Filing: Valero Reports Flare at Houston ULSD unit

HOUSTON, TX (DTN) — Valero reported on Wednesday (10/8) an emission event at its 255,000 bpd Houston, Texas, refinery affecting the main refinery and ultra-low sulfur (ULSD) unit due to a power disruption, according to a filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

On Tuesday (10/7), a planned maintenance activity at the refinery inadvertently caused a loss of power to certain control systems at approximately 11:03 a.m. CT. This activated the flare system to control excess process materials and reduce potential emissions, the filing stated.

“As a result, visible flaring occurred at emission points 30FL1 and 30FL6, leading to a reportable quantity exceedance for particulate matter, sulfur dioxide and propylene,” according to the filing. 

Confirmation from the company was not available due to its policy of not commenting on production issues.