Williams Energy Marketing & Trading - Executive Summary |
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At this facility, we handle a regulated substance, butane. Butane is considered hazardous by EPA. The same properties that make butane valuable as a fuel also make it necessary to observe certain safety precautions in handling this substance to prevent unnecessary human exposure, to reduce the threat to our own personal health as well as our co-workers, and to reduce the threat to nearby members of the community. It is our policy to adhere to all applicable Federal and State rules and regulations. Safety depends upon the manner in which we handle butane combined with the safety devices inherent in the design of this facility combined with the safe handling procedures that we use and the training of our personnel. This facility has implemented all 14 elements of OSHA's 1910.119 Process Safety Management regulation to ensure facility and process safety. Our emergency response program is based upon NPGA's LP-Gas Safety Handbook, NFPA-58 and pre-planning with local emergency response comm ittees. The emergency response plan includes procedures for notification of local fire authorities and notification of any potentially affected neighbors. This facilities primary purpose is to distribute butane to retail and wholesale customers. This regulated substance is used by our customers as a fuel. This regulated substance is received by rail cars and by truck transport and stored in twelve storage bullets. Butane is distributed by truck to customers. This facility has equipment for unloading rail cars and trucks and equipment to load trucks. Access to the site is restricted to authorized employees, authorized management personnel and authorized contractors. Failure of the largest storage tank when filled to the greatest amount allowed would release butane. NFPA 58 and company policy limits the maximum filling capacity of this tank to 85% at 60 F. It is assumed that the entire contents are released as vapor which finds an ignition source, 10 % of the released quantity is assum ed to participate in the resulting explosion. The distance to the endpoint of 1 psi for the worst-case scenario is .43 miles. A hose failure in our loading or unloading areas. The excess flow valves function to stop the flow. The content of the hose is released. The resulting unconfined vapor travels to the lower flammability limit. The distance to the endpoint for the lower flammability limit for the alternative scenario is less than 280 feet. This release has the possibility of extending beyond the facility boundary. This distribution facility complies with EPA's Accidental Release Prevention Rule and with all applicable state codes and regulations. This facility was designed and constructed in accordance with NFPA-58. All terminal operators and drivers have been thoroughly trained using NPGA's guidelines and company policy. This facility has implemented all 14 elements of OSHA's 1910.119 Process Safety Management regulation to ensure facility and process safety. We have had no a ccidents at this facility in the past five years. This facilities emergency response program is based upon the NGPA's LP-Gas Handbook, "Guidelines for Developing Plant Emergency response Procedures" and How to Control LP-Gas Leaks and Fires". We have discussed this program with the Brown County (LEPC) Local Emergency Planning Committee and the Green Bay WI. Fire Department. A representative of the Green Bay WI. Fire Department visited this facility on April 9th, 1999. This facility was constructed in 1992 and is in compliance with NFPA-58 Standard. |