gas unit began to show periodic spikes of liquid carryover into the inlet of the compressor (7991-K-1) by having periodic compressor speed slowdowns. The liquid carryover seems to have been attributed to the level transmitter malfunctioning both in response time and level indication. The next day, the Saturated Gas Unit Compressor unexpectedly shut down due to a high level alarm in the compressor's suction drums (7991-V-7 and V-8) which get their feed from the Absorber/Stripper column (V-2). Several process unites then flared due to inlet gases being routed to the FCC Compressor and subsequent upset conditions from suddenly swinging into a different compressor system. This eventually caused the FCC compressor to shut down. When the FCC Compressor shuts down in an emergency, it causes the entire Low Sulfur Gasoline Units (among other operations) to shutdown as well. *Could also be classified as start up/shut down.

Discharge Preventable - No

"Unexpected shutdown of the Saturated Gas Unit's Compressor."

Notes/Remedial Actions

Immediately tried to restart the Saturated Gas Unit's compressor as well as route the inlet gases to the FCC Compressor which began to also have de-stabilizing operating conditions. "No offsite impact noted throughout the event."