Tacoma Refinery
U.S. Oil & Refining Co. operates a fully functional oil processing plant in Tacoma, Washington. The company was founded in 1952, under the original name of Pacific Oil & Refining Co. In 1954, they purchased land and began construction on the refinery. By the following year they had changed the company name to U.S. Oil & Refining Co.
The refinery officially opened 1957. There was a large grand opening festivity that was attended by the mayor of Tacoma, two senators and popular performer Chico Marx of Marx Brothers fame, who was on hand to entertain the crowd that gathered to view the new facility. Construction costs for the plant went up to $10 million, and its original operating capacity included the ability to produce up to 5,000 barrels of crude oil on a per day basis.
During the early operation of the plant, many goods and products were purchased and used on the premises that had been made with asbestos. At the time the general public was unaware of the dangers this entailed. Asbestos is made up of tiny fibers, and while products made with this material are able to withstand great temperatures, over time the fibers will break apart and move freely in the air. The fibers are too small to be seen by the human eye, and people often breathe them in without even realizing what has happened. Once the asbestos materials are consumed, they can do a lot of damage to the respiratory system and cause a type of cancer called mesothelioma. This cancer can be extremely harmful and has been the cause of many deaths. People who worked at the plant were put at risk of being exposed to this hazardous substance and are strongly urged to seek medical attention.
U.S. Oil came under fire in the late 2000's from local government officials who felt the plant was producing to much pollution. All refineries are polluters, and the amount of toxins they are allowed to release is controlled by the Environmental Protection Agency. Tacoma officials felt that the plant was operating at a level that was a safety hazard, and sought to get stricter regulations in place. Until recently, a rule had been put into place by the Bush Administration that stipulated it was illegal for local government agencies to demand a higher level of monitoring pollution levels. That rule, however, was recently overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Tacoma agencies intend to continue their mission to prove that the refinery is in violation of the Clean Air Act and to establish stricter guidelines for the facility.
Currently, the facility has the ability to process 35,000 barrels of oil each day. Goods are transported using 5 pipelines that are owned by U.S. Oil & Refining Co., and by large tanker vessels that dock at the nearby Blair Waterway.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
