Technical Memorandum 

TO: Brenda Shine, Environmental Engineer 

Refining and Chemicals Group, SPPD (E143-01) 

 

FROM: Eric Goehl, Environmental Protection Specialist 

Refining and Chemicals Group, SPPD (E143-01)

DATE: October 15, 2012

SUBJECT: Summary of Delayed Coking Unit Emission Source Test Reports

I. Purpose 

 The objective of this document is to provide a summary of the Delayed Coking Unit 

(DCU) emission source test reports received by the EPA from the 2011 Information Collection 

Request (ICR) of the Petroleum Refinery industry. 

II. Background 

On April 1, 2011, the EPA sent an ICR to facilities in the U.S. petroleum refining 

industry. The ICR was comprehensive and designed to collect information on processing 

characteristics, crude slate characteristics, emissions inventories and source testing to bolster our 

current data and fill known data gaps. The ICR had four components: (1) a questionnaire on 

processes and controls to be completed by all petroleum refineries (Component 1); (2) an 

emissions inventory to be developed by all petroleum refineries using the emissions estimation 

protocol developed for this effort (Component 2); (3) distillation feed sampling and analysis to 

be conducted by all petroleum refineries (Component 3); and (4) emissions source testing to be 

completed in accordance with an EPA-approved protocol for specific sources at specific 

petroleum refineries (Component 4). 

Component 4 of the ICR required source testing for twelve different types of emission 

sources or units: fluid catalytic cracking units (FCCU), thermal catalytic cracking units, catalytic 

reforming units, sulfur recovery units, delayed coking units, fluid coking units, hydrocracking 

units, hydrogen plants, asphalt blowing units, fuel gas systems, cooling water systems, and 

wastewater treatment systems. This memorandum summarizes the results of the DCU sources 

tests. A similar memorandum is available for the other sources required to be tested as a result of 
this ICR. Facilities often claimed specific process information as CBI, and included that 

information in the CBI version of the emission source test report stored in the EPA’s CBI office 

in Research Triangle Park, NC. However, emissions data cannot be claimed as CBI. This 

memorandum summarizes and presents only non-CBI data. 

III. Source-specific Testing Program

Below is a list of facilities that submitted the required emission source test report for 

their DCU. 

• BP Husky - Oregon, OH (OH2A0910) 

• Houston Refining - Houston, TX (TX3B1200) 

This facility voluntary submitted an emission source test report. 

• ExxonMobil - Baytown, TX (TX3B1160) 

• Hovensa - Christiansted, VI (VI6A1530) 

This facility submitted an emission source test report as part of ICR Component 1. This 

data was included in this summary because the DCU was tested recently (MaySeptember 2010). 

• Marathon Petroleum - Garyville, LA (LA3C0610) 

The following facilities did not submit the required emission source test report. (Note: 

The EPA was made aware that coke drums often do not vent for more than twenty minutes, this 

is not long enough to perform an emission source test. Therefore, the EPA granted an exemption 

to any facility that had a delayed coking operation that vented for less than twenty minutes.)

• Chevron Texaco Pascagoula, MS (MS3C0740) – Facility submitted data indicating the 

cycle vents for less than 20 minutes. 

• ExxonMobil Joliet Refinery, Channahon, IL (IL2A0410) – Facility provided 

documentation that they use a unique feature to quench their drum and do not have a 

vent. Therefore they have little to no emissions from their DCU. 

• Coffeyville Resources Refining, Coffeyville, KS (KS2C0460) – Facility submitted data 

indicating the cycle vents for less than 20 minutes. 

• ConocoPhillips Company, Lake Charles Refinery, Westlake, LA (LA3C0570) - Facility 

submitted data indicating the cycle vents for less than 20 minutes. 

2 
• BP Texas City Refinery, Texas City, TX (TX3B1110) - Facility submitted data indicating 

the cycle vents for less than 20 minutes. 

• Giant Yorktown Refinery, Grafton, VA (VA1A1390) - Facility was not operating at the 

time the ICR was sent out. 

Owners or operators of the DCU at these facilities were required to test for: 

• Speciated volatile organic hazardous air pollutants (HAP) 

• Speciated semi-volatile organic HAP 

• Total hydrocarbons, methane, and ethane 

• Aldehydes 

• Carbon monoxide 

• Hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, and carbon disulfide 

• Hydrogen chloride, chlorine, hydrogen fluoride, and hydrogen cyanide 

• Total reduced sulfur compounds 

• Mercury (speciated) 

• Multiple metals 

• Particulate matter (PM, PM2.5 filterable, and PM condensable) 

• NOX, SO2, O2, CO2, moisture, and gas flow rate. 

