Newell Refinery
The oil refinery found in Newell, West Virginia is owned by Ergon, Inc. The plant was built in 1972 by Quaker State, and Ergon purchased the facility in 1997. At top operating capacity, the refinery is able to process 20,000 barrels of crude oil each day.
West Virginia has no other oil refineries in the state, and the Newell facility is able produce most of the oil based products the state consumes annually. It specializes in the production of process oils and lubricants, and also produces gasoline and diesel fuel. The facility primarily relies on large barges for the shipping of materials and products to and from the plant.
In 2005, Ergon worked in association with the local Governor's office to pursue advanced procedures for the removal of sulfur from their diesel fuels. This involved spending large amounts of money on equipment that would accomplish this goal. Sulfur is a toxic substance that can be extremely hazardous to the health of the public, and it is strictly regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Governor Joe Manchin has shown his support for this plan, and commended Ergon for their commitment to safety and to the local economy. The project is expected to take 2 to 3 years to complete.
This was not the first time Ergon made efforts to ensure that their plant was as safe and pollution free as possible. In 2003 they worked with he Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the EPA on a plan to reduce the level of air borne emissions that are released from the refinery. They were already within what is considered to be a safe level, but they took the initiative to reduce those levels even more to benefit public safety. The company made plans to voluntarily spend more than $4 million over a 5 year period on air emissions controls for their equipment all throughout the facility. Ergon also agreed to pay the MDEQ and EPA a sum of $138,000 to assess how successful the project has been once it is completed.
Ergon has striven to make the plant safer since purchasing the facility. While the plant had a good record while under the ownership of Quaker State, it did have one notable health related problem. That came in the form of products purchased for use in the plant that were made out of asbestos. When these products were produced, no one was aware that asbestos is actually a toxic material that can cause diseases in the respiratory system and mesothelioma, a type of cancer that can be deadly. For many years these products were used in oil refineries, small business and even homes and schools. Once the dangers of asbestos had been discovered, the plant owners had to undergo a project to have all items that contained the hazardous substance removed and properly disposed of. Workers who were employed at the Newell refinery while these items are in use are strongly urged to notify their healthcare providers about the possibility that they were exposed to asbestos.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
