Delaware City Refinery cited for more violations
$20,000 in fines could be leveled against Delaware River facility
- The Delaware City released nearly 19 tons of potentially toxic chemicals into the air.
- The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control cited the plant.
- Each day in which a violation occurred could result in fines ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.
The Delaware City Refining Co. could face up to $20,000 in state fines for a pair of equipment leaks that together released nearly 19 tons of potentially toxic chemicals into the air.
State regulators say the refinery released nearly 3 tons of sulfur dioxide in late 2014, followed by the release of nearly 16 tons of six chemicals in early 2015.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control last month issued a single notice of violation to the refinery for both incidents. The violation notice informs refinery owner PBF Energy that each release represents a violation of the refinery’s state permit and enforcement action may be taken.
DNREC will now determine what fines if any should be levied for the violations, state regulators said. Each day in which a violation occurred could result in fines ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.
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“The company does not routinely comment on specific notices such as these,” PBF Energy spokeswoman Lisa Lindsey said via email. “However, it is important that our neighbors and the community know that our Delaware City team is dedicated to operating the refinery in an environmentally responsible manner and continuously reducing emissions from the plant.”
One of the violations cited by DNREC occurred on Dec. 11, 2014, when refinery workers reportedly discovered a leak in a 2-inch valve on vapor-liquid separator, a device that helps remove sulfur from natural gas and by-product gasses during the crude oil refining process.
The leaking valve released roughly 6,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide into the air over two hours, according to DNREC records.
Short-term exposure to sulfur dioxide – ranging from 5 minutes to 24 hours – can worsen existing respiratory illnesses, particularly among asthmatics and those suffering from emphysema and bronchitis, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The chemical also can aggravate existing heart disease, leading to increased hospital visits and premature death, the agency’s website states.
Refinery workers reportedly were alerted to a second leak on Feb. 22, 2015. The workers, regulators claim, noticed liquid and vapor spraying from a 6-inch line on a flare quench drum, a vessel that prevents liquid hydrocarbon condensation from reaching the emergency flare system that burns off chemicals before they can be released into air.
The leak resulted in the release of 11,200 pounds of methane, 9,100 pounds of ethane, 6,900 pounds of propane, 4,100 pounds of propylene, 5,700 pounds of hydrogen sulfide and 140 pounds of 1,3-butadiene.
Methane, ethane and propylene are potentially explosive, but not listed as hazardous air pollutants by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Hydrogen sulfide, meanwhile, can be poisonous in high concentrations, leading to unconsciousness, respiratory arrest, poor motor function and even death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Exposure to low concentrations may cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, poor memory, tiredness and balance problems.
The chemical butadiene, commonly found in motor vehicle exhaust, is a known carcinogen that can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs, along with blurred vision, fatigue, headaches and vertigo, according to the EPA. Chronic exposure also can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
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The February 2015 leak came 12 days before a stuck valve caused 70 tons of hot petroleum coke to be released into the air. That incident forced a shutdown of the refinery and sent a sooty steam plume into the air that could be seen for miles.
PBF Energy officials declined to say whether the leak recently flagged by DNREC was related to the release of coke less than two weeks later.
The most recent violation notice issued to the refinery comes just months after DNREC cited the facility for 26 “flaring” incidents that occurred between mid-2013 and late 2015.
Those violations resulted in the combined release of more than 100 tons of sulfur dioxide. Once incident also included the release of hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide.
The 28 violation notices issued by DNREC this year also do not include chemical releases that occurred at the refinery in 2016, including flaring incidents that followed a full plant shut-down during a January blizzard or an "operational error" issue in June.
Contact business reporter Scott Goss at (302) 324-2281, sgoss@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @ScottGossDel.