A massive explosion rocked the Valero Refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, on Monday (local time), prompting authorities to issue an emergency shelter-in-place alert for nearby residents. According to reports, a loud blast was heard around 6:30 pm, with tremors felt in surrounding areas, including Port Arthur, Groves, and Nederland.
The fire broke out at Valero Energy's 380,000-barrel-per-day refinery, a major oil processing facility in the United States.
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Thick black smoke was seen billowing into the sky, while videos circulating on social media captured the moment of the explosion.
Shelter-in-place order for several areas
In response, the city of Port Arthur issued a shelter-in-place order for several areas, including Sabine Pass, Pleasure Island, regions south of Highway 73, and areas west of Stirlwell Boulevard, to ensure public safety.
The cause of the explosion and the subsequent fire was not immediately confirmed. However, local police told media outlets that an industrial heater may have triggered the blaze. There were no immediate reports of injuries or the extent of the damage.
Valero Energy had not released an official statement at the time, and it remains unclear whether refinery operations have been impacted.
About Valero Port Arthur Refinery
The Valero Port Arthur Refinery is located on the Texas Gulf Coast, approximately 90 miles east of Houston. It has approximately employees. It can produce 435,000 barrels per day of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from heavy sour crude oil. The refinery receives crude oil by rail, marine docks, and pipelines. Products are distributed into pipelines and across the refinery docks into ships and barges.
The Port Arthur Refinery is adjacent to the Diamond Green Diesel (DGD) plant, which will increase capacity to 1.2 billion gallons of renewable diesel and 50 million gallons of renewable naphtha per year. DGD is a joint venture between Valero Energy Corporation and Darling Ingredients Inc., producing renewable diesel.
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