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Fire hits unit at Lyondell-Citgo Houston refinery

HOUSTON, May 7 (Reuters) - A fire broke out in one of two coking units at the Lyondell-Citgo oil refinery in Houston on Friday, a company spokeswoman said.

There was no early information about any fatalities or injuries.

``There is a fire in the coker unit at the Lyondell-Citgo refinery in Houston. That's all the details I have right now,'' spokeswoman Jackie Wilson said. ``Emergency services are there and are trying to get the fire out,'' she added.

Local television showed pictures of firefighters aiming jets of water at the refinery as orange flames shot out and thick plumes of black smoke drifted into the sky.

The refinery on the Houston Ship Channel is operated as a joint venture between Lyondell Petrochemical Co.(LYO - news) and Citgo, a U.S. subsidiary of Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA.

It has the capacity to process 265,000 barrels per day of crude oil but Wilson said it had recently been operating far below its full capacity. A capacity figure for the coking unit was not immediately available.

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-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), May 10, 1999

Answers

A dishonest businessman, who knew that his business was going to fail in 7 months from an UNINSURABLE risk, might cause his business to be destroyed early by an INSURED risk; risk management for the unscrupulous. Of course that would be a crime, but how many refinery fires are going to be investigated for incendiary causes? The presence of accelerants certainly would be no clue.

-- Puddintame (achillesg@hotmail.com), May 10, 1999.

Now that is devious thinking. I like it.

-- Mike Lang (webflier@erols.com), May 10, 1999.

Puddintame:

An interesting thought....hmmmm...

-- Mike T. (anita_martini@hotmail.com), May 10, 1999.

Expect your area gas prices to rise.

In Northern California they're still the highest in the nation due to our refinery fires. In Sacramento, they've been having hearings on "why" the prices are so high. I remember catching the brief statement on TV ... "Because we can."

Also, what's a "coking unit?" Without checking I think the Chevron fire was in the "craking unit." Towards the "end" of the refinery process? Any connection?

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), May 10, 1999.