ConocoPhillips has reached an agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Justice under the Clean Air Act to reduce harmful air emissions by more than 47,100 tons/year from its US refineries. The combined facilities in seven states represent nearly 10% of total US refining capacity.
A consent decree, filed Jan. 27 in US District Court for the Southern District in Texas, requires ConocoPhillips to spend more than $525 million to install and implement control technologies to reduce the emissions. Conoco- Phillips also will pay a $4.5 million civil penalty and spend more than $10 million on supplemental environmental projects and activities in the communities in which it operates.
States joining the settlement—Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, as well as the Northwest Clean Air Agency in Washington state—will share in the cash penalties and the supplemental projects.
To meet obligations under EPA's New Source Review program, ConocoPhillips will cut emissions from its largest emitting units. Under a negotiated settlement, it will upgrade leak detection and repair practices, implement programs to minimize flaring of hazardous gases, reduce emissions from sulfur recovery plants, and adopt strategies to ensure the proper handling of hazardous benzene wastes at each refinery.
The affected refineries and their capacities are Belle Chasse, La., 250,000 b/cd; Sweeny, Tex., 220,970 b/cd; Borger, Tex., 137,880 b/cd; Carson and Wilmington near Los Angeles, 130,500 b/cd; Rodeo and Santa Maria near San Francisco, 122,460 b/cd; Wood River, Ill., 286,400 b/cd; Bayway at Linden, NJ, 237,500 b/cd; Ferndale, Wash., 87,650 b/cd; and Trainer, Pa., 188,670 b/cd. EPA said ConocoPhillips's actions at those sites will reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide by more than 10,000 tons/year and sulfur dioxide by more than 37,100 tons/year.
With this agreement, more than 50% of domestic refining capacity has now been covered by settlements under EPA Clean Air Act enforcement initiatives. When fully implemented, the settlements will reduce emissions of air pollutants by 240,000 tons/year at 57 refineries in 26 states, said an EPA spokesman.