LA Bucket Brigade : Refinery Accident Database

About the Database

Alon Refining (3116), Krotz Springs

Releases in 2013

LDEQ Accident Number Accident Date	Point Source/Release	Cause	Notes
151752 2013-10-21	Point Source(s): FCCU Flare Pollutant(s): Sulfur Dioxide - 1,012 pounds	Cause of Problem: Process Upset Hydrocarbon carryover from the Amine Unit to the Ammonium Thiosulfate Unit (ATS) cause the ATS incinerators to reach an unsafe operational temperature. Therefore, to stabilize the ATS incinerators and downstream equipment, the Amine Reflux drum was drained to the flare causing an increase in Sulfur Dioxide emissions from the flare.	Once the ATS unit was stable, the Amine Reflux drum drain was closed to the flare.
149682 2013-07-15	Point Source(s): Complex 1 & 2 Flares, FCCU Stack Complex 2 Flare Pollutant(s): Carbon Monoxide - 375 pounds Sulfur Dioxide - 500 pounds	Cause of Problem: Power Failure On July 15, 2013 at approximately 12:28 pm, Alon Refining Krotz Springs (ARKS) suffered a facility-wide power loss. This power loss caused a facility-wide emergency shutdown. Due to the emergency shut down, there were smoking flares, maximum hourly CO emissions were exceeded, and the 24-hour SO2 limit was exceeded.	ARKS was, at the time prior to the power outage, being properly operated. All emission control devices were operating properly and no emission exceedances were noted prior to the power outage. ARKS took all reasonable steps to minimize levels of emissions that exceeded the emissions standards and other requirements in the permit. All emission control devices were operating properly and the emergency shutdown was conducted in accordance with the Startup, Shutdown, Malfunction Plan (SSMP).
149703 2013-07-15	Point Source(s): Tank 80-8 Pollutant(s): Benzene - 1 pounds Crude Oil - 345 pounds	Cause of Problem: Power Failure Due to a power outage causing the emergency shutdown, light ends from Complex 1 were being diverted to Crude tank 80-8, causing oil to release out of the vent onto the floating roof through the roof drain and out onto the tank farm.	Diverted roof drain to sump and deployed absorbent boom.
149669 2013-07-06	Point Source(s): No Information Given Pollutant(s): Unknown Substance - BRQ	Cause of Problem: No Information Given A sheen of unknown material approximately 100 sq. feet in size was detected on the Atchafalaya River on July 6, 2013. Alon Refining Krotz Springs, Inc. reported the sheen to the US Coast Guard and LDEQ as being of unknown origin. After investigation, it is still believed that the sheen came from an off-site location up-river from the refinery.	Unable to determine the source of the sheen.
No LDEQ Number Available 2013-05-19	Point Source(s): Dock #5 loading arm drain line Pollutant(s): Slop Oil - 1 pounds	Cause of Problem: No Information Given On May 19, there was a slop oil leak into the Atchafalaya River from the loading arm drain line at Dock #5.	The loading arm drain line was flushed with water then the loading arm drain line was isolated and free of any oil or water.
148327 2013-04-25	Point Source(s): Drain connect to heat exchanger FCCU Unit Flare Pollutant(s): Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 501 pounds NOx - 9 pounds Carbon Monoxide - 50 pounds Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - 580 pounds Hydrogen Sulfide - 28 pounds	Cause of Problem: Maintenance/Procedures On April 25, contractors were in the process of repairing a leak on a drain valve of a heat exchanger in the Reformer Unit. While placing a clamp on the heat exchanger to encase the valve and stop the leak, the point where the drain connects to the heat exchanger failed, releasing LPG (propane/butane mix). At about 8:14 am, the LPG ignited and a fire began. The fire was ultimately controlled, and remaining LPG was flared in a controlled manner until the damaged equipment was free of flammable gas.	The Refinery Emergency Response Team immediately responded to control and extinguish the fire. While fighting the fire, the entire refinery was shut down to mitigate additional danger from the fire. Upon and since emergency shutdown of the FCCU Regenerator, stack concentration limits for CO (500 ppm hourly average), SO2 (50 ppm 7-day rolling average), and Opacity (30% for 2 or more 6 min per hour) have been exceeded. While 7-day average SO2 concentration limits dictated by the Consent Decree were exceeded, permitted lb/hr limits were not. The Consent Decree exempts SO2 exceedances during times of SSM. The Complex II Fuel gas H2S 3-hr average limit of 161 ppm was exceeded due to forced shutdown of the H2S treatment system. Upon startup of the FCCU after the incident from May 6 through May 7, the FCCU stack concentration limits for CO were exceeded for 9 hours with the hourly pounds per hour limit for CO exceeded during 4 of those hours. CO will generally be high upon startup until temperatures become high enough to adequately combust the coke on catalyst. On April 29, the Complex 2 flare exceeded its Consent Decree 24-hr SO2 limit of 500 lbs/dy. However, no Title V hourly maximum permit limit was exceeded.