Flaring at ExxonMobil's Beaumont facility

23-Jan-08

ExxonMobil's Beaumont facility has had flaring of some hydrocarbon, which sent twin columns of flame shooting into the sky. A temporary loss of feedstock supplying process equipment at the ExxonMobil Corp. Beaumont chemical plant resulted in flaring. The problem began early Tuesday afternoon when a compressor tripped. Because of this, the emissions from the chemical plant which produces ethylene had to be diverted to the flares. The flares are necessary when equipment malfunctions. The company will determine how much in emissions resulted from the flaring and whether it needs to be reported to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as an upset. Such reports are required to be made within 24 hours of an incident.