Port Arthur Refinery Valero
During the early 1900's, three separate oil refineries were established in Port Arthur, Texas. All of them are still functioning, and the one that is owned by Valero Energy Corporation currently has the ability to produce a daily output of 325,00 barrels of crude oil.
Since the founding of the facility, it has achieved great success, and also been forced to deal with some serious issues. One of the first was the mandatory eradication of many products that were in use around the plant. Before asbestos was recognized as a toxic material, it was considered to be a very useful element in industrial products that were an integral part of most ever refinery. Research proved asbestos to be a highly toxic substance that can cause respiratory and cancerous diseases in anyone who is exposed to it. This led to an emergency removal procedure in which certified professionals were called in to dispose of every bit of asbestos found anywhere in the plant.
In 2007 a fire spewed forth within the refinery on a Sunday evening. Though the plant was in operation, it is run 365 days a year, since it was a weekend evening shift the site was not fully staffed. That factor helped to ensure that no one was injured during the flare up. Company emergency crews teamed up with local fire fighters and quickly put the fire out. Aside from the unit where the blaze was ignited, the plant was fully functional the following morning.
As of 2008, Valero had a brand new problem to deal with - namely the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The plant was cited for producing higher levels of pollution than they were legally allowed. EPA officials brought charges against the company and demanded that the site be brought up to proper standards of safety. This is intended to involve equipment designed to reduce toxic emissions and to better monitor the plant's output of contaminants.
In addition to the upgrades at the site, Valero was charged a fine of $4.25 million. Added to that figure is another $1.6 million that will primarily be donated to a health center that serves the local community. They will receive $1 million that will be used on equipment that will help treat respiratory problems that are often the fault of emissions that come from oil refineries. It will also pay for a van that will have the ability to monitor air quality and decipher pollution levels that are being produced by the plant.
Valero Energy Corporation is cooperating with the EPA completely and is currently in the process of making the requested upgrades to the refinery.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
