Mandan Refinery
The oil refinery in Mandan, North Dakota is owned and operated by a Fortune 150 company called Tesoro Corporation, who purchased the plant in 2001. The plant had its initiation in 1954, with a production rate of 30,000 barrels of crude oil on a daily basis. That rate has risen over time to 60,000 barrels per day. Mandan's refinery produces diesel fuel, jet fuel gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas, and it is transported primarily via a large pipeline.
Mandan's refinery is the only one throughout all of North Dakota. Over the yeas it has grown steadily, and in 2008 Tesoro Corp. initiated plans to greatly enhance that growth rate. These plans involved a $125 million upgrade to the facility to expand its size and storage ability. The anticipated result will be the ability to increase production by approximately 2,000 barrels per day. This project is expected to be finished by the year 2010.
Administrative officials at Tesoro Corporation have taken a great interest in ensuring they have state of the art safety programs in place. The employees of the plant had a strong enough safety record that the facility was awarded Merit status by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Voluntary Protection Program in 2007. The National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (NPRA) also presented them with the Gold Award in recognition outstanding employee safety record that same year. Furthermore, the Mandan Refinery also managed to win the NPRA's Meritorious Safety Performance Award for having fewer than two official "incidents" recorded within the year.
While the plant is currently listed as one of the safest facilities in the nation, they have faced serious health related issues in the past which were brought on by the presence of asbestos in the work place. Years ago, many products were made out of asbestos, but eventually it was determined to be an extremely hazardous material. People who are exposed to it are likely to develop respiratory problems, and even cancer. Many victims suffer from a life threatening form of cancer known as Mesothelioma.
To date, all the asbestos laden products have been removed from the facility and destroyed by qualified personnel. Although the refinery is now clean, over the years many employees and visitors to the plant may have been exposed to this toxic substance. It can take years for signs of asbestos related diseases to develop, so anyone who lived or work near the plant is encouraged to get examined by their healthcare practitioner.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
