THUMS Long Beach Broadway and Mitchell Facility Amine CO2

154 Pages·2006·1.98 MB·English

DRAFT

THUMS Long Beach
Broadway and Mitchell
Facility Amine CO
2
Removal Plant

I S
NITIAL TUDY
N D /
EGATIVE ECLARATION
A
PPLICATION SUMMARY

REPORT

Property Located at:
1205 Broadway
Long Beach, California

925 Harbor Plaza
Long Beach, CA 90802
NEGATIVE DECLARATION
Prepared in Accordance With The
California Environmental Quality Act of 1970
As Amended

And

APPLICATION SUMMARY REPORT
Prepared In Accordance With The
Certified Port Master Plan and California Coastal Act of 1976

For

THUMS Long Beach Broadway & Mitchell Facility Amine
CO Removal Plant Initial Study/Negative Declaration
2

This narrative and attached documents, including the project description, site visit, staff
analysis, and, where appropriate, mitigation measures to be implemented, constitutes a
Negative Declaration, prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act,
and an Application Summary Report with staff recommendations prepared in accordance
with the certified Port Master Plan and the California Coastal Act. Based upon the data
contained herein, the proposed project has been determined not to have significant adverse
environmental impacts and conforms to the stated policies of the Port Master Plan. This
document was circulated for public review, and becomes effective upon adoption by the
Long Beach Harbor Commission.
______________________________________________________________________

ISSUED FOR PUBLIC REVIEW: ______________________________2006

BY: DIRECTOR OF PLANNING

_________________________________________

APPLICATION SUMMARY REPORT ADOPTED ON: __________________2006

BY: CITY OF LONG BEACH BOARD OF HARBOR COMMISSIONERS

_________________________________________

Application No 05-033
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page
1.0 Introduction............................................................................................................1
1.1 Background................................................................................................1
1.2 Objectives..................................................................................................1
1.3 Project Location.........................................................................................1
1.3.1 Regional.....................................................................................1
1.3.2 Local...........................................................................................1
1.4 Project Description.....................................................................................6
1.4.1 Demolition/Construction.............................................................6
1.4.2 Operation....................................................................................8
1.4.3 Proposed Environmental Controls............................................11
1.5 Anticipated Permits And Approvals.........................................................13
2.0 Evaluation Of Proposed Project..........................................................................14
I. Aesthetics................................................................................................16
II. Agricultural Resources.............................................................................17
III. Air Quality................................................................................................18
IV. Biological Resources...............................................................................24
V. Cultural Resources..................................................................................27
VI. Geology And Soils...................................................................................28
VII. Hazards And Hazardous Materials..........................................................30
VIII. Hydrology And Water Quality..................................................................33
IX. Land Use And Planning...........................................................................36
X. Mineral Resources...................................................................................37
XI. Noise........................................................................................................38
XII. Population And Housing..........................................................................43
XIII. Public Services........................................................................................44
XIV. Recreation...............................................................................................45
XV. Transportation/Traffic...............................................................................46
XVI. Utilities And Service Systems..................................................................48
XVII. Mandatory Findings Of Significance :......................................................50
3.0 Application Summary Report...............................................................................51
3.1 Port Master Plan and Coastal Act Issues................................................51
3.1.1 Port Master Plan Issues..................................................................51
3.1.2 California Coastal Act Issues..........................................................51
3.2 Proposed Staff Recommendations..........................................................52
3.2.1 Findings and Declaration................................................................52
3.2.2 Approval with Conditions...............................................................53
4.0 References..........................................................................................................55
List of Figures
1-1 Regional Location Map...........................................................................................3
1-2 Site Location Map, Nearest Off-Site Worker Receptor (NRC), and Proposed
Construction Staging Area.....................................................................................4
1-3 Nearest Residential Receptor (Golden Shore) and Edison Elementary School.....5
2-1 Proposed Project Design........................................................................................9

