ADM accused for misconduct and lack of safety inspections following explosion that injured US worker
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co intentionally failed to test and maintain safety systems on its grain equipment for years, which contributed to an explosion that immolated a worker and put him in a coma last year, according to a lawsuit filed against the company. The explosion is part of a series of safety incidents that have occurred at ADM's facilities in Decatur (Illinois), the North American headquarters of this global grain trader. ADM declined to comment Thursday on the lawsuit or the incidents. This year, the company's share price has been impacted by a global grain glut. It is also being investigated by the U.S.
Sugar cane fields are ravaged by wildfires in Brazil's southeast
On Saturday, wildfires spread through sugarcane fields of northern Sao Paulo State. The smoke clouds that accompanied the fires covered the nearby towns to such an extent that officials banned outdoor sports. Due to a ban, the Brazilian Championship soccer match in Ribeirao Preto was cancelled. This city is located in the westernmost region of Sao Paulo. Due to poor visibility, some state highways have been closed. Local TV showed images of dead cattle in fields that died from heat and smoke. "Firefighters are unable control the fires." "We can't do anything", farmer Silvio Dantas, 56 told, as a gray-white column of smoke rose to the horizon.
Fire Erupts at Exxon's Baytown complex; 37 Hurt
Exxon Mobil Corp said it was fighting a fire that erupted on Wednesday at its Baytown, Texas, refining and chemical plant complex injuring 37 people and sending nearby residents indoors.As many as 37 people were being treated for non-life threatening injuries amid efforts to put out the fire, according to Exxon spokeswoman Sarah Nordin. Available air monitoring information showed "no adverse impact at this time," she said.More than three dozen people were treated for minor burns, none requiring hospitalization, said plant manager Jason Duncan in an afternoon media briefing.
Fire burns out of control at Philadelphia refinery
A fire was burning out of control at an oil refinery in Pennsylvania on Friday morning, a Philadelphia fire department official said, as local media reported a series of explosions on site.NBC Philadelphia said the "massive" blaze at the 335,000 barrels per day Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery was visible from miles away and triggered explosions that were felt as far away as South Jersey.The crude section at the Girard Point portion of the refinery was shut down due to the fire, intelligence provider Genscape said.There were no immediate reports of casualties at the complex, which the NBC affiliate said employs around 1,000 people.A company
Fire Erupts at Manguinhos Refinery
A fire broke out at the Manguinhos oil refinery in Rio de Janeiro on Monday, according to the local fire department, and television footage showed extensive plumes of smoke and fire spewing into the air.Firemen were called at 1:40 p.m. local time, the department said. About 90 minutes later the fire had subsided, but authorities continued to work to put it out completely, according to the department.Refit, the company that operates the refinery, said in a statement that no one was injured in the fire.
Natgas Pipeline Catches Fire in Kansas
A natural gas pipeline has caught fire southwest of Hesston in Harvey County, Kansas on Friday, a fire department official said.The incident has not resulted in injuries or structural damage, the officer from the Hesston fire department said.It was not immediately clear which company operates the pipeline.Reporting by Eileen Soreng and Arpan Varghese in Bengaluru
Explosion on TransCanada WV Gasline Section Contained
An explosion on a TransCanada Columbia Gas Midstream pipeline outside Moundsville, West Virginia early on Thursday has been contained, according to a local media report. No employees were at the site of the explosion and no homes were in danger, the Intelligencer reported on its news website, citing Roberts Ridge Volunteer Fire Department chief Robert Jones. TransCanada Corp was not immediately available for comment.
Six Dead After Blast at Czech Refinery
An explosion killed six people at a refinery in the Czech Republic on Thursday, rescue officials said. Two other people were taken to hospital with serious injuries, a fire department spokeswoman told Czech Television. The blast occurred at Unipetrol's plant in Kralupy nad Vltavou about 30 km (19 miles) north of Prague. "There was an explosion at the storage tank but no subsequent fire in the Kralupy refinery," Unipetrol spokesman Pavel Kaidl said. "The situation is under control and there is no other danger. The mayor of Kralupy told Czech Television the blast occurred during cleaning of the storage tank.
Search Suspended for Worker Missing in US Oil Platform Blast
The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a worker missing from an oil production platform in Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain that exploded and caught fire late on Sunday. Missing is Timothy Morrison, 44, of Katy, Texas, the Coast Guard said in a statement. Seven other workers were sent to hospital with injuries in the incident. "The decision to suspend a search is never an easy one," Commander Zac Ford said in the statement. Coast Guard rescue crews battled 4 foot to 5 foot (1.2 meter to 1.5 meter) waves during the search…
Coast Guard Responds to Oil Platform Blast
The U.S. Coast Guard is coordinating search efforts for a missing man after an explosion on an oil platform in Lake Pontchartrain near Kenner, La., Sunday evening. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report from a witness at approximately 8 p.m. of an oil platform explosion. The cause of the incident is unknown. It was reported by one of the platform workers that eight people were aboard at the time of the explosion, and one person did not make it to shore. Of the seven people who made it to shore, six were taken to the hospital. The Coast Guard and partner agencies continue to search for the missing man.
