Exxon Mobil's Torrance refinery restart is delayed until Monday night (California)

[tomm2thumbs]

Source: LA Times

As part of its start-up procedure, Exxon Mobil plans to turn OFF the refinery's pollution control system for six hours during a 12-hour period, a step approved by the South Coast Air Quality Management District as a safety precaution. That period is expected to begin at 7 p.m. Monday and to end by 7 a.m. Tuesday. <snips>

The Torrance refinery has sat mostly inoperable since a February 2015 explosion destroyed the plant's pollution control system.

After Torrance is fully operational, Exxon Mobil plans to sell the plant to New Jersey-based PBF Energy.

(see more detail at link below)


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-torrance-refinery-20160506-story.html

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Yes, turning off the refinery's pollution control system -- for fear of explosion

The plant has already been fined $5 million in penalties for air-pollution violations previously, so this is not encouraging.

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During the restart, the refinery will pump into the air net excess emissions amounting to 632 pounds of particulate matter, including 55 pounds of particularly hazardous fine particulate matter, 144 pounds of carbon monoxide and 337 pounds of nitrogen oxides. Most of the pollution will occur within the first six hours because refinery pollution control equipment will not be functioning as a safety precaution. District officials called the concern of another explosion a “justifiable’ reason for the dirtier-than-normal restart.

Still, opponents criticized the board’s action after the hearing. “I’m disappointed in the ExxonMobil refinery for what they’re doing because, ultimately, all they are looking to do is sell this property — it’s already sold — so they just need to have it up and running so they can walk away,” said Maureen Mauk, a member of the refinery’s Community Advisory Panel.



http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/20160402/aqmd-board-narrowly-approves-restart-of-exxonmobil-refinery-in-torrance-despite-pollution-concerns

The re-opening was only narrowly approved. It is being done at night for fear of it affecting school children. For folks living/working in the Santa Monica, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, etc areas, might be worth a review of the previous article at link.
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Personal note: I suggest residents close up their windows for the next week -- a family member lives in the area and said there has been very little detailed publicity of the restart and release of excessive pollution/gas.

[NNadir]

1. I used to bicycle past that plant, many years ago. I used to reflect on the large volume of HF...

...they used at that time as a cracking catalyst. It caused one to think of Bhopal.

I think they no longer use HF (hydrogen fluoride) in the plant, at least I hope not.

HF is one of the most corrosive gases there is; it dissolves glass as well as lung tissue. If one sees photographs of HF burns - I have - one wants to throw up.

The Crenshaw fault runs right down Crenshaw Blvd. The nearby cities of Torrance, Carson, Lomita and Redondo Beach are all highly residential areas, densely populated.

Fossil fuels are incredibly dangerous; they kill continuously with and without accidents. No one seems to care though.

[NV Whino]

2. That plant is right in the middle of a dense residential area.

I can't believe they are starting it up again.

[Travis_0004]

5. Im guessing the refinery was there first

If they can get it safely running, they should be allowed to. You cant build next to a refinery, then complain about it.

[NV Whino]

6. I have no idea which came first, houses or plant.

I used to drive past it 50 years ago and it was densely populated then. Even in those days, when I was less environmentally aware, I was puzzled that it was in such a populated area.

[Travis_0004]

7. Plant was built in 1928. Houses in early 50's.

[NV Whino]

8. Thanks for the info

[GummyBearz]

12. Yea

South Bay LA was literally the middle of no where back then. I used to work at TRW which was built in the 50's in Redondo Beach (about 5ish miles north of Torrence). The pictures of it when it was first built is literally a single building with a single road going to it and dirt everywhere else

[baran]

3. HF is also used at this refinery . . .

HF is stored at and used at the refinery. It and one other refinery in Wilmington are the only two plants in California still allowed to use it. There was an explosion in February last year that could have been catastrophic. I believe it is still under investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.

"The United States Chemical Safety Board called last year’s explosion a “near miss,” in which a piece of heavy equipment flew within a few feet of an MHF tank. If the tank had ruptured, a cloud of lethal MHF could have been released into the surrounding communities. The MHF tanks have not been moved or strengthened in the repair process."

There have been many safety violations. It's in the middle of a densely populated area and seems to me to be a ticking time bomb.

More info here: https://safetorrancerefinery.wordpress.com/

[forest444]

4. As anyone familiar with that area knows,

the site of the Torrance Exxon refinery would be a great residential area were it to be ever cleared and decontaminated (if that's still possible).

I mean, it's 5 minutes from the beach for God's sake. Only in L.A.

[GummyBearz]

11. People need places to live

They also need places to work. I don't care much for fossil fuels but they do provide jobs for people. If you remove that plant, bye bye to thousands of jobs

[baran]

13. 650 jobs . . .

plus several hundred independent contractors. The tax revenue from the refinery is also important to the city. Makes impartial oversight by the city difficult.

[tomm2thumbs]

9. explosion coverage

http://abc7.com/news/exxon-mobil-refinery-in-torrance-damaged-after-explosion/523467/

[Crash2Parties]

10. So prices at the pump should go down 0.20 or more...right?

I mean, every time there is an incident of any sort at a California refinery, the price at the pump spikes because California has "special formulations". So, with this refinery going on-line, prices should drop a nice bit within 2-3 days max...

...unless they weren't being completely honest before, that is.