Alon USA's West Texas refinery hit by explosion

18 February 2008 16:59  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--An explosion at a Texas oil refinery on Monday shook buildings up to two miles away and closed down a major highway, according to reports.

 

The blast happened at 08:30 local time at Alon USA's facility near Big Spring, between Dallas and El Paso.

 

No-one was believed to have been killed but up to four people were reported to have been injured. Eyewitnesses described a huge explosion which sent black smoke billowing into the sky.

 

"Our walls shook. It jolted your bed. It was like an earthquake," Laura McEwen, who lives about two miles from the refinery, told the Associated Press news agency.

 

There was no immediate comment from Alon USA and the cause of the explosion was not yet known.

 

Dallas-based Alon’s refinery units produce 70,000 bbl/day of crude, aromatics including benzene and toluene, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), propylene and sulphur, according to the company’s website.  

By: Graeme Paterson
+44 20 8652 3214

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