Shell Oil, Air Pollution, Texas 2023

Shell Oil to pay $2.6 million fine for air pollution in Texas

Grimy Times has learned that Shell Oil and affiliated partnerships have agreed to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at a large refinery and chemical plant in Deer Park, Texas.

The alleged violations include improperly operating its 12 steam-assisted flaring devices in such a way that excess VOCs, including benzene and other hazardous air pollutants, were emitted. Shell has agreed to spend at least $115 million to control harmful air pollution from industrial flares and other processes.

Shell to spend $100 million to reduce harmful air pollution from industrial flares

Shell will spend $100 million on innovative technology to reduce harmful air pollution from industrial flares, which are devices used to burn waste gases. Shell is required to take the following actions to improve flaring operations: minimize flaring by recovering and recycling waste gases (which may then be reused by Shell as a fuel or product); comply with limitations on how much waste gas can be burned in a flare (flare caps); and install and operate instruments and monitoring systems to ensure that gases that are sent to flares are burned with 98% efficiency.

$2.6 million civil penalty

Shell will also pay a $2.6 million civil penalty. Additionally, Shell has agreed to spend $1 million on a state-of-the-art system to monitor benzene levels at the fenceline of the refinery and chemical plant near a residential neighborhood and school and to make the data available to the public through a website.

Reducing air pollution

Once fully implemented, the pollution controls required by the settlement will reduce harmful air emissions of sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including benzene, and other hazardous air pollutants by an estimated 4,550 tons or more per year. These controls will also reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by approximately 260,000 tons per year.

Settlement details

The settlement was filed at the same time the Justice Department filed a complaint on behalf of EPA alleging, among other things, that the company improperly operated its 12 steam-assisted flaring devices in such a way that excess VOCs, including benzene and other hazardous air pollutants, were emitted.

Additional measures

In addition to reducing pollution from flares, Shell will significantly modify its wastewater treatment plant; replace and repair tanks as necessary; inspect tanks biweekly with an infrared camera to better identify potential integrity problems that may lead to leaks; and implement enhanced monitoring and repair practices at the benzene production unit. When fully implemented, these specific projects are estimated to cost between $15 and $60 million.

Community benefits

Also, in a second project to benefit the community, Shell has agreed to spend $200,000 on retrofit technology to reduce diesel emissions from government-owned vehicles which operate in the vicinity of the Deer Park complex.

Mandatory facts

Defendant: Shell Oil and affiliated partnerships (Shell)
Criminal charges: Alleged violations of the Clean Air Act
City and state: Deer Park, Texas
Exact date: Not specified
Sentence or outcome: Shell to pay $2.6 million fine and spend at least $115 million to control harmful air pollution
Dollar amounts: $115 million, $2.6 million, $1 million, $100 million, $15 million, $60 million, $200,000

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/shell-oil-spend-over-115-million-reduce-harmful-air-pollution-houston-area-refinery-and