Event
- Event ID
- 1172
- Quality
- Description
An explosion occurred at a company treating waste biofuel sources, such as beef tallow and other animal fats, vegetable oils and used cooking oil. Hydrogen was used, in presence of catalysts, to break down complex fatty molecules known as triglycerides. The process turns the animal and vegetable fats into chemicals closer to more traditional hydrocarbon fuels, like diesel. Nothing is known on the exact location and the unit affected.
- Event Initiating system
- Classification of the physical effects
- Hydrogen Release and Ignition
- Nature of the consequences
- Macro-region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Date
- Component involved
- reactor / oven / furnace / test chamber
- Failure mode
- rupture
- Initiating cause
- unknown
- Root causes
- Date entry in HIAD
- 30/04/2025
Facility
- Application
- Petrochemical industry
- Sub-application
- Hydrodesulphurisation process
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
hydroprocessing unit
- Process temperature range [C]
- High temperature (100°C to 500°C)
- Process pressure range [MPa]
- medium pressure (2 to 10 MPa)
- Location type
- Unknown
- Location
- industrial area
- Operational condition
- Description of the facility/unit/process/substances
The industrial catalytic hydroprocessing (or hydrotreating) of animal fats, vegetable oils, and used cooking oils transforms them into paraffinic renewable diesel (commonly referred to as HVO—Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil).
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Number of injured persons
- 2
- Emergency action
Local fire fighters intervened. The plant was shut down for days.
In-depth data
- Release type
- gas
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Probable IGNITION SOURCE
- Explosion type
References
- Sources categories
- News
- Reference & weblink
USNEWS, Sept 19, 2024 https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/louisiana/articles/2024-09-19/the-cause-of-a-fire-that-injured-2-people-at-a-louisiana-chemical-plant-remains-under-investigation (acessed uAgust 2025)
Online news of Hydrogen Insight: https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/industrial/two-workers-airlifted-to-hospital-after-reported-hydrogen-gas-explosion-at-chevron-plant-in-louisiana/2-1-1713112 (accessed April 2025)
H2 news of 20/09/2025 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.h2-view.com%2Fstory%2Fhydrogen-explosion-at-chevrons-louisiana-facility-reports%2F2115132.article%2F%23%3A~%3Atext%3DA%2520hydrogen%2520gas%2520explosion%2520has%2Cthe%2520support%2520of%2520local%2520responders.&ved=0CAEQ1fkOahcKEwiY6ovqwuWSAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQEQ&opi=89978449
The Advocate news of 10/10/2024 https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/environment/dangerous-fire-at-geismar-biofuel-plant-followed-repair-work/article_30652d38-8723-11ef-bfcd-b7b3c12fd21e.html (acccessed Feb 2026)
