Norco Refinery
Motiva Enterprises, a corporation that is co-owend by Shell Oil Company and Saudi Refining, operates the oil refinery in Norco, Louisiana. The site for this plant was originally purchased in 1929, and it got started with a chemical plant that opened in 1955.
Orion Refining Corp. previously owned an oil refinery in Norco, and it was the site of one of the biggest industrial fires of all time. During June of 2001, a large tropical storm hit the Louisiana area, and lightning struck a tank that contained more than 15 million gallons of oil. A huge explosion erupted upon the impact, and the large tank burst into flames. Nearby fire fighting crews were called into action, and it took the cooperation of both local and out of state workers to fight the blaze. It took nearly 800,000 gallons of highly pressurized foam and more than 13 hours to subdue the fire.
In 2002, Shell Oil Corp. became involved in an attempt to purchase homes throughout the Norco area, with the goal of increasing the size of the oil refinery. Many residents were not interested in selling, and fought to not only keep their homes but to force the refinery to implement better safety measures for the public health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was getting involved, and citing the plant for massive pollution violations. Emission levels of toxic chemical such as sulfur oxide and benzene led to the area being referred to as "Cancer Alley".
Over the years, Motiva has worked hard to reduce the level of emissions and the amount of pollution it produces. In 2000, the company began a "Good Neighbor Initiative" that was intended to improve conditions at the plant as well as throughout the community. By 2007, the Norco plant was accepted into the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Partnership for Pollution Reduction program. Only industrial plants that make a great effort to recycle all reusable materials, institute high level safety policies and reduce the amount of pollution they produce are accepted into this group.
The amount of pollution and the levels of hazardous emissions were not the only safety issues that have affected the Norco refinery. For many years, plant employees were subjected to the presence of asbestos in the form of products such as rubber gaskets and insulation. Asbestos was once a key ingredient in these and other industrial products, and it was considered to be highly advantageous due to its ability to endure great temperatures. These products would eventually start to break apart, however, and that would release microscopic asbestos fibers into the atmosphere. Scientists who had studied these fibers determined that they were highly toxic, and could cause serious respiratory damage and a potentially deadly disease called mesothelioma. Every product that contained asbestos had to be removed, but anyone who worked at the refinery was put at risk of unknowingly inhaling the tiny fibers. It may take years for signs of the damage asbestos can cause to develop, so everyone who was employed at the Norco plant while these products were in use is urged to notify their doctor immediately and request a check up.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
