News Release

For immediate release
August 27, 2007

IMPERIAL OIL LIMITED FINED $100,000 FOR DISCHARGING SULPHUR DIOXIDE

SARNIA — Imperial Oil Limited was fined $100,000 plus victim fine surcharge after pleading guilty to discharging sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere at levels that exceeded air quality limits. 

Imperial Oil Limited operates an oil refinery complex in Sarnia and produces its own fuel gas to burn in its furnaces.  On the night of December 6, 2005, a pump failure caused hydrogen sulphide levels in the fuel gas to increase.  The hydrogen sulphide in the fuel gas was converted to sulphur dioxide after being burned and was emitted to the atmosphere from the plant’s stacks. 

At the time of the pump failure, the company did not have an alarm or an emergency protocol for responding to higher than normal hydrogen sulphide concentrations in the fuel gas.  Immediately following the incident, the company identified areas of improvement that included an alarm system to detect elevated hydrogen sulphide in the fuel gas system and the development of process response procedures to prevent similar recurrences.

There were no reports or complaints of off-site impact and local air monitoring data did not reveal any abnormal sulphur dioxide levels at the station where it is measured, however, the winds were not blowing that way during the event.

The company was charged following an investigation by the Ministry of the Environment’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch.

On August 24, 2007, Imperial Oil Limited pled guilty to discharging a contaminant, sulphur dioxide, into the air that resulted, according to the method of calculation required by the Appendix to Regulation 346, in the concentration of the contaminant at a point of impingement to exceed the half hour standard set out for the contaminant in Schedule 1 of Regulation 419/05, contrary to section 18(2) of Regulation 419/05, as amended, under the Environmental Protection Act.  The company was given 45 days to pay the fine. 

Justice of the Peace James J. Ziegler heard the plea in the Ontario Court of Justice in Sarnia, Ontario.

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For further information:
John Steele Communications Branch (416) 314-6666
Contact information for the general public: 416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923/ www.ontario.ca/environment

 

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