Via CNN, this sad news from last week:
A chemical leak at a PEMEX oil refinery in Deer Park, Texas, on Thursday killed two workers and injured several others, prompting temporary shelter-in-place orders for residents across the city, officials said.
The leak happened around 4:20 p.m., sending hydrogen sulfide – a colorless and potentially toxic gas – seeping into the air at the plant, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Two bodies have been found at the scene and at least 35 others were “triaged,” the sheriff said at a Thursday night news conference. It is unclear how many were treated on-site or brought to a medical facility.
PEMEX, a Mexico-based oil company, said in a statement in Spanish that operations were halted once the leak was detected and local authorities were notified.
Shelter-in-place orders were issued for the city of Deer Park, as well as some residents of neighboring Pasadena, as emergency officials told residents to stay indoors, close all windows and doors, and turn off their air-conditioners. The orders have since been lifted after air monitoring determined no hazardous chemicals had permeated the surrounding community, city officials said.
“We’ve not gotten any air monitoring reports to show that anything has gotten into the community that would be a concern to any constituents in Deer Park,” Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton said, noting air monitoring will be ongoing.
Hydrogen sulfide, commonly used in oil and gas refining, has a pungent “rotten egg” smell that may linger in the air, Mouton said.
I wasn't aware that hydrogen sulfide was used in oil and gas refining. CSB is deploying, so I imagine that we will come to understand more (I hope.)
Hydrogen sulfide is a common byproduct of oil and gas refining, both from the oil/gas itself ("sour" crude, vs "sweet" crude that doesn't have significant H2S content), or produced from hydrodesulfurization of other sulfur-containing components in the oil/gas. I'm not aware of any actual use in the refining process, more that it is routinely present/produced and needs to be handled even if you're not using it.
ReplyDeleteWhich is to say, I wouldn't trust a news outlet or the Harris County sheriff's office on matters of chemistry (but the sheriff's office should be slightly better considering the number of haz mat incidents happening routinely around the Greater Houston area and Deer Park in particular).
Ditto to what chemistring said about H2S in oil and gas. Deer Park and Pasadena are basically environmental sacrifice areas around Houston. If you live there you are guarenteed to have health problems. They have numerous shelter in place events but TX only slaps them on the wrist because they are worried that if oil and gas pulls out the whole economy will tank.
Delete