The EPA required that the data collected from the emission source testing to be reported 

using the EPA Electronic Reporting Tool (ERT). The ERT is a Microsoft® Access database 

application. If the facility conducted testing using a method not currently supported by the ERT, 

the facility was required to report the results in the Refinery Testing Supplement, a Microsoft® 

Excel spreadsheet. After completing the Refinery Testing Supplement, the refineries were also to 

submit an electronic copy of the emission test report, preferably in PDF format. 

IV. Results 

A summary of the emission results for the DCU are provided in attached spreadsheet. In 

order to better characterize the reported data from the emission test reports, detection level 

information was provided in the attached summary spreadsheet. The following designations were 

used to describe the detection levels of the reported emissions data. 

• DLL = Detection Level Limited = 1 or 2 runs below detection limit 

3 
4 

• BDL = Below Detection Limit = All three runs are below detection limit 

• No designation = All three runs are above detection limit 

 

 
Summary of Delayed Coking Units Test Report Data

Detection 

Level (DL) lb/cycle DL lb/cycle DL lb/cycle DL lb/cycle DL lb/cycle

75-07-0 Acetaldehyde BDL 7.10E-01 3.60E-03 2.75E-02

50-00-0 Formaldehyde BDL 1.20E-01 2.60E-04 1.83E-02

74-90-8 Hydrogen cyanide DLL 2.30E-03 BDL 1.81E-04 1.92E-03

Propanal BDL 1.30E+00 4.00E-03

7647-01-0 Hydrogen Chloride DLL 1.50E-01 DLL 3.24E-03

7782-41-4 Hydrogen Fluoride BDL 3.60E-03 BDL 3.18E-03

Hydrogen Sulfide 42.50 7.14E+00 3.72E+00 DLL 3.83E-02 1

Included 2nd run in this avg, facility

wanted to exclude 2nd run from avg

67-64-1 Acetone BDL 8.20E-01 BDL 1.30E-03 3.02E-01

750-05-8 Acetonitrile BDL 1.60E+00 DLL 1.25E-02 DLL 4.87E-01

107-02-8 Acrolein BDL 6.60E-01 BDL 6.60E-04 BDL 5.91E-01

107-13-1 Acrylonitrile BDL 5.80E-01 BDL 1.75E-03 BDL 1.25E-03

71-43-2 Benzene DLL 0.76 DLL 1.90E+00 DLL 3.41E-01 DLL 1.20E-02 BDL 1.10E+01

106-99-0 1,3-Butadiene BDL 4.70E-01 BDL 6.50E-04 BDL 1.25E-03

75-15-0 Carbon Disulfide BDL 1.20E-01 BDL 1.58E-01 BDL 1.33E-02

Carbonyl Sulfide BDL 1.20E+00 BDL 3.69E-01 BDL 1.96E-02

108-90-7 Chlorobenzene DLL 2.90E-01 BDL 8.00E-04 BDL 1.25E-03

98-82-8 Cumene (Isopropylbenzene) DLL 1.60E-01 DLL 4.78E-03 BDL 1.34E-03

106-93-4 1,2-Dibromoethane BDL 1.70E+00 5.00E-01 BDL 1.25E-03

100-41-4 Ethylbenzene DLL 5.70E-01 1.21E-01 DLL 4.49E-03

110-54-3 Hexane DLL 7.00E-01 BDL 1.19E-01 BDL 1.47E-03

Isooctane

108-10-1 Methyl iso-Butyl Ketone DLL 1.00E-01 BDL 5.70E-04 BDL 3.18E-01

1634-04-4 Methyl t-Butyl Ether (MTBE) DLL 1.10E-01 9.50E-03 BDL 1.25E-03

75-09-2 Methylene Chloride DLL 4.40E+00 1.81E-03 1.54E-02

98-95-3 Nitrobenzene DLL 4.20E-01 BDL 7.86E-03 BDL 6.86E-03

79-46-9 2-Nitropropane DLL 4.30E-01 BDL 2.11E-02 BDL 4.00E-03

109-66-0 Pentane DLL 6.80E-01 DLL 2.92E-01 BDL 2.95E-03

100-42-5 Styrene DLL 1.80E-01 DLL 3.40E-03 BDL 1.35E-03

127-18-4 Tetrachloroethene BDL 1.70E+00 BDL 6.44E-03 BDL 1.25E-03

108-88-3 Toluene 2.66 DLL 6.80E+00 DLL 1.30E+00 DLL 1.28E-01 BDL 1.30E+01

Trichloroethene BDL 1.70E+00 BDL 7.54E-03 BDL 3.00E-01

540-84-1 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane DLL 1.00E-01 BDL 4.90E-04 BDL 1.26E-03