List of Tables
1-1 Details and Project Elements of the THUMS Amine CO Removal Plant...............10
2
1-2 Anticipated Permits and Approvals.........................................................................13
2-1 Construction - Localized Significance Determination..............................................20
2-2 Operation - Localized Significance Determination..................................................21
2-3 Project Emissions (lb/day) and SCAQMD Mass Daily Significance Thresholds.....22
2-4 Existing Noise Levels..............................................................................................40
2-5 Construction Noise Impact......................................................................................40

Appendices
Appendix A1.............................................................................................Air Quality Study
Appendix B1..........................................................................SCAQMD Permit Application
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background
The THUMS Long Beach Company (THUMS) is one of the operators of the Wilmington Oil
Field, the second largest oil filed in California, located immediately offshore of the City of
Long Beach, California. Over 1,200 production and injection wells are located on four
offshore, artificial islands in the San Pedro Bay. Presently, separated gas from the offshore
islands is gathered and treated in the Sulfa-Treat Unit at Pier J for removal of hydrogen
sulfide (H S). This “sweetened” gas is then directed by pipeline to the THUMS Broadway &
2
Mitchell (B&M) facility at 1205 Broadway, refrigerated and dehydrated, then delivered via
existing pipelines either to the THUMS Long Beach Unit Electric Power Plant on Pier D to be
used as fuel, to the Long Beach Energy Pipeline, or to flare at the THUMS Pier J location
during emergencies.

On January 31, 2005, the City of Long Beach began enforcing a Department of
Transportation (DOT) specification limiting the carbon dioxide (CO ) content of the sales gas
2
to three percent by volume. Since the current content of treated gas is approximately five
percent and could increase in the future, the current produced gas exceeds natural gas
pipeline specifications, and THUMS is unable to sell it as they have done in the past and
would be forced to flare the gas.

In order to restore the Long Beach Energy pipeline as an alternative for the produced,
treated gas, THUMS proposes to install an Amine CO Removal Plant at its existing B&M
2
facility site to remove excess CO from the gas produced at the facility.
2

The new amine CO removal process would use an aqueous solution of amine solvent to
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absorb CO from the sweetened gas leaving the Pier J facility. The process would be
2
capable of using several types of amine solvents, including, but not limited to, mono-
ethanolamine (MEA) and specially formulated methyl-diethanolamine (MDEA) for CO
2
removal.
1.2 Objectives
The objective of the Project is to give THUMS the ability to produce natural gas for sale that
conforms to current gas pipeline specifications.
1.3 Project Location
1.3.1 Regional
The THUMS B&M site is located in the Port of Long Beach (Port or POLB), Long Beach,
California (Figure 1-1, Regional Location Map). Regional access to the site is provided by
the Long Beach Freeway (I-710). Pico Avenue provides local access to the site from I-710.
The Project site is shown on Figure 1-2, Site Location Map.
1.3.2 Local
The City of Long Beach, acting by and through the Board of Harbor Commissioners,
administers the Port, which consists of 28 miles of waterfront and 3,200 acres of land, 10
piers and 80 berths.
THUMS Amine CO Removal Plant Project IS/ND August 2006
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The Port includes diverse land uses, including cargo terminals, commercial fishing facilities,
light manufacturing and industry, recreational destinations, and commercial operations such
as sport fishing concessions, marinas, two hotels, retail shops, and a public boat launch.
The Project site is located in an area zoned for and occupied by port industrial land uses.
The site is bordered on the north by Pier D Street and the Forest Terminal facility across the
street. The site is bordered on the east by a small truck scale facility; further east are more
heavy industrial land uses, including oil derricks and rail lines. The site is bordered on the
south, across Broadway, by a vacant United States Coast Guard facility (planned as a
construction staging area for the proposed Project, Figure 1-2), and on the west by the
nearest off-site worker receptor, the NRC Environmental industrial warehouse and
equipment storage yard (Figure 1-2). The nearest residential receptor is the Golden Shore
Recreational Vehicle (RV) Park (Figure 1-3), located approximately 2,200 feet southeast of
the Project site. Additionally, the Edison Elementary School (Figure 1-3) is located
approximately 3,200 feet northeast of the Project site.
THUMS Amine CO Removal Plant Project IS/ND August 2006
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Figure 1-1

