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Phillips 66 (2418), Belle Chasse

Releases in 2012

LDEQ Accident Number
Accident Date
Point Source/Release CauseNotes
144765

2012-11-17
Point Source(s):
Dock 1 loading line

Pollutant(s):
Gasoline - 1 gallons
Cause of Problem: Corrosion

A very small dripping leak was discovered on loading Dock 1 on the gasoline loading line. The line that leaked was not in use for any vessel loading, but it was pressured up as gasoline was being loaded onto a vessel at Dock 2. Upon discovery of the leak, the Dock 1 line was isolated from the refinery system supplying the Dock 2 loading, and the visual rate observed was 1 drop per second. The worse case duration would be 150 minutes. After calculations, the estimated volume of the release is .12 gallons. On 11/19/12, leakage was observed dripping from the clamped area. Given that the line remained isolated, Monday's leak was caused by thermal expansion of the product in the blocked in section of the loading line. Operators reduced the pressure on the pipe and the leak stopped; this process has continued to prevent any other leakage. A hanging scaffold was erected to allow placement of a containment under the clamped area. The leak rate observed was variable, but estimated as .5 gallons per hour and the duration was 35 minutes; therefore the total spill volume is less than 1 gallon. The leak was a result of external corrosion on the bottom of the Dock 1 loading line.
An engineered, permanent clamp will be installed by 11/26/12. Future mechanical integrity assessments of over water piping will also employ a boat to allow better inspection of the bottom of the piping. Less than a gallon of gasoline was released.
143040

2012-09-16
Point Source(s):
Low Pressure Flare

Pollutant(s):
Sulfur Dioxide - 418 pounds
Cause of Problem: Weather

On September 16, 2012 the Alliance Refinery began a planned and controlled start-up of its Sour Water Stripper (SWS) Unit following its unexpected shutdown for the approaching landfall of Hurricane Isaac. With the Refomner Unit 1391 starting up concurrently, refinery hydrogen production had also begun. Refinery hydrogen product is normally routed to various units and can be routed as well to the refinery's fuel gas system. However, due to the transient nature of refinery start-ups, select refinery units that normally consume hydrogen had not yet begin operations requiring some hydrogen production to be routed to the fuel gas system. It was discovered that this routing to the fuel gas system inadvertently caused a Fuel Gas Pressure Relief valve (410-PSV-30) to intermittently relieve to the Low Pressure (LP) Flare (308F-D-1) as it is designed. The mostly hydrogen based material became intermixed with some of the SWS overhead vapor traffic that was routed lei the LP Flare for only a very short period of time.
On 9/16/2012 there was an acccident from 1:30AM to 1:35PM (725 minutes) [it was discovered 9/16/2012 at 6:00AM]. Upon discovery of 410-PSV-30 relieving to the LP Flare, operational adjustments were made and the intermittent flaring stopped. No reportable quantities were exceeded. Linked to NRC report # 1024575. In the refinery letter they describe the pollutant released as mostly hydrogen, but the only quantity listed is for Sulfur Dioxide - 418 lbs (no emission calculations sheet attached).
143540

2012-09-06
Point Source(s):
Pinhole leaks on roof of Tank 100-T-003

Pollutant(s):
Crude Oil - BRQ
Cause of Problem: No Information Given

A routine inspection on Sept 6, 2012 of tank 100-T-003 revealed that the roof of this tank had been damaged and that the roof developed pinhole leaks.
Approx 10% of roof deck has product and water present. Product is seeping from previous repairs. 2 in. primary gap on west side of tank 15 ft in length. The regulations require that there be no liquid on the floating roof. The product stored in the tank is crude oil and a small amount of the product was on the floating roof of the tank. Notifications were submitted to the Department and tank was repaired. The tanks seal and roof pinholes will be repaired in conjunction with the requirements stipulated for the deviation discovery.
142621

2012-09-04
Point Source(s):
South-end of lhe Refinery Sewer System

Pollutant(s):
Oil - 42 gallons
Cause of Problem: Weather

This release of QTY>1 bbl Oil (exceeding RQ) occurred during Hurricane Isaac. The refinery flooded after the winds of hurricane Isaac pushed water over the western levees of Plaquemines Parish. Oily water from the collection system overflowed to the ground and adjacent area near the wastewater collection system inlets. A thin layer of oil was deposited on vegetation and soil in the areas where the wastewater collection system overflowed. Did affect some vegetation and some of the ground. The facility claims the oil was mostly contained within the refinery. A flyover reported a sheen noted in the Mississippi River on 08/30/12 but not on 08/31/12.
This accident is inked to NRC Report# 1 023225. According to the written notification, the clean-up started as soon as the release was discovered. Oil Mop Inc. was activated to manage and clean up the entire site. Vacuum trucks were utilized to pick up free oil present within accumulated storm water. Oil booms were deployed to prevent further movement of free oil from affected areas. An investigation will commence following Alliance Refinery's recovery from the impact of Hurricane Isaac. Any identified corrective actions shall be implemented. The SPOC reports lists quantity of oil released as QTY>1 bbl, but no subsequent report gives the actual quantity released.
142607

2012-09-02
Point Source(s):
no information given

Pollutant(s):
Oil - BRQ
Cause of Problem: Weather

Leaking oil storage facility released oil into facility and surrounding area due to flooding in the Myrtle Grove area wetlands.
This incident which occurred as a result of Hurricane Isaac was assessed and visited by Unified Command which consisted of the USCG, LDEQ, EPA, and NOAA. This incident was signed off by the Unified Command and is considered closed. Only SPOC and verbal report attached.
142368

2012-08-27
Point Source(s):
Low Pressure Flare and High Pressure Flare

Pollutant(s):
Sulfur Dioxide - 1,916 pounds
Cause of Problem: Weather

On the morning of August 27, 2012 while shutting down the entire refinery for the expected landfall of Hurricane Isaac the Flare Gas Recovery System was taken offline due to limited Refinery fuel gas needs and the Units that process recovered flare liquids were shutdown.
Minimized flaring emissions by practicing good combustion practicies and making sure the highest flaring contributors were already taken offline prior to shutting down the FGRS. An investigation will commence following Alliance Refinery's recovery from the Impact of Hurricane Isaac.
136882

2012-02-01
Point Source(s):
1391-FF (1391-PSV-009)

Pollutant(s):
Hydrogen - 486 pounds
Methane - 1,367 pounds
Ethane - 4,630 pounds
Propane - 6,470 pounds
Butane - 2,396 pounds
1-Butene - 2,136 pounds
Butene - 10 pounds
2,2-Dimethylpropane - 7 pounds
Pentane - 1,983 pounds
3-Methyl-1-Butene - 1 pounds
trans-2-Pentene - 1 pounds
2-Methyl-2-Butene - 1 pounds
Nitrogen - 72 pounds
1-Pentene - 1 pounds
2-Methyl-1-Butene - 2 pounds
Benzene - 5 pounds
n-Butane - 3
Cause of Problem: Process Upset

There was an unexpected increase in the Depantanizer tower's overhead pressure causing PSV-009 to relieve. This was the result of the shutdown of the reboiler due to high burner pressure.
The reboiler (1391-H-4) temperature was lowered which lowered the pressure in the Depantanizer Tower allowing 1391-PSV-009 to reseat. There is no LDEQ report and no SPOC report attached to this file. 19,570 pounds released