1330-20-7 Xylene

o-Xylene DLL 1.30E+00 1.85E-01 DLL 7.16E-03

m&p-Xylenes 7.62E-01 DLL 3.45E-02

p-Xylene DLL 2.70E+00

VOLATILE ORGANIC HAP1

TX3B1200 Houston Refining 

Houston, TX

VI6A1530 Hovensa 

Christiansted, VI

CAS # Compound

OH2A0910 BP-Husky 

Oregon, OH

TX3B1160 ExxonMobil 

Baytown, TX

LA3C0610 - Marathon 

Petroleum Garyville, LA
Summary of Delayed Coking Units Test Report Data

Detection 

Level (DL) lb/cycle DL lb/cycle DL lb/cycle DL lb/cycle DL lb/cycle

TX3B1200 Houston Refining 

Houston, TX

VI6A1530 Hovensa 

Christiansted, VI

CAS # Compound

OH2A0910 BP-Husky 

Oregon, OH

TX3B1160 ExxonMobil 

Baytown, TX

LA3C0610 - Marathon 

Petroleum Garyville, LA

VOC

0.99

83-32-9 Acenaphthene 1.47E-02 6.10E-03 DLL 2.84E-04 6.99E-02

209-96-8 Acenaphthylene 2.88E-03 BDL 7.86E-03 BDL 2.20E-05 4.27E-03

62-53-3 Aniline BDL 1.30E-02 BDL 7.86E-03 DLL 2.34E-05 5.68E-02

120-12-7 Anthracene 6.00E-02 1.23E-02 9.81E-04 1.47E-01

92-87-5 Benzidine BDL 9.40E-02 BDL 7.86E-02 BDL 2.29E-04

56-55-3 Benzo(a)Anthracene 5.10E-03 DLL 6.44E-03 DLL 1.08E-04 3.10E-02

205-99-2 Benzo(b)Fluoranthene DLL 3.70E-03 BDL 7.86E-03 DLL 8.70E-06 6.60E-03

207-08-9 Benzo(k)Fluoranthene BDL 4.80E-03 BDL 7.86E-03 BDL 4.80E-06 5.32E-03

191-24-2 Benzo(ghi)Perylene 3.20E-03 BDL 7.86E-03 DLL 1.30E-05 1.44E-02

50-32-8 Benzo(a)Pyrene 4.99E-03 DLL 4.27E-03 2.18E-05 2.74E-02

192-97-2 Benzo(e)Pyrene 2.90E-03 DLL 2.64E-03 1.63E-05

92-52-4 Biphenyl 2.00E-02 4.06E-03 3.89E-04

1319-77-3 Cresols 4.54E-02 BDL 7.86E-03

218-01-9 Chrysene* 6.70E-03 DLL 7.86E-03 1.28E-04 3.21E-02

53-70-3 Dibenzo(a,h)Anthracene* DLL 1.20E-03 BDL 7.86E-03 DLL 5.90E-06 1.03E-02

132-64-9 Dibenzofuran 1.77E-02 3.07E-03 1.21E-04 3.74E-02

192-65-4 Dibenzo(a,e)pyrene DLL 1.90E-03 DLL 7.86E-03 BDL 3.60E-06

119-90-4 3,3'-Dimethoxybenzidine BDL 2.20E-02 DLL 2.91E-02 DLL 1.81E-04

60-11-7 Dimethylaminobenzene BDL 3.80E-03 BDL 7.86E-03 BDL 1.20E-05

57-97-6 7,12-Dimethybenz(a)anthracene DLL 6.00E-03 BDL 7.86E-03 BDL 3.60E-06

119-93-7 3,3'-Dimethylbenzidine BDL 2.80E-02 BDL 7.86E-03 BDL 1.74E-04

122-09-8 a,a-Dimethylphenethylamine BDL 1.30E-02 BDL 1.97E-02 BDL 7.22E-05

105-67-9 2,4-Dimethylphenol 2.04E-02 BDL 7.86E-03 1.14E-04 8.63E-02

206-44-0 Fluoranthene 7.30E-03 BDL 7.86E-03 1.75E-04 2.44E-02

86-73-7 Fluorene 4.96E-02 1.52E-02 9.04E-04 1.82E-01

193-39-5 Indeno(1,2,3-cd)Pyrene 9.12E-04 BDL 6.14E-03 DLL 4.60E-06 6.74E-03

