BP Refinery Blast: Outside safety probe won't cover Innovene

17 August 2005 18:24  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (CN)--The petrochemical activities of olefins and derivatives unit Innovene will be excluded from the independent safety review of BP's US refining operations, a spokesman for the company said on Wednesday.

He confirmed that the panel would be focussing only on the safety management systems and corporate safety culture of BP Products North America Inc, the subsidiary responsible for the UK-headquartered energy group's US refining operations.

However, he said that Innovene supported the independent review and "would take note of the panel's findings and will learn from them".

Innovene is currently carrying out an internal inquiry into the explosion and fire at its Olefins 2 cracker at Chocolate Bayou at Alvin, Texas. No-one was hurt in the incident but the plant is believed to have been damaged seriously and could be out of action for some time.

BP's decision to arrange an independent review of its refinery safety follows a recommendation made earlier today by the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB). The CSB's recommendation was made as part of its investigation of an explosion and fire last March at BP's Texas City oil refinery in which 15 people died and about 170 were injured.

"The Texas City explosion was the worst accident in the recent history of BP," said group chief executive Lord Browne, "and we will do everything possible to ensure nothing like it happens again."

By: Neil Sinclair
+44 20 8652 3214

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