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Calumet Lubricants 8 (1214), Shreveport

Causal Factor: Process Upset

LDEQ Accident Number
Accident Date
Point Source(s) Notes Amount of Release
97165

2007-06-18
Tank 60
Cause: There is no reason given for the problem which was that the tank overflowed

Followup: No

Notes: Leak in tank is listed as cause. Removed tank from service
Sour Crude: 840.0 gallons
112282

2009-01-23
pipeline
Cause: The pressure regulator valve failed on the pipeline supplying natural gas to Calumet. This caused the relief valve to vent the gas.

Followup: Yes

Notes: Relief valves were blocked in and repaired.

126344

2010-09-13
FLARE
Cause: Bird got into electrical equipment at the facility, flew into fuse, causing a power outage and subsequent SO2 release. Flare started up right away but smoked because plant was shut down and there was no steam going to it. FLARE.

Followup: No

Notes: Exceeded RQ. Power restored after a few hrs. Verbal/LEDQ Report only. No refinery letter.
Sulfur Dioxide: 1,024.0 pounds
135945

2011-12-15
Tank 56
Cause: Tank 56 was supposed to be receiving diesel from the diesel salt tanks. A valve on the line was inadvertently left closed, causing the pressure to open on the diesel salt tanks, spilling diesel on the ground. the diesel overflowed the containment and onto the ground nearby.

Followup: No

Notes: Operations opened line to relieve pressure. Vacuum trucks removed diesel on ground and gravel is to be replaced. Once the gravel is manifested and hauled away a copy of the manifest will be forwarded. Diesel did not enter a water body. Manifest document also included regarding soil contamination. Non hazardous petroleum contaminated debris was documented at a quantity of 20 cubic meters. Pictures of spill are included in the report. No mention of actions planned to prevent recurrence.
Diesel Fuel: 4,200.0 gallons
135180

2011-11-09
Flare
Cause: "Excess hydrogen gas and Flare Gas compressors not fully loaded". In other words, flare gas compressors not taking the load of the system. The hydrogen plant #1 was putting excess hydrogen in the flare line causing high flow issues a well. Reportable quantities of sulfur dioxide were exceeded from flare # 2.

Followup: No

Notes: Immediate corrective action taken was just to increase FGC pumping rates. No specific remedial action or plan to prevent recurrence. No LDEQ or SPOC report included
Hydrogen Sulfide: 3.4 pounds
Sulfur Dioxide: 1,258.0 pounds
133067

2011-08-11
catalytic dewaxing unit (CDW)
Cause: According to the FIF report, "both SRUs (sulfur recovery units)went down. Problems with CDW(catalytic dewaxing unit)caused hydrocarbons to go to amine unit, which shut down the SRU."

Followup: No

Notes: RQ Equipment was cleaned out and restarted. FIF report only.
Sulfur Dioxide: 2,235.0 pounds
132893

2011-08-02
sulfur recovery unit (SRU)
Cause: According to the FIF report, there were "problems with SRU (sulfur recovery unit) due to high temp and pressure. Flare compressors only partially compressing gas."

Followup: No

Notes: RQ The facility did not report the unauthorized discharge within the required 24 hours. No further information given. FIF report only.
Sulfur Dioxide: 30,393.0 pounds
132858

2011-08-01
flue gas compressor
Cause: The flue gas compressor shut down due to high temp and pressure.

Followup: No

Notes: RQ According to the LDEQ report, "The compressor was shut down about two hours then the issues were corrected" LDEQ and FIF reports only.
Sulfur Dioxide: 2,048.0 pounds
128512

2011-01-08
Diesel Hydrotreater
Cause: LDEQ report states that an upset occurred with the Diesel Hydrotreater resulting in a flare. Reddish black smoke.

Followup: No

Notes: sulfur dioxide were released to the flare resulting in a large black plume. No other information on remedial action was given. LDEQ report only; no refinery letter.
Sulfur Dioxide: 140.0 pounds
145355

2012-12-12
NIG
Cause: A Bucket Brigade representative contacted the LDEQ in reference to flaring and heavy black smoke at Calumet Waxes and Lubricant's Shreveport location. The LDEQ contacted Calumet who advised that the flaring was due to over pressure of the propane feed drum. The drum vents to the flare to reduce pressure, and did so intermittently a few times.

Followup: No

Notes: The unit was readjusted to resolve the issue. Sweet propane was released to the flare, and no sulfur compounds were emitted. Opacity was tracked during the event. LABB only has access to an LDEQ Field Interview Form and the LDEQ Incident Report.

151676

2013-10-16
Tank Farm
Cause: Overfill of Tank 82 during line up cause release of heavy wax crude oil into surrounding dike area.

