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Wilmington Refinery - Valero

Wilmington, California is home to three separate oil refineries. Valero Energy Corporation currently operates one which is capable of producing up to 149,000 barrels of crude oil on a daily basis. This facility was originally built in 1969 and has been greatly expanded since then.

The history of this facility was off to a bad start when a serious health hazard was introduced to the entire plant staff. Pieces of equipment that are used to process crude oil must reach very high temperatures during the refining process, and every part of the machine must be able to withstand the heat, including small rubber gaskets. To make sure the gaskets would hold up, they were made out of a naturally occurring material called asbestos. Heat resistant products made from asbestos were brought into the Wilmington plant, but continuing research proved that the material was actually highly toxic. It can promote the decay of a victim's respiratory system and develop into a serious type of cancer called mesothelioma. Every item containing this deadly material had to be professionally removed from the refinery to make it a safe place to work.

Valero has taken great pride in creating a work site that is healthy for their employees and does not have a negative impact on the environment. They have installed state of the art emission control systems to limit the amount of hazardous toxins that are put into the air, and high tech pollution controls. Their efforts were recognized by the Occupational Safety and Health Association's (OSHA), who declared the plant to be a Star Site as part of their Voluntary Protection Program. This designates the refinery as a safe and healthy work environment, and the Valero plant was the first in California to receive this prestigious honor.

Though the plant has a strong safety record, the potential for danger at the facility still exists. In February of 2008, and electrical short circuit caused a small fire within a gasoline processing unit. The blaze began quickly, and injured one contract employee who was working at the site. He was rushed to the hospital to be treated for burns, and is expected to recover fully. Fire fighting crews were able to put out the flames quickly, and repairs are being made on the unit to prevent further dangers.

Today the plant produces CARB gasolines, which have fewer dangerous chemicals and are viewed as a safer alternative type of fuel. Plant employees enjoy a healthy work area, but any former or long term worker who was at the plant while asbestos was on the premises may still be at risk for developing the diseases associated with this hazardous substance. People who may have been exposed should notify their doctor about it right away.

Last modified: December 09 2009.