Pascagoula Refinery
In November of 1961 Standard Oil of Kentucky, in cooperation with the Chevron Corporation, broke ground on what would become the Pascagoula Oil Refinery in Mississippi. The plant officially began operation in 1963, producing an impressive 100,000 barrels of oil on a daily basis. Over the years the refinery went through several major renovations to grow and expand its operational facilities. Today the plant operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a week to produce 330,000 daily barrels of crude oil, and they continue to work on new production methods to increase that rate significantly.
One of the most notable success stories for the refinery came in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The entire city of Pascagoula was hit very hard by the storm, but owing to precautions taken by the owners of the plant, a well built infrastructure and planning ahead to combat the effects of the storm, not only did the refinery stay functional, it managed to sustain only minimal damage and to assist the community in the rebuilding efforts following the hurricane. For their efforts during Katrina, the refinery was named as the Plant of the Year.
The plant suffered a setback in August of 2007 when a fire broke out in the middle of the day. Flames were reported to have risen as high as 200 feet into the air. The plant's own fire fighting crew was able to put out the blaze within two hours, and no serious damage was done to the plant itself. No one was harmed during the incident, and the refinery was only forced to shut down partial operations for a short period of time.
While the Pascagoula Refinery has had a large amount of success and praise, there was one major black mark on the plant's history. As with many oil refineries, the facility in Pascagoula featured a wide variety of products that were made out of asbestos. These products were designed to withstand intense heat, but they do crack and break up over time, which allows the small fibers that make up asbestos to be released into the air. Once this happens, the fibers are easily inhaled, where they can lead to serious respiratory diseases, and most notably mesothelioma, which is a form of cancer that can be deadly.
Employees of this facility may have been exposed to this hazardous substance, and should seek out medical attention immediately. It may take several years for the signs of asbestos inhalation to show, so anyone who has worked in this plant faces this risk. If you or anyone you know was employed at the Pascagoula Oil Refinery, contact your healthcare practitioner for an appointment.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