REGIONAL LOCATION MAP
Figure not to Scale THUMS Amine CO Removal Plant Project
2

Source: MapQuest, 2005
THUMS Amine CO Removal Plant Project IS/ND August 2006
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Figure 1-2

SITE LOCATION MAP
NEAREST OFF-STE WORKER RECEPTOR (NRC) AND

PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION STAGING AREA
Source: USGS Long Beach,
THUMS Amine CO Removal Plant Project
California United States 29 March 2004 2

THUMS Amine CO Removal Plant Project IS/ND August 2006
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Figure 1-3

NEAREST RESIDENTIAL RECEPTOR (GOLDEN SHORE)
AND EDISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

THUMS Amine CO Removal Plant Project
Source: USGS Long Beach, 2
California United States 29 March 2004
THUMS Amine CO Removal Plant Project IS/ND August 2006
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1.4 Project Description
The proposed Project consists of the construction of an Amine CO Removal Plant within
2
the existing THUMS B&M facility. Amine is an aqueous solvent used to absorb CO from
2
“sweetened,” or treated, gas. Project components include the installation of modularized
process equipment (pump, filter, and heat exchangers), one 37-foot stack, one 75-foot
stack, one 80-foot amine regeneration column, an absorber, and a 5,000-gallon
underground storage tank (UST) containing amine solvent. CO would be removed from the
2
gas product by contact with an aqueous solution of an amine-based solvent. Two fuel
combustion devices, a process heater and a thermal oxidizer would be installed as part of
the proposed Project design. The process heater will provide heat for regeneration of the
amine solution. The thermal oxidizer will be used to combust trace organics in the CO
2
waste gas stream produced in the process. In addition, new pipe racks will be installed to
support process piping, electrical, and control system components. Operation of the
proposed Project would not require additional personnel.

A subsurface amine sump would be constructed to allow for gravity draining and collection
of fluids drained from amine-containing equipment and piping components during
maintenance activity or when amine solution is being replaced. Amine drained to this sump
will be returned to the process or pumped into tank trucks for off-site reclaiming or disposal.
The sump pump would be covered and equipped with an atmospheric vent. It is expected
that under normal (non-maintenance) operations the sump will be empty. In addition, the
UST of fresh amine solution would require refilling by a tank truck one to two times per year.
1.4.1 Demolition/Construction
During the demolition/construction activities, the construction equipment required for each
days work would be staged in a staging area across Broadway in the vacant Coast Guard
facility (Figure 1-2). Minor architectural touch-up coating would be conducted on site. Major
equipment, structural elements, and pipe spools would be painted off site. The following
demolition and construction activities would be required to install the new amine CO
2
removal plant:

September 2006 to December 2006

• Relocate portable storage container, change room and portable office to new location
and reinstate power and phone as required.
• Remove solvent storage tank, disconnect power and make safe and demolish supply
line from tank to existing lab building.
• Re-route power and control to a transfer meter skid and sump pump.
• Demolish two existing electrical vaults at new compressor location.
• Relocate existing rainwater storage tank and re-connect to power and existing piping.
• Excavate, cut, cap as required and demolish underground sewer piping at power
distribution center (PDC) and transformer area and at the new compressor area.
• Demolish redundant conduit, conduit supports and foundations in east-west-sleeper-way
near transfer meter skids.
• Demolish two Chevron pump blocks and electrical stub-ups east of new compressor
location.
• Install new foundation and relocate existing sump pump to north-south axis, install
temporary power supply and re-pipe pump discharge.
THUMS Amine CO Removal Plant Project IS/ND August 2006
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