Document 6wKK3gny8a2k18mvG2yxVZOzR
EPA Inspection Report - Page 1 of 3
Region 6 - Enforcement & Compliance Assurance Division
INSPECTION REPORT
Inspection Date(s): Media Program: Regulatory Program(s)
04/21/2022 Air Title V
Company Name: Facility Name: Facility Physical Location:
(city, state, zip code) Mailing address:
(city, state, zip code) County/Parish: Facility Phone Number Facility Contact:
Occidental Chemical Corporation Convent Facility 7377 Highway 3214 Convent, LA 70723 7377 Highway 3214 Convent, LA 70723 St. James 225-563-9200 Chad Orillion Chad_Orillion@oxy.com
Environmental
Manager
FRS Number: Identification/Permit Number: Media Identifier Number: NAICS: SIC:
110000597328 LDEQ AI 3544; Permit 2560-00019-V7 AFS 22-09300019 2812, 2869 325180, 213112
Personnel participating in inspection:
Sarah Frey
EPA ECD-AT
Chris Williams
EPA OECA-AED
Richard Helmich
EPA NEIC
David Mahoney
EPA NEIC
Ali Gitipour
EPA ORD
Sophia Ong
LDEQ
Steve Welch
OxyChem
Mark Raimondi
OxyChem
Jake Valenti
OxyChem
Courtney Rome
OxyChem
Matt Delicata
OxyChem
Inspector Chemical Engineer Chemist Technical Coordinator Engineer Environmental Scientist Plant Manager Production Manager Safety and Security Manager Technical Manager Production Superintendant
EPA Lead Inspector Signature/Date
7/29/2022
Sarah Frey
Date
Supervisor Signature/Date
JAMES LEATHERS Date: 2022.08.03 13:27:47 -05'00' Digitally signed by JAMES LEATHERS
James Leathers
Date
6ENFORM-019-R8.2 (02/12/2020)
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EPA Inspection Report - Page 2 of 3
Section I - INTRODUCTION
Occidental Chemical Corp - Convent Facility Inspection Date 4/21/2022
PURPOSE OF THE INSPECTION
EPA inspectors Sarah Frey (Region 6) and Chris Williams (Headquarters), accompanied by Richard Helmich (National Enforcement Investigations Center, "NEIC"), David Mahoney (NEIC), and Ali Gitipour (Office of Research and Development), arrived at Occidental Chemical Corporation's Convent Facility ("OxyChem") at 8:45 am on April 21, 2022 for an unannounced inspection. We were accompanied by Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality inspector Sophia Ong. We met Steve Welch/Plant Manager, Courtney Rome/Technical Manager, Mark Raimondi/Production Manager, Jake Valenti/Safety and Security Manager, and Matt Delicata/Production Superintendent. Credentials were presented to Mr. Welch and we informed him that this was an EPA inspection to evaluate potential sources of excess emissions using EPA's Geospatial Measurement of Air Pollution ("GMAP") vehicle and evaluate compliance with the facility's Title V Permit and the Clean Air Act. The scope of the inspection is a partial compliance evaluation ("PCE"). This inspection occurred as part of the Administrator's Multi-Scale Monitoring Project called the Pollution Accountability Team ("PAT").
FACILITY DESCRIPTION
OxyChem (the "Facility") is a chemical manufacturing facility that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week under Permit Number 2560-00019-V7 issued June 27, 2019. The Facility employs approximately 125 employees and 80 contractors. The Facility was shutdown for 11 months during the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned to full operations in May 2021.
The Facility consists of three basic operations: a chlor-alkali plant utilizing modified asbestos diaphragm cells to produce chlorine, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen, an Ethylene Dichloride ("EDC") plant utilizing direct chlorination technology to produce EDC, and steam generating facilities that provide support to the chlor-alkali and EDC plants. Final product EDC is stored in one of four in-service EDC storage tanks (fixed roof) where it awaits shipment via ships or barges. Emissions from the EDC tanks are routed through a common header to a scrubber. The main control device is incineration at a boiler system.
Section II - OBSERVATIONS
The NEIC GMAP was driven by Mr. Mahoney and the instruments were operated by Mr. Helmich and Mr. Gitipour. A facility representative, Mr. Raimondi, was present in the GMAP. Inspectors Dr. Frey, Mr. Williams, and Ms. Ong were escorted by Mr. Welch in a separate vehicle. Mr. Raimondi guided the GMAP through the drivable roads at the Facility, where air pollution data was collected and recorded. A full report from the GMAP will be issued by NEIC at a later date.
Near the boilers, concentrations of methane emissions were detected at approximately 0.6 parts-permillion above background. No other emissions were detected during the site tour. The tour concluded around 11am.
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EPA Inspection Report - Page 3 of 3
Occidental Chemical Corp - Convent Facility Inspection Date 4/21/2022
Section III - AREAS OF CONCERN Richard Helmich, Sarah Frey, and Chris Williams conducted a closing conference at Occidental Chemical Corporation's Convent Facility at 11:05 am on April 21, 2022 with Mr. Welch and Mr. Raimondi. During the closing conference, Mr. Helmich reviewed the emissions detected by the GMAP during the inspection. We observed no areas of concern at the time of the inspection and departed the facility at 11:15 am. Section IV - FOLLOW UP No additional information was received by EPA after exiting the Facility on April 21, 2022. Section V - LIST OF APPENDICES
No Appendices.
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