CSB: Chemical Leak Caused Fire at ITC Houston Terminal
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said on Wednesday that a fuel leak, possibly due to open valves and a running pump, set off a massive blaze at a Mitsui & Co Ltd petrochemical storage operation along the Houston Ship Channel in March.The fire that began on March 17 at Intercontinental Terminals Co (ITC) spread black smoke across Houston, shut the nearby ship channel…
Fire at Mitsui’s ITC Houston-area Terminal Began with Naphtha Leak -U.S.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said on Wednesday that leaking volatile naphtha, possibly due to open valves and a running pump, set off a massive fire at Mitsui & Co Ltd's Intercontinental Terminals Co (ITC) operation along the Houston Ship Channel in March.The fire that began on March 17 spread a black cloud of smoke across Houston, shut the ship channel, led to cuts in production at nearby refineries…
U.S. Gulf Refiners Recovering Slowly, Carefully
U.S. refineries are restarting after Hurricane Harvey forced them to shut down two weeks ago, raising the risk of fires and explosions that could prolong fuel supply disruption as plants simultaneously reheat units and reactivate catalysts. Restarts are one of the most dangerous times for refinery workers, so operators keep shutdowns to a minimum. Plants typically shut only a few units for overhaul in spring and fall…
Exxon Fined over Refinery Explosion
ExxonMobil Corp has been fined about $165,000 by U.S. regulators for safety lapses including inadequate training and equipment maintenance over an explosion that injured four workers at an aging Baton Rouge, Louisiana, refinery last year. U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued nine citations, several of which echo previous cautions by federal agencies at two other Exxon plants.
Investigation faults Tesoro in Worker Injuries
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said on Tuesday workers were injured in incidents between 2010 and 2014 at Tesoro Corp's San Francisco Bay-area refinery in Martinez, California because of a weak safety culture the company permitted to exist. "The safety culture at the Tesoro Martinez refinery created conditions conducive to the occurrence and recurrence of process safety incidents that caused worker injuries at the refinery over several years…
U.S. Chemical Safety Board Chief Resigns
The head of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board has resigned weeks after lawmakers with oversight of his agency accused him of hostility toward his staff, a White House official said on Thursday. Rafael Moure-Eraso stepped down from his role as chairman of the CSB, an independent federal agency responsible for investigating industrial and chemical accidents. "The White House asked for and received Dr. Rafael Moure-Eraso's resignation," the official said.
Chicago Wholesale Gasoline Prices Rise on BP Whiting Refinery Fire
Wholesale gasoline prices surged in Chicago on Thursday after a fire hit a piece of equipment used to produce gasoline at BP Plc's refinery in nearby Whiting, Indiana, trade and industry sources said. BP said the fire was extinguished at its biggest U.S. plant and it expects little impact on production. The 413,500 barrel per day (bpd) refinery, which BP spent $4 billion expanding to handle more heavy Canadian crude, was still operating.
Report: Faulty Blowout Preventer Contributed to BP Spill
A faulty blowout preventer and weaknesses in how companies analyze potential hazards in offshore oil and gas operations contributed to BP Plc's deadly Gulf of Mexico oil spill more than four years ago, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board said on Thursday. Despite tougher regulations, a slew of other investigations and an ongoing federal civil trial with potentially billions of dollars at stake…
