View full sizeThe Delaware City Refinery can be seen from near the mouth of the Salem River in Salem County. Incinerator stacks used to burn off gases from the refinery can be seen to the left and right of the photo.SALEM
— Salem County officials are angered that they were not notified of an incident at the Delaware City Refinery Sunday night that resulted in the release of chemicals into the air.
A power failure prompted the activation of incinerator towers that lit up the night sky with large flame plumes and caused rumblings heard as far east as Elmer.
“I am appalled and dismayed that the State of Delaware chose not to follow protocol during this incident by submitting a report to the State of New Jersey and Salem County Office of Emergency Management,” said County Administrator Earl R. Gage. “We knew nothing about the release of toxic chemicals and any other sort of leak into the air.”
The oil refinery is located north of Delaware City, Del., across the Delaware River from Salem City.
Delaware City Refinery Spokesman Michael Gayda said the power failure around the 7 p.m. hour caused several units at the oil refinery to shut down. As a result, gases in some of the production units were directed to the incinerator towers and burned off, producing the large orange flames seen for miles.
Refineries use the incinerator towers to burn off gases when production systems shut down while processing to prevent damage to processing equipment — which operates under high pressure and temperatures — or spills of pollutants.
View full sizeFlares burning off gases at the Delaware City Refinery are seen Sunday night from across the Delaware River.Delaware City Refinery reported to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control that during Sunday night’s incident 1,000 pounds of carbon monoxide, 10 pounds of toxic hydrogen cyanide, 100 pounds of hydrogen sulfide and 500 pounds of sulfur dioxide were released into the air.
Gayda said the refinery is required to report any releases to Delaware officials quickly so the amounts actually released may be lower.
“We err on the high side,” Gayda said of the initial reports to Delaware state officials.
Gayda said the cause of the power outage was being investigated and units at the refinery were being gradually restarted on Monday.
The major flaring at the top of two incinerator towers continued for about an hour before gradually dying down.
The wind was coming from the south/southeast when the flaring began and later changed to south, according to National Weather Service records. Had the wind been from the west, it would have carried any releases into Salem City and areas of Elsinboro and Pennsville due east of the refinery.
Residents in riverfront homes along the Elsinboro shoreline saw and felt the flaring.
“The refinery’s continuous rumbles and bursts of bright orange light woke us up,” said Curt Harker who lives with his wife, Sue on the Delaware River shoreline across from the refinery. “ When my wife and I didn't see any emergency vehicles’ flashing lights we were concerned an explosion might be about to happen which we thought might reach our home.
“I kept awake until the refinery settled down,” Harker said.
Once the flaring began at the refinery, the Salem County Office of Emergency Management immediately began receiving 911 calls of inquiry.
Emergency Management officials quickly contacted the New Castle County Fire Board and were informed that there had been a power outage and that the refinery was simply burning off gases.
Procedures for reporting emergencies, such as those related to the PSEG Nuclear generating station on Artificial Island in Lower Alloways Creek Township, are well established and in the past Salem County has enjoyed a close relationship with the New Castle County Fire Board, officials said.
“Salem County is very troubled by this incident” said Gage. “We have requested that Delaware officials investigate the matter to assure that this failure to communicate does not occur again in the future.”
The Salem County Administration Department and the Salem County Emergency Management Department are conducting their own investigation to determine the possible impact of the toxic chemicals’ release on Salem County residents and the environment.
Salem County Freeholder Director Lee R. Ware has sent a letter to Gov. Jack Markell of Delaware asking him to have his office look into the issue of notification.
The plant had been owned by Valero before it was shutdown. It was purchased by PBF Energy and restarted earlier this year, reaching full production capacity this fall, Gayda said.