Study Cautions On-Shore Refineries Face Accident Warnings Similar To Those Ignored By BP
According to a study report released in mid-December, oil refineries in the Gulf Coast state of Louisiana suffer a pattern of frequent accidents and other warning signs similar to those ignored by BP in advance of April's Deepwater Horizon catastrophe.
The study's authors reviewed some 2,600 accident reports submitted by the 17 refineries operating in Louisiana from 2005 to 2009. The reports, sent to the Department of Environmental Quality, reflect an average of 10 chemical accidents each week throughout the five-year period. Weather and equipment failures were cited as the leading causes of accidental emissions of chemical pollutants to the air and to the ground or water.
The study report, entitled Common Ground II, is the second publication of the Refinery Efficiency Initiative, a collaboration of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, the Environmental Working Group, the United Steelworkers Union, and others, including community groups located in parishes where refineries are situated.
The study's findings include:
- Refinery accident data is underestimated.
- Accident reduction is an opportunity for job creation and economic growth.
- Refineries do not have sufficient storm and hurricane preparedness plans.
- Refineries are not being thorough in their investigations of the accident causes.
- Management trends — including laying off workers and deferring maintenance — may result in short-term profits for the parent corporation but are generally making refineries more dangerous.
- ExxonMobil’s two Louisiana refineries (Baton Rouge Refinery and Chalmette Refining) had the most frequent accidents and the largest emissions from accidents.
- The refining industry is not capitalizing on the opportunity to collaborate to solve the accident problem.
An oil company's failure to manage safety raises particularly serious risks for workers, public health, and the environment. The unfolding lessons of the BP Deepwater Horizon tragedy offer a grim reminder of the grave harms that can result, whether on land or at sea.
Arnold & Itkin LLP attorneys serve clients in Texas and throughout the nation, handling maritime injury and many other types of complex cases.
If you have any questions regarding a maritime incident or have suffered a maritime injury, contact a maritime attorney online at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free consultation or call our maritime law office toll free at 866-222-2606.
