Wyo DEQ investigating Newcastle, Sinclair incidents
DUSTIN BLEIZEFFER Star-Tribune energy reporter | Posted: Sunday, July 12, 2009 12:00 am
A spill at Wyoming Refining Co.'s Newcastle refinery last week rained oil droplets over an area up to a quarter mile away, showering several homes and cars with the substance, according to officials.
No one was hurt in the incident, and Weston County Public Health said it has not received any calls or complaints regarding the spill.
"We are trying to address complaints from local folks as we receive them," said Bob Neufeld, vice president of environmental and government relations for Wyoming Refining Co.
Neufeld said several people have already taken their cars to the refinery for a wash, and the refinery is paying to have several homes power-washed.
Refinery and state officials said an electrical storm late in the evening of July 1 was likely the cause of a power failure at the refinery, which is located on the edge of Newcastle within city limits. When refinery personnel attempted to restart units early the next morning, a tar-like asphalt substance was accidentally flared resulting in the spill.
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality sent staff to the site on July 2 and 3 to determine the scope of the spill.
"We felt it was best that we get out there and do a quick investigation as to what we're looking at," DEQ spokesman Keith Guille said.
Guille said the incident remains under investigation, and enforcement action is yet to be determined.
DEQ is still investigating a series of accidents at the Sinclair Oil Refinery east of Rawlins. The incidents began with a fire on March 29 that cut production by half for most of April. Some three million gallons of highly flammable "gasoline grade" liquid spilled from a storage tank at the refinery on May 3, followed by a toxic leak of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide.
There were no reports of any injuries from the accidents.
Guille said each incident is being investigated as an individual event and said that, so far, there's no special investigation regarding the series of refinery accidents.
Contact energy reporter Dustin Bleizeffer at 307-577-6069 or dustin.bleizeffer@trib.com. Read his energy blog at tribtown.trib.com/DustinBleizeffer/blog.