Harvey Drenches Louisiana, Sparks Blast at Texas Chemical Plant
The remnants of Tropical Storm Harvey drenched northern Louisiana on Thursday as it moved inland, leaving behind record flooding that paralyzed the U.S. energy hub of Houston, killed at least 35 people and drove tens of thousands from their homes. Two explosions were reported at a flood-hit chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Houston, with one sheriff's deputy sent to the hospital after inhaling toxic chemicals. The Arkema SA plant had lost power as a result of the storm, causing the organic peroxides stored onsite to warm to combustible levels.
Colonial Pipeline Shuts Stubline to Nashville on Suspected Leak
Colonial Pipeline Co's gasoline line between Atlanta and Nashville, called Line 19, remained shut on Monday after it was closed on Sunday after a possible spill, a company spokeswoman said on Monday. The line was initially shut after gasoline odors were reported to the Chattanooga Fire Department, the pipeline said in a notice to shippers on Sunday. It had since restarted Line 20, a distillates line, which was also shut as a precaution. Colonial Pipeline, the largest refined products system in the U.S., can carry more than 3 million barrels of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel between the U.S. Gulf Coast and the New York Harbor area.
One Hurt in Explosion at Massachusetts Power Plant
One person was injured in an explosion at a power plant north of Boston, local media reported on Friday, with a fire official in the town of Taunton confirming only that an incident had occurred. The condition of the person injured in the blast was not immediately clear, Fox 25 television reported. A dispatcher at Taunton's Fire Department confirmed that officials were on the scene but could not provide immediate details. "There is an incident going on, not sure of the severity," the dispatcher said. Taunton is located about 33 miles (53 km) north of Boston. Reporting by Scott Malone
California Pipeline Leaks 700 Barrels of Oil
About 700 barrels of crude oil were estimated to have spilled from a ruptured pipeline in Ventura County, California, on Thursday morning, down from an earlier forecast of 5,000 barrels, the local fire department said in a tweet. Nobody was evacuated as a result of the leak and air quality was being monitored, Captain Mike Lindbery, Public Information Officer for the Ventura County Fire Department, said in a tweet. (Reporting by Josephine Mason; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
Canada: Oil Facilities Largely Okay, Restart a Challenge
The mass evacuation of residents from the wildfire-devastated Canadian oil town of Fort McMurray is likely to significantly delay the restart of production, even though energy facilities themselves have escaped major damage from the flames. The huge wildfire that entered its second week on Sunday has destroyed entire neighborhoods in the town, forcing nearly 100,000 people to flee. Even though Canadian officials on Sunday showed some optimism that they were beginning to get on top of the wildfire, oil prices jumped in early…
Hurricane Patricia Brings Rain, Flooding to Louisiana
Torrential rainstorms battered Louisiana on Sunday, leaving thousands without power, after pounding southeastern Texas as the remnants of Hurricane Patricia converged with a second storm. The heaviest band of rain moved over the Gulf of Mexico, triggering coastal flood warnings and flash flood watches in southwest Louisiana and soaking New Orleans, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). About 22,000 people were left without power in the greater New Orleans area. Some streets were flooded, while a high tide surge brought some coastal flooding as well.
USCG Investigates Oil Slick off California Coast
The U.S. Coast Guard was investigating a large oil sheen off the California coast west of Santa Barbara on Wednesday, a spokeswoman for the agency said. The slick, which was about 60 feet (18 meters) wide, was spotted about 1,000 yards (meters) offshore from Goleta State Beach west of Santa Barbara, said Coast Guard spokeswoman Petty Officer Andrea Anderson. Anderson could not give the approximate length of the sheen. In May, as much as 2,400 barrels of crude oil were spilled onto a pristine beach about 15 miles (24 km) west of Goleta when a pipeline ruptured along the coast.
Shell Shuts Bengal Refined Products Line After Leak
Royal Dutch Shell said it shut its Bengal refined products pipeline following a small leak in North Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Tuesday. A local media report said the leak was of hazardous materials and led to evacuations of businesses in the area. Shell said the incident did not cause injuries. The Baton Rouge Fire Department issued and later lifted the evacuation order following the one-barrel leak, the company said. Two pipelines, one 12 inches (30.5 cm) and one 16 inches, associated with its station in Baton Rouge have also been shut, Shell said.
Shell Arctic Rig Protesters Detained and Released
U.S. The 24 people who violated the 500-yard safety zone established around the Shell Arctic drilling rig Polar Pioneer were detained by USCG and partner agency law enforcement personnel Monday morning. The individuals were transported to Coast Guard Base Seattle at Pier 36, issued notices of violation that include a $500 fine and released with their equipment. "The Coast Guard and our agency partners are committed to maintaining the integrity of navigable waterways and protecting the safety of the maritime public," said Capt. Joe Raymond, commander of Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, in Seattle.
SoCal Beach Stretch Reopens After Tar Ball Problem
Officials reopened a stretch of Southern California coastline on Friday after closing it because of tar balls that washed ashore, in a phenomenon authorities are examining for any possible link to an oil pipeline spill. Officials had closed the 4-mile (6-km) stretch of shore in Long Beach, south of Los Angeles, on Wednesday after beachgoers stepped on tar balls, said Long Beach Fire Department spokesman Jake Heflin. Clean-up workers collected dozens of gallons of oil on the shore and the U.S. Coast Guard collected samples to determine its origin, Heflin said.
