San Antonio Refinery
AGE Refining Inc. formed in 1991 as a refiner of jet fuels and diesel products. Later that year the company purchased a fully functioning refinery from Howell Hydrocarbons Refinery. That site is currently capable of producing up to 10,300 barrels of crude oil on a daily basis.
The plant was originally operated by the Howell Hydrocarbons Refinery. Howell faced several issues during their ownership of the plant, including charges of allowing an illegal amount of emissions and producing high levels of pollution. The company was cited by The Refinery Reform Campaign as a gross polluter, and the group sought to force the plant owners to clean up and properly maintain the facility.
This was not the only issued faced by the San Antonio plant. During its earlier years of operation, the refinery purchased and used products that were made out of asbestos for use within the plant. For many years this was a common practice, and asbestos based products were prized for their ability to withstand the heat produced during the refining process. Later studies showed the material to be highly toxic in nature, and the cause of respiratory diseases and mesothelioma, which is a type of cancer. These diseases can produce a great deal of harm, and may even lead to death. Anyone who has been exposed to asbestos is susceptible to contracting these diseases, because asbestos consists of small particles that can be easily inhaled. The particles can remain within a person for many years before any signs of deterioration become obvious. Because these diseases may take years to develop, every person who has been around asbestos products should consult with their physician about the possible exposure.
2006 found AGE Refining Inc. in trouble with the United States Government when it was determined that the company claimed to be complying with 1997's Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) act, when they actually were not. The falsified information led the AGE Refining receiving preference during bidding wars for projects that were sponsored by the Department of Defense.
The company was ordered to pay the government $9 million dollars in compensation for the projects it was unjustly awarded. In addition, AGE Refining was forced to implement stricter internal policies and guidelines that would prohibit such actions from taking place again. The company, however, is still able to provide their services to governmental agencies.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