Followup: No

Notes: Isolated tank and secured area. Planned clean up of free product and soil in the dike area.
Crude Oil: 33,600.0 gallons
147939

2013-04-08
Flare #2
Cause: The compressor for the Pressure Swing Absorber (PSA) tripped for 35 seconds on April 8, 2013. The PSA is responsible for purifying low grade hydrogen into high grade hydrogen. As a result of the PSA tripping, a mixture of 80% hydrogen gas and light hydrocarbon gas routed to the Flare #2 for approximately 3 minutes between 12:29 PM to 12:32 PM on April 8, 2013. Later on the same day, the PSA tripped again and upset the Propane De-asphalt Unit. Propane, which is used to separate the asphalt ingredients in this Propane De-Asphalt Unit, in excess was sent to this unit creating an overabundance of propane gas to be routed to Flare #2. Approximately 6.5 pounds of Sulfur Dioxide emissions were released to the flare between 1421 and 1454 hours on April 8, 2013. This amount was below reportable quantity.

Followup:

Notes: This investigation was prompted by a citizen complaint (Velma White) reporting on flaring black smoke was coming from Calumet refinery in Shreveport on April 8, 2013 at 12:34 PM. Air monitoring and an on-site investigation were conducted by LDEQ on 4/8/2013. Air monitoring report states that instrument "detected no harmful levels of CO, LEL, O2 or H2S".
Sulfur Dioxide: 6.5 pounds
146534

2013-02-11
Flare #2
Cause: Flaring and black smoke was documented by a citizen complaint and visually observed by LADEQ report author on February 11, 2013. Calumet representative attributed the flaring to three different factors. 1) The flare gas compressor tripped due to a bump in the fuel gas system. 2) The MEK Unit was being started up, and vents propaline to the flare with start up. 3) Boiler #6 was down due to a problem with the pressure control valve on the fuel gas line. While no reportable quantity levels were exceeded, the sulfur dioxide permit limits were exceeded. A total of 0.47 pounds of sulfur dioxide were released in the 24 hour period from flare #2. Sulfur dioxide emissions permit was exceeded between 1200 and 1400 hours on February 8, 2013.

Followup: No

Notes: A citizen report voicemail was received on the date of the incident (February 11. 2013) at approximately 1339 hours documenting flaring and black smoke that had lasted about 32 minutes at the time of the phone call. The LADEQ report author also visibly confirmed flaring and black smoke from the Northwest Regional Office. Also, lower explosive level (LEL) recorded by LADEQ was recorded at 1-2 ppm after car idled. LABB could not locate refinery letter to LADEQ citing sulfur dioxide permit exceedance.
Sulfur Dioxide: 0.5 pounds
146493

2013-02-08
Flare #2
Cause: A citizen reported flaring and black smoke at Calumet Lubricants Shreveport Refinery at approximately 1100 hours on February 8, 2013 to LADEQ. The flare was utilized due to the over-pressuring of the stripper tower downstream from the reactor during startup of the naphtha unifer. The LADEQ report author could also visibly see a black cloud of smoke from flare #2 from the LADEQ Northwest Regional Office. Communication between the LADEQ report author and plant provide flaring occurred around 0700 hours and 1100 hours on February 8, 2013. The event did not exceed reportable quantities, but the hourly permit limit of sulfur dioxide emissions (0.01 pounds per hour) were exceeded by a range of 0.08 to 3.34 pounds per hour (a total of 8.04 pounds SO2) on February 8, 2013.

Followup: No

Notes: LABB could not locate a refinery letter documenting this incident to LADEQ.
Sulfur Dioxide: 8.0 pounds
156054

2014-05-18
Amine Process Unit
Cause: Upset in amine scrubbing/SRU fuel treating units. Pressure control problems in acid gas feed system. Refinery exceeded 500lb RQ limit for SO2 from heaters/boilers and No. 2 flare.

Followup: No

Notes: The immediate corrective action taken was balancing the sulfur load through the refinery to reduce SO2 make. No specific remedial actions were taken to prevent recurrence.
Sulfur Dioxide: 822.0 pounds
154884

2014-03-28
Amine Process Unit
Cause: Refinery exceeded 500 lb RQ limit for SO2 from heaters and boilers during upset in refinery fuel gas system. Carryover of H2S from No. 1 amine scrubber resulted in high H2S in fuel system.

Followup: No

Notes: Report states that immediate corrective action included "make up amine into system to increase scrubbing". There were no actions taken to prevent recurrence.
Sulfur Dioxide: 920.0 pounds
153374

2014-01-14
SRU / Boilers, heater stacks facility-wide
Cause: Loss of SRU's and Boilers resulted in high sulfur content of refinery fuel gas. Field interview form states taht "sulfur dioxide release due to boilers shut down in the morning, causing sulfur to build up in the refinery fuel gas and release to atmosphere through all heater stacks facility-wide."

Followup: No

Notes: Facility circulated refinery units to reduce sulfur load as an immediate corrective action taken. There is no specific remedial action planned to prevent recurrence. Facility did not include process units, though form asks which emission points were involved in the accident. A field interview form (FIF) and site visit was completed on 1/14/2014. FIF states that there was a concentration of 1920 ppm H2S during the incident.
Sulfur Dioxide: 953.0 pounds