Tesoro Anacortes Refinery
There are two oil refineries located in Anacortes, Washington. At one time, both were owned by the Shell Oil Company, as part of a partnership with Texaco. Local regulations dictated that one company could not operate two plant that were in such close proximity, however, so the second plant was sold to Tesoro Petroleum in 2002.
The facility itself was originally built in 1955, and soon after it was processing up to 68,000 barrels of crude oil on each working day. Over the years the plant has expanded dramatically, and it is currently capable of producing up to 108,000 barrels per day. Its primary output includes diesel oil, petroleum and gasoline.
Like its sisters plant, the Tesoro owned refinery has experienced health hazards throughout the years. Chief among them was the use of products that were made out of asbestos. Years ago these products were common in industrial settings, as well as office buildings, homes, churches and schools. It was most often used as a type of insulation, but it also served many other functions such as being a key ingredient in rubber gaskets and other products that were built to operate in a high temperature area. Over time, researches realized that asbestos was very toxic, and exposure to the material has been linked to mesothelioma, a type of cancer that can be fatal. Asbestos is also known to cause respiratory damage and other health related issues. Employees of any facility that utilized these items should notify their doctors and set an appointment for a physical check up.
All of the products that included asbestos were removed from the plant and destroyed. Tesoro has actively sought to provide a safe and environmentally friendly code of ethics to their work site. They have put many safety practices in place for all of their employees, and strictly monitor their emissions to make sure they keep the refinery pollutants to an absolute minimum.
2006 was a good year for the plant, as they were not only able to boast having the lowest Occupational Safety and Health Administration on record for that site, but they were also recognized by the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (NPRA) for having a safe work environment. This earned the plant a prestigious Gold Award. Another achievement was their winning the NPRA Meritorious Safety Performance Award, which indicates that the plant has operated for a minimum of one full year without a single fatality.
Last modified: December 09 2009.
