ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
March 13, 1975
AMOCO CHEMICALS CORPORATION,
WOOD RIVER REFINERY,
Petitioner,
vs.
)
PCB 74—468
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY,
Respondent.
OPINION AND ORDER OF THE BOARD (by Mr. Henss):
Amoco Chemicals Corporation filed its Amended Petition for
Variance requesting further extension of a variance previously
granted in PCB 73-399 and extended in PCB 74-121. Specifically,
Amoco seeks relief from Rule 204(f) (sulfur dioxide) of the
Air Pollution Control Regulations until June 30, 1975.
Petitioner operates a multi—purpose chemical additive
manufacturing facility at its refinery in Wood River, Illinois.
This facility produces 13 additives used in motor oil, diesel
lubricating oil, fuel oil and specialty oil. During production
of a sulfur scavenger product it is necessary to strip out one
of the reactants and remove hydrogen sulfide formed in the
process. The hydrogen sulfide is disposed of by flare causing
emissions of 2,093 lbs. of SO2 per hour. These emissions occur
for two hours during each batch cycle. This particular batch
operation occurs every four days.
More detaièd information on this unit’s operation, the
environmental impact from such operation and control equipment
to be installed may be found in the Board’s prior Opinions on
this matter (PCB 73—397—401, December 20, 1973 and PCB 74—121-123,
June 20, 1974).
Compliance with Rule 204(f) is to be achieved by installing
a device to scrub hydrogen sulfide from the gas stream for sub-
sequent recovery of elemental sulfur. Recovered sulfur will be
condensed and recycled to the process. Through this recovery
emissions.process
Petitioner should be able to completely eliminate its SO2
A key component of the SO2 reduction project, a refrigeration
unit, was to have been delivered by the Vilter Manufacturing
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Corporation in mid-October, 1974. Amoco selected Vilter as
supplier of the equipment on the basis of earliest delivery.
In September 1974 Vilter informed Amoco that the unit could
not be delivered until raid—January 1975 because of production
slippage. Amoco personnel evaluated the effect of this three
month delay in mid-November and concluded that the project
could still be completed on time.
On November 27, 1974 Vilter informed Amoco that the re—
frigeration unit could not be delivered earlier than March 24
1975. Amoco authorized overtime charges in an effort to expedite
delivery but was informed by Vilter that their production
facilities were already on an overtime work schedule.
Petitioner estimates that the project can be operational
nine weeks after shipment. Based on unreliable past estimates
of delivery, Amoco states that it can not accept the March 24,
1975 delivery date with any confidence. Therefore, an additional
three weeks is requested in addition to the nine weeks to allow
for further shipment delays.
The Agency states that delay in delivery of the refrigeration
unit was beyond the control of Petitioner. The Agency recommends
granting this variance subject to certain conditions. No ob-
jection to the grant of this variance has been received by the
Agency.
The record shows that Petitioner has made overy good faith
effort possible to expedite delivery of the refrigeration unit.
Delay in completing its compliance plan is obviously beyond the
control of Petitioner and this variance will be granted.
ORDER
It is the Order of the Pollution Control Board that Amoco
Chemicals Corporation be granted variance from Rule 204(f) of
the Air Pollution Control Regulations for its Wood River multi-
additive manufacturing facility until June 30, 1975 or such
earlier date as the hydrogen sulfide scrubbing unit is installed
and operational. This variance is subject to the following conditions:
1. Petitioner shall apply for all required construction
and operating permits from the Agency.
2. Petitioner shall submit monthly progress reports to
the Environmental Protection Agency, Such progress
reports shall detail progress towards completion of
Petitioner’s compliance plan.
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3. Upon delivery of the refrigeration unit
Petitioner shall advise the Agency of said
delivery date and the expected date of com-
pletion of the hydrogen sulfide scrubber project.
4. Petitioner shall keep in effect the $50,000
bond ordered in the previous Opinion of the Board
to guarantee installation of required air pollution
control equipment.
I, Christan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, hereby certify the a ove Opinion and Order was adopted
this
/~1~
day of
__________,
1975 by a vote of
‘I
to 0
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