Caribbean Petroleum Refining Limited Partnership

Other (Former) Names of Site: Caribbean Refining Corporation, Caribbean Gulf Refining Corporation, Chevron Corporation

EPA Identification Number:	PRD000632182
Location:	Luchetti Industrial Park, Rte 28, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
EPA Contact:	Ariel Iglesias, (787) 977-5890, iglesias.ariel@epa.gov
Last Update:	April 2006
Environmental Indicator Status:	Human Exposures Under Control [PDF 290.5 KB, 16 pp]has been verified. Groundwater Contamination Under Control: No status has been recorded.

Site Description

Caribbean Petroleum Refining (CPR), LP is located in the Luchetti Industrial Park in Bayamon, Puerto Rico - north of Ft. Buchanan in Bayamon and south of the municipality of Catano.

Refining operations began at the site in 1955 under the name of Caribbean Refining Corporation. This facility was purchased in 1962 by the Gulf Oil Corporation, and given the new name Caribbean Gulf Refining Corporation. Chevron Corporation acquired ownership of the facility when it purchased Gulf Oil Corporation in 1984. In 1987, the facility was sold to First Oil Corporation and now operates as an independent refinery under the name of Caribbean Petroleum Refining, Limited Partnership.

The facility processes virgin crude oil imported from Venezuela to produce petroleum products such as unleaded gasoline, light and heavy fuel oil, and asphalt. The refinery was designed to process approximately 38,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

Hazardous wastes managed at the site include API separator sludge, slop oil emulsion solids, heat exchanger bundle, primary oil/water/solids separation, secondary oil/water/solids separation, ignitable, and toxicity characteristic for benzene.

Site Responsibility

Cleanup at this site is being addressed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under authority of the of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). However, the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board (EQB) participates with EPA in the investigation and cleanup decision-making and oversight. In 1995, EPA and CPR signed an Administrative Order on Consent (Order) requiring the Company to conduct RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) and Corrective Measure Study (CMS). Corrective Measure Implementation (CMI) and ultimate site cleanup will be conducted voluntarily by CPR with EPA and EQB oversight or under a new Order.

Threats and Contaminants

The RCRA Facility Investigation includes investigation of environmental impacts at 35 Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU) and Areas of Concern (AOC) with evidence of past releases of hazardous waste and/or constituents to soil. Of the 35 areas, SWMUs 33, 34, and 35 will be impacted by North Park Development Corporation (NPDC). Also included in the RFI is an investigation of Las Lajas Creek, a surface water body that traverses the CPR property. Extensive ground water monitoring at the facility indicate the presence of benzene and toluene in groundwater as well as free product/hydrocarbons floating on top of groundwater.

The nearest surface water body is the Las Lajas Creek which crosses the northwest corner of the facility and was channeled underground. The creek returns to an open channel at a point north of the refinery's wastewater treatment facilities, where the site's effluent and storm water are discharged under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. The creek then flows northward toward San Juan Bay which is located approximately two miles to the north-northwest. San Juan Bay is used for commercial, industrial and military activities as well as for recreational activities.

Two on-site groundwater wells at CPR are used for the cooling towers. Several wells located between 0.9 to 2.4 miles from the facility are cross-gradient of the CPR facility and are unaffected by groundwater contamination at the site. These wells are used for industrial and stock purposes.

CLEANUP APPROACH

Cleanup Status/Corrective Action

The site is being addressed by CPR under EPA oversight in three measures: closure of the equalization basin, Interim Corrective Measures (ICM) and long-term corrective measures directed at cleanup of the entire site.

Response Action Status

Closure of Equalization Basin
The equalization basin, which is a major source of contamination at the facility, has undergone EPA approved closure. RCRA closure of the equalization basin was completed in August 1999. EPA approved the equalization basin closure on December 3, 1999. Closure entailed de-watering the basin, stabilizing the residual sludge, backfilling the basin, installing an impermeable clay and flexible membrane liner cap, installing drainage layer, and installing a vegetative cover, followed by semiannual groundwater sampling.

Interim Corrective Measures
An Interim Corrective Measure (ICM), referred to as the "Underground Recovery System" (URS) , is ongoing. This work is being done in accordance with the interim measures component of the RCRA 3008(h) Consent Order with CPR and required CPR to monitor and recover free product floating on groundwater in the central part of the facility and in the asphalt loading rack area.

Of the 131 monitoring wells, 60 are routinely pumped of free products. Twenty-two of the 60 recovery wells are equipped with pneumatic ejector pumps that operate continuously to recover free products in the most contaminated part of the groundwater aquifer. Additional product is recovered from 38 supplemental wells by bailing; product is received weekly from 28 of the wells and monthly from 10 of the wells. Three hundred to 700 gallons of free product are recovered per month.

Entire site
A rigorous program of soil and groundwater investigation is being conducted following EPA's approval of CPR's RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) work plan. After the investigation, CPR will submit a RFI Report detailing the contamination profile at the facility which will be used to study various technologies that may be used in cleaning up the facility.

Cleanup Progress

Over 70,000 gallons of free product/hydrocarbons have been recovered since the operation started in October 1991 and recycled back into the facility's process stream when the refinery is operating or sold as product. The free product is recovered through a network of 60 wells. The remaining amount of free product in the groundwater needing to be recovered will be determined during the ongoing RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI). Off-site migration of hydrocarbons is being controlled through this program of actively recovering free product.

Soil investigation has been completed. Results of supplemental phase of groundwater sampling to completely delineate groundwater impact will be completed in second quarter 2006. The Baseline Risk Assessment and RFI Report will immediately follow after which CMS and site cleanup will be initiated.

Site Repository

Copies of supporting technical documents and correspondence cited in the site fact sheet are available for public review at the following location:

US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2
RCRA Records Center
290 Broadway, 15th Floor, Room 1538
New York, New York 10007-1866
Telephone: (212) 637-3043

The inspection of some of the documents cited in the site fact sheet may require a formal request under the United States Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).