Chevron refinery fire in Richmond

Gasoline prices are going up, some jobs will be interrupted, air quality sucks, some people had respiratory problems; and it seems the Sierra Club would prefer to eliminate the plant. 

"A fire at Chevron Corp. (CVX)’s Richmond oil refinery in California pushed gasoline prices higher today as it disrupted fuel output at the state’s third-largest crude- processing plant. 

Richmond refinery fire started Monday, 8/6/12, 6:15 pm

Chevron’s 240,000-barrel-a-day refinery shut its only crude unit after the fire yesterday, Heather Kulp, a Richmond-based spokeswoman for Chevron, said today. The fire is out, she said, and the plant is maintaining a small controlled burn at the crude unit to relieve pressure. Other units are operating at unknown levels, Kulp said.

These increases will be passed along to retail pumps at California and gas stations as far north as Seattle,” Bob van der Valk, a petroleum industry analyst in Terry, Montana, said in an e-mail. He said BP Plc (BP/)’s Cherry Point refinery in Washington took four months to reach full operation after a fire in February."  "Bloomberg Businessweek"/Lynn Doan and Dan Murtaugh, 8/7/12. "Chevron Refinery fire pushes California gasoline prices higher."  Read Article.

"This refinery is the third largest in California and plays a crucial part in the surrounding economy, providing around 1,000 jobs to the Bay Area. The fire began from a crude distillation unit (CDU), which breaks down oil for other units in the refinery. CDUs can take months to repair, during which operations in the refinery are limited. Any disruption in production will not only affect the surrounding town’s economy, but could raise the cost of fuel across the country. California is known for their super-clean specifications, which will definitely put a wrench in any quick recovery that Chevron might hope for.  Bostlnno (News from Boston), /Kristen Desmarais 8/7/12, "Chevron fire erupts in California, finally contained." Read Article.

Richmond refinery fire Tuesday, 8/7/12, about 1:30 pm.

....  "Environmental group the Sierra Club's statement reflected more concern. 'No one should have to live downwind of a dangerous oil refinery," said a statement attributed to Sierra Club Environmental Justice and Community Partnerships Director Leslie Fields."Our thoughts are with the families living near the Chevron facility who must now contend with the aftermath and long-term health consequences of breathing in smoke filled with dangerous particulate matter, soot and cancer-causing toxins like sulfur compounds. These explosions and the massive toxic cloud hanging over their community and homes are only a part of the pattern of operation at Chevron’s Richmond facility, and Chevron should be held to account'." San Francisco Business Times/Lindsay Riddell, 8/7/12.  Read Article.

Related -  New York Daily News/The Associated Press, 8/7/12,  good article with two pictures near the plant.

Posted by Kathy Meeh