Cheyenne Refinery
The refinery in Cheyenne, Wyoming first opened in 1934, and has been in constant operation ever since. In 1988, the plant was purchased by Frontier Oil, a company that got its start in 1949 and is based out of Houston, Texas. Frontier Oil operates the facility currently, and it has a current total daily output of 52,000 barrels of crude oil. The company pipes in oil from Canada using a massive set of pipes known as the Express Pipeline.
2007 was a difficult year for Frontier. It got off to a bad start with a small fire that injured two employees. The blaze was quickly contained and put out, so it did not spread beyond the large processing unit where it had ignited. After the fire, Frontier was forced to reduce their petroleum output for a 30 day period while repairs were made and steps were taken to ensure the equipment was safe and in good operating condition.
Then in August of 2007, a malfunction in plant equipment caused the release of a highly toxic chemical called sulfur dioxide into the air. The chemical appeared to blast straight up into the sky, and plant officials stated that it would not affect the air quality or local residents. Following the incident, employees of the refinery were evacuated from the site.
Earlier in the plant's history, Frontier was forced to deal with two major health and environmental issues.
As with many oil refineries, the plant had products that were made out of asbestos in use on the premises. Over time studies indicated that these products were actually a health hazard, due to the toxic nature of asbestos. People who have been around these items were put at risk of contracting respiratory diseases and a life threatening type of cancer, mesothelioma. As such, all plant employees are urged to see their doctor for a check up. Every item made from asbestos had to be removed by certified professionals and disposed of.
In the early 1990's, the plant was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA officials called upon the plant owners to take some corrective measures, including implementing policies to stop the release of hazardous chemicals from the plant, find better ways to reduce and eliminate toxic emissions and to clean up contaminated areas.
Frontier cooperated with the EPA, and set plans in motion to answer all of their concerns. The projects that were started as a result were often very long term, some of which would not be completed until late 2008. Once it is finished, the EPA expects all conditions that affect the health and well being of employees and local residents to be up to code and "under control".
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
