An oil refinery fire near the Texas coast was put out Tuesday and a shelter-in-place order was lifted, hours after a large explosion at the complex shot plumes of smoke into the air, officials told the Associated Press is reporting.
No one was injured in Monday’s explosion at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Houston, Mayor Charlotte M. Moses said. She had urged residents in parts of the west side of the city to stay put, the AP reports.
“There’s been an explosion, yes, but we’re OK; everybody’s OK,” she said. “They’re trying to put the fire out as quickly as possible.”
Residents at least several miles away said they felt their homes shake. Some schools in the area were closed Tuesday as a precaution, AP reports.
The explosion comes amid a spike in gas prices driven by uncertainty over the global oil supply because of the Iran war.
The refinery has about 770 employees and can process about 435,000 barrels of oil per day, according to Valero’s website. The plant refines heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, the AP reports.
Images and video posted online show a large plume of smoke and flames billowing out from the refinery.
Valero did not respond to emails and a call from The Associated Press seeking comment. Local television stations reported a company spokesperson said everyone was accounted for.
According to the Valero website, the Port Arthur Refinery is located on the Texas Gulf Coast approximately 90 miles east of Houston. The refinery receives crude oil by rail, marine docks and pipelines. Products are distributed into pipelines and across the refinery docks into ships and barges.
The Port Arthur Refinery is adjacent to the Diamond Green Diesel (DGD) plant, which will increase capacity to 1.2 billion gallons of renewable diesel and 50 million gallons of renewable naphtha per year. DGD is a joint venture between Valero Energy Corporation and Darling Ingredients Inc. producing renewable diesel.
The website states that the refinery has 770 employees, produces 435,000 barrels per day, and processes heavy sour crude oil and other feedstocks into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
