Pemex's Deer Park Refinery Coker Unit Sees Major Flaring


   
Maria Eugenia Garcia
DTN Managing Editor

   HOUSTON, TX -- Pemex reported an emission event at the coker unit of its 
340,000 bpd,  Deer Park, Texas, refinery, according to a filing with the Texas 
Commission on Environmental Quality.

   The incident began at 6:27 a.m. on December 24, when a wet gas compressor at 
the facility's coker unit tripped due to a power fluctuation. The event lasted 
until 2:39 p.m. and released nearly 121,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide into the 
air--the largest pollutant by volume.

   Additional emissions included 3,100 pounds of carbon monoxide, 1,750 pounds 
of hydrogen sulfide, and various volatile organic compounds totaling several 
thousand pounds, including butane, propane, and other hydrocarbons.

   Several pollutants exceeded hourly permit limits during the incident, 
including sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrogen 
sulfide.

   Operators stabilized the unit and restarted the compressor to minimize 
emissions. The quantities were determined using engineering calculations, 
analyzers, and flow meters. The incident remains under investigation and is 
listed as open.




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