The Port Inspectors have identified “fugitive emissions” from a 2-million-barrel crude oil tanker as a culprit in periodic pungent odors that have offended coastal residents and whose source has eluded detection for years.
What happened?
Last week, the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a violation notice to a tanker ‘Nave Photon’ that sails under the Hong Kong flag and transports crude oil to the United States from the Middle East.
On October 26, the operation to track the source was initiated after receiving complaints of petroleum-like odors in Long Beach downwind from where Nave Photon was docked.
The AQMD has received more than 2,000 complaints since the beginning of 2016 from residents of Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Seal Beach and Costa Mesa about odors similar to chemicals, gas or rotten eggs.
Gas images identify leakage
On November 3, the gas images obtained from the tanker showed vapor leaks, prompting an onboard inspection by the AQMD at a terminal where the ship was berthed at the Port of Long Beach.
The AQMD said, “Inspectors using hydrocarbon detection devices and gas-imaging cameras found that seven of 10 inspected pressure release devices on Nave Photon were leaking hydrocarbon vapors well in excess of the agency’s limits”.
Furthermore, on November 6, the AQMD issued a violation notice to GAC North America, the Long Beach-based shipping agent for the tanker.
Joint operation to pinpoint source
Huntington Beach City Councilman Patrick Brenden said, “I am excited that the AQMD went public in pinpointing a source of the odor problem. The smell has generated speculation and reports that the cause could be anything from gas leaks to oil rigs to natural occurrences offshore. I visited Washington, D.C., earlier this year to collaborate with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Coast Guard to investigate the issue. I hope the AQMD will continue investigating and issuing citations to encourage shipping companies to monitor their pressure release valves”.
Wayne Nastri, AQMD executive officer said, “For the past two years we have devoted extensive resources to finding the sources of periodic foul odors in Long Beach, Seal Beach and Huntington Beach”.
Samples collected
The agency partnered with the fire departments in those cities to train their personnel to collect air samples when residents report odors.
The agency said, “Analysis of those samples showed higher levels of chemical compounds indicative of an odor from crude oil or unprocessed natural gas, the agency said. The compounds included several hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide. Crude oil contains dissolved hydrocarbon and sulfur gases that can be released to the atmosphere if not properly contained”.
Hydrocarbon levels in the majority of the air samples were not expected to cause serious health problems, the AQMD said. However, the agency acknowledged the odors can have temporary health effects such as headaches and dizziness, which some residents have reported. Huntington Beach officials have maintained that the foul smell is an irritant but not an immediate threat to health.
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Source: Los Angeles Times
