ExxonMobil fire: Injuries reported after 'major industrial accident' at Texas refinery

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: WHIO Radio

ExxonMobil fire: Injuries reported after 'major industrial accident' at Texas refinery

December 23, 2021 at 3:52 am EST
By Michelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

BAYTOWN, Texas -- Injuries have been reported after a fire broke out early Thursday at an ExxonMobil plant in Texas, authorities said.

In a overnight tweet, ExxonMobil Baytown Area tweeted that the blaze began shortly before 1 a.m. CST at the company's refinery on Decker Drive in Baytown.

Link to tweet

"At this time, emergency vehicles and smoke may be noticeable to the community," the tweet read. "We are coordinating with local officials and working to resolve the issue as soon as possible."

The Harris County Sheriff's Office tweeted that "some injuries have been reported" in connection with the "major industrial accident."

Link to tweet

{snip}

2021 Cox Media Group

Read more: https://www.whio.com/news/trending/exxonmobil-fire-injuries-reported-after-major-industrial-accident-texas-plant/34XV2Z5575GHLIUEE3LTZHASXE/

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Hat tip, CBS Radio news, on WCBS

The story was so new that I couldn't find anything at the Houston Chronicle before I posted.

[TexasTowelie]

1. My grandfather used to work at the refinery back when it was Esso. nt

[Dustlawyer]

21. Evil place! In the 1940's the company donated land for its black workers, including

land for an elementary school. In the 1990’s toxic sludge was coming up through the playground. Turns out they buried toxic waste on the land before they donated it.

When deposing 300 asbestos plaintiffs who worked at the plant we discovered that white workers started in the labor gang with the black workers until they were assigned to a trade such as pipe fitters, carpenters, boilermakers…. The black workers stayed in the labor gang until they were too old and then sent to the warehouse. Every single one!

[Trailrider1951]

29. That place was full of asbestos pipe insulation

I analyzed many samples of pipe insulation out of there during the '80's when I worked for an engineering consulting firm in Houston. Some was chrysotile, but most was loose shredded amosite, some of the nastiest stuff you would ever want to see.

[hatrack]

2. Passive Points! "A fire occurred . . . ."

Despite all the digital funzone toys of today, some bullshit never changes.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. That's active voice.

Also, this thing was breaking news. There were only two sources online when I posted, only one of which was in the United States. No AP, nothing in the Houston Chronicle (though there was that big story about the inflatable Grinch being stolen).

We'll get more throughout the day.

Have a happy whatever it is you're having.

[hatrack]

5. Pre-coffee posting . . .

I should know better by now.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. I know how that works.

In LBN, sometimes I have to post with what I have. So far, no fatalities, but that was not a certainty when I heard the news on the radio.

Let's hope for the best. Or, let the best be hoped for by us.

[radicalleft]

3. Well....

There's the excuse the speculators needed to raise prices again...

[durablend]

8. This.

Not as if prices dropped much here (PA) to begin with.

[Crowman2009]

7. Well that's one thing renewal energy doesn't have.... massive fires.

Along with major chemical spills, pipeline leaks, future worker health problems, etc.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

10. Wind Farm Fires Far More Common Than Reported, Study Finds

From the IEEE. What would they know?

Okay, one turbine at a time might go up in flames, not the whole installation.

Wind Farm Fires Far More Common Than Reported, Study Finds

> Technologies exist to increase fire safety in turbines

KATHERINE TWEED | 23 JUL 2014 | 2 MIN READ

{snip}

OSHA has regulations that cover working conditions at any facility where electric power is generated, transmitted, or distributed.

[Crowman2009]

11. But its a lot easier to put out than massive amounts of flammable liquid.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

13. Certainly. I think they probably just stand back and watch.

What's the point of trying to put it out? What are you going to salvage?

[lonely bird]

16. I saw the results of a fire in a wind turbine

I had to go and make a recommendation for reposting the top two “cans” which is what the call the section of the tower crest by welding the steel that has been rolled into a circle together. Several workers were working in the necell which is where the equipment is. They were heating bolts on something with a torch and the fiberglass shroud caught fire. I was told three workers made it out and the fourth, probably scared and confused, went the wrong way and ended up jumping out the back to his death.

[durablend]

9. Eagerly awaiting Barchart's orgasm over this

"Refinery fires are a bullish factor towards gasoline prices"

[Traildogbob]

12. Time for

A Cancun trip for cruise.

[Historic NY]

14. Now watch the gas price spike..

[mahatmakanejeeves]

15. Baytown Refinery

I don't know what they make there. It could be petrochemicals, rather than gasoline.

Baytown Refinery

City: Baytown, Texas
Coordinates: 29.7390°N 95.0106°W

Refinery details
Owner(s): ExxonMobil
Commissioned: 1919
Capacity: 584,000 bbl/d (92,800 m3/d)

ExxonMobil's Baytown Refinery is the second largest oil refinery in the United States located in Baytown, Texas. It has capacity of 584,000 barrels per day (92,800 m3/d). The site first opened in 1919 and was originally operated by the Humble Oil Company. Today, it is the largest employer in the city. The plant takes up 2,400 acres (9.7 km2) of land next to the Houston Ship Channel.

