Chevron

Chevron has operated two refineries in Texas, the largest of which was in Port Arthur; a smaller facility is located in the town of Old Ocean, about 50 miles to the southwest. The Port Arthur refinery has a history going back well over a century, and has changed ownership several times. Originally built by Gulf Oil, it came under the ownership of Chevron when that corporation acquired Gulf in 1984. Chevron divested itself of the Port Arthur facility in February of 2002. It has since been operated by Motiva, Inc., subsidiary of Shell Oil and Saudi Refining, Inc.

Products and Capacity

Over the years, products that have come out of this refinery include gasoline, kerosene and jet aircraft fuel. The nearby wetland had been severely affected by the release of toxins over the past century. According to a federal website, Chevron is contributing to cleanup efforts as part of the Damage Assessment, Remediation and Restoration Program (DARRP).

The current capacity of the Port Arthur Refinery is 275,000 barrels per day. Currently, Motiva has plans more than double this capacity, which will make Port Arthur the largest such facility in the United States.

Asbestos in Chevron Refineries Texas

In cases where excessive heat or fire was a risk, various forms of asbestos were the insulating material preferred by builders in the majority of the 1900s. Materials that contained asbestos, accordingly, were frequently utilized in the construction of oil processing plants like Chevron refineries in Texas. Resistance to chemical reactions is one of the other properties of certain kinds of the fibrous mineral. Because of this, asbestos was utilized in protective clothes and coating materials. One of the ironic things with asbestos is that although it does a great job of guarding against the damage done by fire and excessive heat - it is one of the most effective insulators known and has been used for this purpose throughout history - at the same time it poses serious risks to people's well being.

For the most part, amosite was the variety of asbestos used. When mixed with chrysotile, which is impervious to heat and bases but not as resistant to acids, amosite creates materials that are particularly effective at protecting against corrosive substances. Although it was prohibited from use in building materials in the 1970s, this amosite, in the form of asbestos transite, was used for decades in labs, refineries and chemical plants across the country.

Like cement, asbestos transite could be sprayed onto pipes and ductwork and molded into working surfaces. As a rule, new items formed from transite were safe because the asbestos particles were trapped in the transite. Tiny particles of asbestos enter into the air, however, as this transite ages and becomes prone to becoming powdery. In this state, it is said to be friable, or able to be pulverized by hand pressure alone. The insulation lining of industrial ovens also frequently were constructed with friable asbestos.

Why Is Friable Asbestos Dangerous?

Asbestos fibers, when friable, are readily released into the air. Inhaling asbestos fibers can lead to diseases like cancer or asbestosis. In addition, asbestos exposure has been shown to be the primary cause of pleural mesothelioma, a rare but frequently deadly disease of the mesothelium, the lining between the lungs and the chest cavity. If those particles of asbestos in the air land on food or in beverages and are subsequently swallowed, pericardial or peritoneal mesothelioma can occur, although they are rarer than pleural mesothelioma.

Mounting pressure from the medical community and news media resulted in regulations controlling how to use asbestos. However, when facilities such as Chevron refineries in Texas were first operating, the use of asbestos was more common. And even now, asbestos from the past may be the source of danger when it is not properly handled during demolition and remodeling projects.

The Hidden Danger of Asbestos

Asbestos-related diseases, unlike most workplace injuries, which are easily observed and known about immediately following the causing incident, may take ten, twenty, or even thirty years to manifest. When a former worker starts showing symptoms such as pain in the chest or abdomen and shortness of breath, his or her doctor may not at first identify asbestos as a cause, leading to a delay in diagnosis and treatment. It is vital, therefore, that people who worked in or spent much time near sites like Chevron refineries in Texas ask their physicians for a mesothelioma treatment guide. Moreover, spouses of these people are also in danger, as unless effective safety measures, like the use of on-site showers, were followed, it was all too easy for people to bring home asbestos on themselves or their clothing. Despite the fact that there is no mesothelioma cure, the disease can sometimes be treated with various therapies.

Sources

Motiva Enterprises LLC - Port Arthur Refinery History
http://www.portarthurrefinery.com/go/doc/96/58620/

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration - Case: Chevron/Former Gulf Oil Refinery Port Arthur Waste Site
http://www.darrp.noaa.gov/southeast/chevron_port_arthur/index.html

University of Wisconsin - Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) - Laboratories and Shops
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/EHSRM/ASB/acmimages3.html

University of Wisconsin - Asbestos Disposal
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/EHSRM/HAZEXCEPTIONS/a.html