» One of California’s top 10 emitters of toxic chemicals: The Richmond, Calif. Chevron plant where the massive fire took place is a bit of an environmental problem child even when it isn’t having massive fires that force people to stay inside their homes. The plant, which suffered that fire on Monday evening, is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the state, and the fire will singlehandedly make gas prices rise on the West Coast.
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[We are] very disappointed that this happened, and apologize that we are inconveniencing our neighbors.Chevron spokesperson Walt Gill • In an apology after the massive fire at the company’s Richmond, Calif. refinery. The company refines 240,000 barrels per day of oil at the refinery, and the fire is quite massive. We have comprehensive plans and procedures in place to respond to situations like the one we are facing. “We are working with all appropriate local authorities,” the company said in a statement to the press. “We will take all measures necessary to provide for the safety and security of our facilities and the surrounding community.” The facility last suffered from a fire of this nature in 2007. (more here)
“Go inside. Close all windows and doors,” a phone message to residents near the Chevron plant in Richmond, Calif. said. The oil refinery fire has as of the moment not caused any injuries (all workers have been accounted for), but people are being asked to stay inside and turn off air conditioning and fans, and to cover cracks around doors to prevent any hazardous material from getting inside their homes. Pretty scary. (more here; photo by CatsMan2 on Flickr)
Breaking: Huge fire at Chevron oil refinery in Richmond, California. Residents told to close windows and stay indoors. This same refinery caught fire about 10 years ago.
Keeping an eye on this. @ProducerMatthew has been tweeting about this heavily in the past half-hor.
» “I’ve never seen a spill this small with this size of reaction.” That’s what Ali Moshiri, the Chevron executive in charge of the company’s Latin American operations, said in reaction to the November spill, which took place on the Frade oil field. Brazil, which has toughened up its regulatory standards partly because of environmental disasters like the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, did not take those comments kindly; a court on Friday took away the passports of the 17 employees, as the country plans to file criminal charges against the employees of Chevron and Transocean. (A new leak on the Frade was found Friday, too.) You get the feeling that the U.S. didn’t try enough after hearing what Brazil just did.
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