{snip}

[lonely bird]

17. It is possible that they make petrochemicals there

Refineries may have petrochemical plants adjacent to the refinery as the refinery provides feedstocks. In other instances the feedstocks are sent to petrochemical plants elsewhere. Iirc, the largest inland petrochemical plant is in Morris, IL. It has gone through several nam changes/owners. I think it is owned by Lyondell right now.

[Nac Mac Feegle]

18. Maybe I'm a cynic

But every time I hear the words "refinery" and "fire" combined, The result is "Gasoline Prices Rise".

BOHICA

[lonely bird]

26. No argument from this corner

Do prices have to go up? No. The price increase is a deliberate action. Yes, it is in response. No, it is not because of. There is no price fairy that controls pricing. It is all psychological response, greed/fear.

[roamer65]

28. There's an oxymoron in that press release.

Humble Oil Company.

[ProfessorGAC]

30. If It's Called A Refinery...

...there's almost certainly fuel production.
They may be doing petrochem there as a different division, as well.
I suppose it's possible that it's antiquated and only the petchem lines run off a pipeline.
But, I'd think they would begin calling it a chemical plant, not a refinery.
Not that the media would really know the difference, but firefighters would. The big site where my office was before I retired is a large chemical plant. Firefighters all knew the difference between the refinery down the road, the petrochem place across the interstate, and a big fine organics place.
Used to see them if emergency drills, involving mutual aid response, happened while I was in town.
Around here, those are some very knowledgeable firefighters!
On Edit: I looked up this place. It's an active refinery with a production capacity of 584,000 bbl/day. (As crude)

[mahatmakanejeeves]

31. Thanks for the insight. I got a "C" in Organic, and I was lucky to get that. NT

[ProfessorGAC]

32. That's Actually Success

Probably not for a chem major, but loads of people take organic that aren't pursuing a chem degree.
My masters was focused on organic mechanisms, and so was my PhD, but that included a substantial amount of phase chemistry, too!
I've been in around 300 chemical manufacturing sites in 38 countries. So, organic was my life for a long time. I know, I know!

[CRK7376]

34. My thoughts exactly!

And just as gas prices at Costco in Winston-Salem, NC hit $2.79 this morning....

[jmbar2]

19. Thanks for posting

I have family in the area. Keeping watch.

[Firestorm49]

20. Another one. How sad, but not much of a surprise.

However, a number of years ago, the state of Texas abolished rules that dictated chemical facilities needed to report what types of toxic chemicals were being stored in facilities to the government, the purpose being to let emergency responders (and surrounding citizenry) know what dangers they may be facing going in to a hazardous situation. The state of Texas felt such requirements were too burdensome for corporations, and as such, removed the requirements.

So now, they are left with not knowing what the hell is burning inside or when it may explode, the surrounding communities are left to be lied to about the toxic fumes entering their lungs, and the corporate board members can fly away on their Gulfstreams.

It seems that Texas has had more than their fair share of chemical plant disasters. But oh well, people are complacent to the point of absurdity and will not rise up to challenge risks to their own safety.

Apathy will kill us!

[ananda]

22. From Houston Chronicle

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Injuries-reported-after-explosion-at-Exxon-16724684.php

The fire broke out around 1 a.m. Thursday, and the company was still fighting some flames around 7:30 a.m. The company was monitoring air quality and said there were no adverse impacts as of Thursday morning.

“Our first priority is people in the community and in our facilities,” the company said in a Tweet at 6:27 a.m. “Air monitoring continues along the fence line. Available information shows no adverse impact at this time. No shelter in place has been called for in our community and near neighbors. We deeply regret any disruption or inconvenience that this incident may have caused the community.”

[usaf-vet]

23. Is it just me or does this sound like a familiar tune? Just as winter sets in we seem to have a ....

....yearly "major" incident at an oil and gas refinery. Ultimately justifying the RISE in gas and oil prices.

I think they open the fall/winter playbook and run the same game plan year after year.

The short version BOOM!! News announcement Oil and gas prices will rise because of BOOM!!!

[ProfessorGAC]

33. I Don't Blame You For Thinking That

But, refinery incidents are hugely inconvenient for the company.
Inspectors & investigators camp out for 6-18 months. Repair work is very costly, and damages can be really big.
In the early 80s, a Citgo refinery had an explosion in a hydrocracker. Several were killed, many seriously injured. (A few firefighters were killed, along with 4 or 5 employees.)
The wrongful death settlements added up to over a quarter billion dollars, repairs over $50 million, and the plant was idled for 6 months. (Layoffs to save cost were not allowed because investigators needed daily access to operations staff for months.)
While these events do tend to drive refined product prices, there's no way a refiner would do this to manipulate prices. 10¢ a gallon at market, for this site would take 4 months of higher prices just to break even.
It sure can seem calculated, but it's extraordinarily unlikely.

[usaf-vet]

35. Well that make me feel a little better. Thanks for the informed information. I believe in science...

.... data, and experts.

USAF-Veteran with a BS in Biology.

[pecosbob]

24. I grew up about a mile south of that refinery, in Seabrook

While many of the plants in the area do produce styrene I believe the main Baytown plan produces gasoline.

[Ponietz]

25. Baytown will be under water in the not too distant future

(It’s 34’ above sea level). Get a bike and a vegetable garden. Downsize. Get ready. Chatting about gasoline prices is cool but ignoring the big picture got us in this mess.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

27. My dad was killed in a refinery fire 42 years ago

Doesn't sound like any fatalities so far with this one.