| 07/20/2023 |
The (07/20/2023, C-129) application [242888] was assigned to this incident. |
| 07/20/2023 |
Additional Details provided by the operator: Gas Flare Meter |
| 07/20/2023 |
Corrective actions provided by the operator: Oxy is limited in the corrective actions to eliminate this type of cause and potential reoccurrence of flaring as notwithstanding typical operation field equipment design and operation, various forms of mechanical or technical issues can be sudden, reasonably unforeseeable and unexpected which can cause equipment malfunctions to occur without warning or advance notice. Oxy continually strives to maintain and operate its facility equipment in a manner consistent with good practices for minimizing emissions and reducing the number of emission events. Oxy has a strong and positive equipment preventative maintenance program in place. The only actions that Oxy can take and handle that is within its control, is to keep continue with its compression equipment preventative maintenance program for this facility. |
| 07/20/2023 |
Primary Equipment identified by the operator (Other (Specify), with additional details: Equipment Malfunction > Dimension 6 CGL > Inlet Scrubber > High High Level) |
| 07/20/2023 |
Steps taken to prevent waste provided by the operator: It is OXY's policy to route its stranded gas to a flare during an unforeseen and unavoidable emergency or malfunction, that is beyond Oxy's control to avoid, prevent or foresee, to minimize emissions as much as possible as part of the overall steps taken to limit duration and magnitude of flaring. The flare at this facility has a 98% combustion efficiency to lessen emissions as much as possible. In this case, flaring occurred as a result of the Dimension 6 compression gas lift station facility shutting down due to a high high level alarm which was triggered when the level controller unexpectedly shifted, which in turn, prompted flaring to occur at the Dimension 6 CTB when the malfunction alarm was activated. As soon as flaring was triggered, the facility’s mitigation optimizer cut injection rates to wells in the field to reduce injection rates and sales gas to return the pressure to below flare trigger setpoints of the CTB to cease flaring. This event could not have been avoided or prevented from happening as technical or automated equipment, internally and externally, are inherently dynamic and its breakdown and/or malfunction can be sudden, reasonably unforeseeable and unexpected. This event is out of OXY's control yet, OXY made every effort to control and minimize emissions as much as possible. |
| 07/20/2023 |
New incident created by the operator, upon the submission of a flaring of natural gas report. |
| 04/03/2023 |
The flaring of natural gas discovered by the operator. |