Lone Star Gas Liquids Processing, Inc. - Executive Summary |
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The Lone Star Gas Liquids Processing plant is sited approximately ten miles northwest of Bakersfield, California, and 7 miles south of Shafter, California. The plant occupies approximately forty acres. The plant processes natural gas liquids (NGL). Processes include: LPG fractionation; butamerization; deisobutanization; hydrogen generation. Other associated equipment includes a hot oil system, 5,600,000 gallons of product storage, and truck and rail loading/unloading racks. The butamer unit converts normal butane into isobutane using a platinum catalyst. The final product is a mixture of normal butane and isobutane. This mixture is sent to the deisobutanizer for separation. Isobutane is then pumped to storage and normal butane is recycled. The hydrogen unit manufactures hydrogen that is used in the butamer reaction. Steam and natural gas are reacted together to produce hydrogen. The hydrogen is then purified and consumed in the butamer unit. The hot oil system provides mos t of the heat required for the deisobutanizer and butamer units. This unit uses a stable hydrocarbon as the heating medium. The process is regulated by Cal-OSHA Process Safety Management of Acutely Hazardous Materials, Title 8 California Code of Regulations 5189. The facility is currently in compliance with all PSM requirements. The prevention program based on this regulation includes the following: Employee Participation; Process Safety Information; Process Hazard Analysis; Operating Procedures; Training; Contractor Safety; Contractor and Visitor Orientation; Pre-Job Startup Review; Mechanical Integrity; Code of Safe Practices; Management of Change; Incident Investigation; Emergency Planning and Response; and Compliance Audits. Mechanical Integrity includes ultrasonic testing of vessels and piping. Lone Star Gas Liquids Processing maintains an emergency response plan in compliance with local emergency response agencies. The site has a Hazardous Materials Business Plan on fil e with the Kern County Environmental Health Department and Certified Unified Program Agency. Lone Star Gas Liquids Processing has had zero incidents in the past five years. The Safety and Environmental Supervisor provided this information. The Worst Case Scenario results in a 1 psig overpressure at a distance of 1.6 miles from the 2,100,000-gallon storage sphere. The distance was calculated using RMPComp (V1.06) based on liquefied isobutane stored under pressure. The Alternative Release Scenario results in a 1 psig overpressure at a distance of 0.05 miles. The distance was calculated using RMPComp (V1.06) based on liquefied isobutane leaking for 5 minutes from a ruptured 2" pipe. A separate consequence study, CONSEQUENCE ANALYSIS AND REVIEW OF FIRE PROTECTION FOR PROPOSED BUTANE STORAGE SPHERES, was performed by Gage-Babcock & Associates, on behalf of Lone Star Gas Liquids Processing, in 1995. The study concluded that a 2" pipe rupture would result in a thermal radiation exposu re of 500 BTU/hr/ft2 at 190 feet, and a 1 psig overpressure at 215 feet. A seismic assessment walkthrough was performed. No significant deficiencies were found. |