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Carson Refinery

Carson, California is home to an oil refinery that is run by BP, or BP Carson. The land that the refinery is built on was originally purchased by Pan-American Petroleum in 1923, but it wasn't until the Richfield Oil Company of California purchased Pan-American that a working plant was completed. It began operation in 1938 with a daily output ability of 50,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

During this time many industrial products were brought in to the plant that turned out to be very hazardous to anyone who worked in or around the facility. The danger came from a naturally occurring material called asbestos that was a common ingredient in these products for years, until it was found to be highly toxic. Every worker who was on the premises while the items featuring asbestos were in use were put at risk of inadvertently inhaling microscopic fibers that had broken off and become airborne. When any amount of asbestos has been ingested, it can be quite dangerous and cause massive respiratory damage or result in the person developing mesothelioma, a potentially deadly type of cancer.

BP Carson purchased the plant in 2000. By then the facility was the largest in the state. The refinery had expanded and received many major upgrades over the year, to reach it's current operational status of 260,000 barrels per day.

April of 2008 saw a small fire within the Carson facility. The blaze did very little damage, and no one was injured, but it did lead to an investigation of the plant. As the fire burned, a large cloud of smoke billowed out of the refinery, rising as high as 3,000 feet into the air. Local air quality was not expected to be endangered by the smoke, but officials did request that all nearby residents remain inside with their windows and doors securely closed.

Since taking over the plant, BP has worked closely with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce their level of hazardous emissions and create a safe work environment. They have continued to adhere to the strict environmental guidelines established by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and became the first refinery in California to be officially certified by the group. Though the facility is considered to be a safe place to work, anyone who was employed at the time when products made from asbestos were present is still at risk. It can take years for signs of any damage or disease to develop, so every individual who may have been exposed is strongly urged to notify their healthcare provider immediately.

Last modified: December 09 2009.