Saraland Refinery
1975 saw the opening of the oil refinery in Sarland, Alabama. It was originally operated by the Louisiana Land & Exploration Company with a very low level of production, but has since grown tremendously to become a large producer of gasoline and related produtcs. The plant is currently owned by Shell Oil Company following a sale in 1996, and has a daily output ability of up to 80,000 barrels of crude oil.
In 2005, Shell's Sarland plant was subject to an investigation from the District Attorney in that county, John Tyson. Tyson looked into the facility's methods of operation when it was determined that the site was selling gasoline to stations that were not owned by Shell at an increased rate. Shell locations were able to purchase gas from the Sarland refinery for $.70 less than any other station. The accusation against Shell was that they were attempting to drive their competition out of business with the increased price. Tyson called for a price freeze, but his findings have shown that Shell is not guilty of breaking the state's price gouging law.
Sarland's refinery has managed to avoid any major fire during its years of operation. In October of 2004 there was a small blaze that started following a small overflow of gasoline within one of the plant's production units, but the fire was quickly put out. No one was hurt during the incident, and work was only temporarily delayed.
Over the years the Sarland refinery has been known to have two very dangerous chemicals within their facility, benzene and asbestos. Benzene is a chemical that was often used in the production of oil, and exposure to it can cause leukemia, MDS, cancer and even death. Asbestos is a highly toxic material that was used to make a variety of products many years ago. This was before scientists had realized the dangers that asbestos posed, and until this discovery was made it was used as an insulation material and a primary component for items such as rubber gaskets that were used in refineries. Products created from asbestos were popular because they had the ability to withstand very high temperatures, but over time these products would crack and break apart. This would lead to the release of asbestos fibers into the air, where they could be accidentally breathed in. The internal particles of asbestos can then go unnoticed for many years, and slowly develop into a severe respiratory cancer, most commonly Mesothelioma. Once these diseases are fully developed, they can be extremely painful, dangerous and even fatal. Anyone who worked in the Sarland refinery while these products were in use is strongly encouraged to seek medical attention and notify their personal healthcare provider about their potential exposure.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
