Document DGxKdexrXpBDGmkddBzz4QKdO

Lake Charles VCM Plant CERTIFIED MAIL #8090987 RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED .(conocs) received !iii\i ij j 1983 May 31, 1983 Gus VonBodungen Air Qua!ity Div. Office of Env. Affairs Dept, of Natural Resources P 0 Box 44066 .Baton Rouge* LA 70804 Dear Mr. VonBodungen: A variance was granted to the Conoco Chemicals' VCM Plant in Westlake, Louisiana from the control requirements of Section 22.8 of the Air Quality Regulations for the period of five days beginning May 7, 1983 and ending May 12, 1983. The variance was for the initial startup activities (mixer tests and initial startups) associated with the commissioning and initial operation of the Conoco VCM Plant's Oxygen-based Oxychlorination Unit. A total of five sets of mixer tests were performed with total miscellaneous hydrocarbon emissions (ethylene) being 17.43 tons. There were four attempts to start-up the new reactor system. An automatic shutdown occurred during each of the first three attempts. On the fourth start-up attempt the unit remained in operation with all systems operating properly with the exception of the purge gas dryer system. The purge gas stream from the Oxygen-based Oxychlorination Unit must be dried before it is processed in our Direct Chlorinator. The purge gas was therefore vented through our vent scrubber until the drier system problem was resolved and then the gas was routed to the direct chlorinator. The unanticipated dryer system difficulties caused the fourth startup to account for 90.5% of our total 34.87 tons of emissions that occurred during the initial start-ups. Table I shows a summary of the actual emissions. If you have any questions, please contact Ron Bryan at (.318) 491-5062. cc: Joe Withers - DNR bcc: ESW-BIR-JCL-JWW-MLA- RB-DLD-MGH-MWC we 000014070 TABLE I SUMMARY OF EMISSIONS Components Mixer Tests(l) (Tons) Initial Oxy (2) Startups (Tons) Miscellaneous Hydrocarbons Vinyl Chloride Miscellaneous Chlorinated Hydrocarbons Carbon Monoxide Total 17.43 0 0 0 17.43 33.23 .02 .46 1 .16 34.87 (3) Notes 1) Five sets of mixer tests were required. 2) The unit was operating properly after the fourth attempted start-up. 3) The fourth (final) start-up accounted for 90.5% of the total startup emissions. 0oooi*lX