Indorama flaring continues as part of operations startup

SULPHUR, LA (KPLC) - 7News has received a number of messages from concerned residents near the Indorama plant about the flaring that’s occurred in recent days.

Indorama released a statement on Monday, Jan. 7, explaining that the flaring, and the noise associated with it, is part of continued equipment testing ahead of starting up its ethane cracker unit.

“Depending on the wind direction, residents in the area may continue to hear vibrating sounds and see visible flaring from our facility,” Deepak Kedia, the site’s chief operations officer, said in a statement from Indormama Ventures. “This process is part of normal processes to manage and minimize emissions. The sound is from the steam that is used as a coolant during the process. The steam cools the system, improving combustion efficiency and reducing visible smoke. This process may continue up to a few more weeks and is normal to clear and test lines during the start-up process. We want to offer our sincere apology for any inconvenience this may be causing.”

Indorama Ventures said it continues to work with the Office of Emergency Preparedness and other state and local agencies during the start-up process.