Chevron Fun Facts

fun facts about the chevron plant in richmond

May 21, 2000
At approximately 8:50pm, the refinery experienced a failure of a Hydrogen Compressor at the North Isomax Plant. Flaring occurred as a result of the rapid shut down of this unit. Chevron estimates that a release of approximately 2,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide (SO2) occurred from the flare.
http://www.baaqmd.gov/enf/accemis/i000521.htm

March 29, 1999
At approximately 2:30pm, an explosion occurred. The source of the explosion appears to be the gas oil feed line to the TKN hydrocracking unit in the refinery. This gas oil feed to the hydrocracker has been treated to remove nitrogen and sulfur compounds (i.e. ammonia and hydrogen sulfide has been removed). The smoke from the fire rose straight over the refinery before travelling east and before dissipating over the El Cerritto/Berkeley Hills.
http://www.baaqmd.gov/enf/accemis/archive/i990325a.htm

January 5, 1999
At approximately 8:00a.m. the refinery experienced an upset at their Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCC) which resulted in significant flare activity from the FCC and the Alky/Poly Flares. Both flares had black smoke in violation of BAAQMD Regulation 6, Section 301 governing visible emissions. The District received three complaints of black smoke associated with this episode. Winds were out of the north at 5-8 mph. The Ground Level Monitor (GLM) at Golden Gate Avenue in Point Richmond indicated both hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) activity.
http://www.baaqmd.gov/enf/accemis/archive/i990105.htm

Chevron\'s plants are almost uniformly near poor neighborhoods of color. There have been so many problems with pollution and accidents at these plants that one activist said, \"California needs a \'three strikes\' law for polluters.\"
http://www.colorlines.com/waronyouth/Pages/chevron.html

Since 1989, there have been 35 major industrial accidents in Contra Costa County, California. This makes it one of the most dangerous places to live in the nation. In fact, between 1989 and 1995, there were over 1900 different incidents reported in the county, making it the eleventh worst area in the entire United States with regards to toxic accidents. One of the worst industrial offenders is Chevron. The oil company operates a refinery and other industrial facilities in Richmond, California. Chevron stores over 11 million pounds of toxic, explosive, and corrosive chemicals at this refinery, often very close to large population centers. When it accidentally releases these chemicals into the environment, Chevron endangers the lives of the local community members.
http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/sherman.html