Pemex Deer Park oil refinery scales back operations after fatal accident

Mexican oil major Pemex’s Deer Park oil refinery near Houston will operate at low levels this weekend after a deadly chemical leak a few days ago, the company said in a statement late Friday, as quoted by News.Az, citing Investing reported.

The state oil company added that it continues to investigate the cause of last Thursday’s hydrogen sulfide leak that killed two contract workers and injured 35 others while working on a unit at the 312,500 barrel per day (bpd) refinery.

On Friday, Pemex’s chief executive said thirteen workers remained hospitalized after being exposed to the leak, while Mexico’s energy minister said she expected the plant to return to normal functioning later on Friday.

But the company refuted this expectation with its latest statement.

“The refinery continues to operate in stable, low-level conditions. This level will be maintained over the weekend as long as access to the areas to carry out the relevant inspections is possible,” the company said in its Friday night statement.

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB), which investigates industrial accidents and makes recommendations to prevent future incidents, has also begun investigating what it described as a “very serious incident.”

News.Az