78-59-1 Isophorone BDL 4.40E-03 BDL 6.14E-03 BDL 1.35E-05

56-49-5 3-Methylcholanthrene BDL 5.90E-03 BDL 6.14E-03 3.60E-06

91-57-6 2-Methylnaphthalene 7.27E-01 2.56E-01 1.32E-02 2.91E+00

91-20-3 Naphthalene 0.82 4.08E-01 1.46E-01 5.14E-03 1.74E+00

198-55-0 Perylene DLL 4.80E-04 BDL 7.86E-03 BDL 3.60E-06

85-01-8 Phenanthrene 1.46E-01 2.51E-02 2.95E-03 4.62E-01

108-95-2 Phenol 1.79E-02 BDL 7.86E-03 BDL 1.82E-05 1.21E-01

106-50-3 1,4-Phenylenediamine BDL 3.80E-02 BDL 7.86E-02 BDL 1.08E-04

129-00-0 Pyrene 2.74E-02 5.21E-03 7.96E-04 8.01E-02

95-53-4 o-Toluidine 6.70E-03 DLL 6.86E-03 BDL 2.37E-05

Total POM 1.49E+00

SVOC
Summary of Delayed Coking Units Test Report Data

Detection 

Level (DL) lb/cycle DL lb/cycle DL lb/cycle DL lb/cycle DL lb/cycle

TX3B1200 Houston Refining 

Houston, TX

VI6A1530 Hovensa 

Christiansted, VI

CAS # Compound

OH2A0910 BP-Husky 

Oregon, OH

TX3B1160 ExxonMobil 

Baytown, TX

LA3C0610 - Marathon 

Petroleum Garyville, LA

7400-36-0 Antimony 2.20E-06 BDL 1.60E-05 BDL 2.87E-07

7440-38-2 Arsenic . DLL 5.20E-06 BDL 9.65E-06 BDL 1.15E-06

7440-41-7 Beryllium DLL 3.20E-07 BDL 7.98E-07 BDL 2.87E-07

7440-43-9 Cadmium 1.10E-06 DLL 3.20E-05 5.79E-07

7440-47-3 Chromium 3.40E-05 1.40E-04 1.37E-05

7439-92-1 Lead 1.35E-04 1.23E-05 6.67E-07

7439-96-5 Manganese 9.69E-05 7.47E-04 8.50E-06

7440-02-0 Nickel 1.78E-04 3.31E-04 6.78E-06

7782-22-4 Selenium DLL 4.90E-05 DLL 9.22E-05 BDL 2.87E-06

7440-48-4 Cobalt 4.40E-06 BDL 9.88E-05 1.57E-06

7439-97-6 Elemental Mercury DLL 8.60E-07 BDL 3.03E-05 BDL 2.38E-06

Oxidized Mercury DLL 4.20E-06 BDL 1.41E-05 DLL 7.98E-07

Total Mercury DLL 5.00E-06 BDL 3.28E-06

18540-29-9 Hexavalent Chromium

7664-41-7 Ammonia

630-08-0 Carbon Monoxide 1.67E+00 2.78E-03 BDL 2.97E-04

7782-50-5 Chlorine BDL 4.00E-04

Chlorine gas DLL 1.13E-03

67-56-1 Methanol BDL 1.90E-01 DLL 8.90E-04 1.70E-05

74-82-8 Methane 263.00 3.21E+02 7.53E+01 5.13E+00

74-84-0 Ethane 67.20 5.49E+01 2.14E+01 7.70E-01

75-69-4 Trichlorofluoromethane

74-83-9 Bromomethane

10102-43-9 Nitric Oxide ND 9.38E-04 BDL 3.95E-04

Sulfur Dioxide ND 4.47E-02 DLL 7.65E-04

Total Reduced Sulfur 1.58E+01 DLL 1.34E-02

Condensible Particulate 3.96 4.94E-01 1.36E+00 3.23E-01

Filterable Particulate 0.34 9.99E-01 8.23E-01 3.97E-01

Filterable PM2.5

Total PM2.5

Total PM 4.29 2.38E+00 2.18E+00 7.21E-01 6.16E+01

METALS