Commerce City Refinery
The refinery in Commerce City, Colorado, is owned and operated by Suncor Energy Inc., which is based in Canada. On a daily basis, the plant produces up to 90,000 barrels of crude oil.
There were originally two separate oil refineries (known as the east and west plants) in Commerce City, both of which were established in 1931. Suncor purchased the western plant in 2003 for the previous owners, Conoco Inc., and the eastern plant in 2005 from Valero. Their goal was to combine the two plants into one large unit, and to accomplish this they had to work out a deal with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make sure that all their plans were compliant with the Clean Air Act. Prior to purchasing both facilities, Suncor agreed to upgrade the work sites and implement policies to reduce the amount of emissions produced by each plant. This massive upgrade became known as Project Odyssey and was expected to cost around $445 million. Upon completion, the new, single facility had the ability to produce diesel fuel with low amounts of sulfur, and it became the biggest plant within the Rocky Mountain territory.
In December of 2005, a large fire broke out at the Commerce City refinery. Flames were seen to shoot up to 30 feet into the air, and nearby businesses were evacuated during the half hour it took fire fighting crews to extinguish the flames. Three crude oil producing units were damaged in the blaze, but no injuries were reported. This forced the plant to reduce their level of oil production by 35% while repairs were underway, which constituted a major loss in business for the company and in the amount of oil it ships out.
Aside from the fire, the plant has featured a high level of safety for employees with one glaring exception: the use of products made from asbestos. Most every refinery purchased items that were created with a naturally occurring material called asbestos. These products were beneficial because they could endure the extreme temperatures that are necessary within any oil producing plant. However, when the items would break apart over time, small fibers of asbestos would be released into the air, and when that happens it can be breathed in by unsuspecting individuals. When asbestos is inhaled, it can cause a great deal of damage to the respiratory system, and lead to the development of cancerous diseases, including the life threatening mesothelioma. People who worked at either site in Commerce City are urged to notify their doctors about their possible exposure to this toxic material.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
