Houston-area refineries say they are prepared ...

[BReb]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mp ... ta/3362796

Houston-area refineries say they're prepared
Houston Chronicle ^ | 9/21/05 | Tom Fowler

Hurricane Katrina's visit to New Orleans was bad news for the nation's energy industry. If Hurricane Rita makes a similar visit to Houston it could be even worse. There are 10 refineries in the Houston area representing as much as 13 percent of the nation's refining capacity. These facilities and countless chemical plants, located on the bays and bayous in Harris and Galveston counties, are at risk from storm surges like those that came with Katrina.

One worst-case scenario modeled by Houston engineering firm Dodson & Associates predicts that a Category 5 storm coming ashore near Freeport could send a wind-driven surge of water up Galveston Bay and into the Ship Channel. Such a storm would swamp many of these facilities, according to the study. The city is home to the nation's largest refinery, Exxon Mobil's Baytown facility, which processes 557,000 barrels a day.

Hurricane Rita may not pack the same punch as the storm envisioned in the study, and Houston is not below sea level like most of New Orleans. But with four refineries still out because of damage from Katrina, any lost capacity could add to high gasoline prices. But it's been more than 20 years since the Houston-area felt the full brunt of a hurricane.

"People think there was a national impact from Katrina," said Chris Johnson, president of Dodson & Assoc. "But if a storm that size hits here it will be a bigger deal."

When Katrina came ashore in Louisiana last month, flooding and downed power lines crippled many onshore oil and gas facilities, including more than 10 percent of the country's refining capacity. The last time Houston was hit by a large storm was August 1983's Hurricane Alicia. The storm came ashore on Galveston Island as a Category 3 storm, knocking out more than one-third of the area's power. Facilities such as Exxon's Baytown refinery and most units at what was then Arco Chemical's Channel View plant remained operating throughout, however.

Refineries and chemical plants are designed to handle heavy winds, and facilities built along the coast take flooding into consideration as well. But no one can predict how well they'll handle a hurricane. The power lines that feed refineries are susceptible to high winds. Two large power plants run by Texas Genco sit on the south shore of the Ship Channel. The power company said they have been designed to handle storm surges.

Royal Dutch Shell's 1,500-acre chemical plant and refinery complex in Deer Park sits between 10 feet and 25 feet above sea level, said spokesman David McKinney. During 2001's Tropical Storm Allison about 4 inches of water accumulated over many parts of the property, but since then the company has upgraded stormwater pumps and improved drainage.

In Texas City, home to BP's refinery (processing 437,000 barrels a day) and a Valero facility (210,000 barrels a day), 15-to-20-foot seawalls are designed to keep storm surges at bay.

"We've looked at some modeling that shows the industrial sector, including our site, to be in a reasonably good position," said Neil Geary, BP Texas City's communications manager.

[DESTRUCTION5]

The funny thing about Mother Nature is she don't give a damn how prepared we are...She makes the call..

[BReb]

At least they have seawalls around the refineries on the coast, that will help in the non-direct hit situation that looks most likely according to most recent forecasts. I was worried before that even a hit 50 miles away would knock them offline, but I expect the seawalls would do the job in that scenario.

[inotherwords]

At least they have seawalls around the refineries on the coast, that will help in the non-direct hit situation that looks most likely according to most recent forecasts. I was worried before that even a hit 50 miles away would knock them offline, but I expect the seawalls would do the job in that scenario.

Unfortunately, nobody knows for sure what will happen until after they are hit.