Petroleum Refining Incidents¶
Petroleum refineries process crude oil into fuels and chemicals under conditions of extreme heat, pressure, and flammability — making them among the highest-consequence industrial facilities in the United States. The CSB has investigated some of the most significant refinery accidents in American history, including the 2005 BP Texas City explosion that killed 15 workers and the 2012 Chevron Richmond fire that sent 15,000 community members to hospital.
22 CSB investigations in this database cover the petroleum refining sector, spanning 1998–2024.
Petroleum Refining Incidents (22)¶
| Incident | Date | Location | Key Hazards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware City Refining Company | 11/29/2015 | Delaware City, DE | Flash Fire, Fire |
| ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery Chemical Release and Fire | 11/22/2016 | Baton Rouge, LA | Chemical Release, Fire |
| Marathon Martinez Renewable Fuels Fire | 11/19/2023 | Martinez, CA | Fire, Chemical Release |
| Valero Delaware City Refinery Asphyxiation Incident | 11/05/2005 | Delaware City, DE | Asphyxiation |
| Caribbean Petroleum Corporation (CAPECO) Refinery Tank Explosion and Fire | 10/23/2009 | Bayamón, PR | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| PEMEX Deer Park Chemical Release | 10/10/2024 | Deer Park, TX | Hydrogen Sulfide Release, Toxic Release |
| BP - Husky Oregon Chemical Release and Fire | 09/20/2022 | Oregon, OH | Chemical Release, Fire |
| Chevron Richmond Refinery Pipe Rupture and Fire | 08/06/2012 | Richmond, CA | Chemical Release, Fire |
| CITGO Refinery Hydrofluoric Acid Release and Fire | 07/19/2009 | Corpus Christi, TX | Fire, Chemical Release |
| Motiva Enterprises Sulfuric Acid Tank Explosion | 07/17/2001 | Delaware City, DE | Explosion, Fire |
| Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Refinery Fire and Explosions | 06/21/2019 | Philadelphia, PA | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| Third Coast Industries Petroleum Products Facility Fire | 05/01/2002 | Brazoria County, TX | Fire, Pool Fire |
| Husky Energy Superior Refinery Explosion and Fire | 04/26/2018 | Superior, WI | Explosion, Fire |
| Giant Industries Refinery Explosions and Fire | 04/08/2004 | Gallup, NM | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| Tesoro Anacortes Refinery Fatal Explosion and Fire | 04/02/2010 | Anacortes, WA | Explosion, Fire |
| BP America (Texas City) Refinery Explosion | 03/23/2005 | Texas City, TX | Explosion, Fire |
| Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) Tank Fire | 03/17/2019 | Deer Park , TX | Fire, Pool Fire |
| Tosco Avon Refinery Petroleum Naphtha Fire | 02/23/1999 | Martinez, CA | Fire, Flash Fire |
| ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery Explosion | 02/18/2015 | Torrance, CA | Explosion, Fire |
| Valero McKee Refinery Propane Fire | 02/16/2007 | Sunray, TX | Fire, Flash Fire |
| Tesoro Martinez Sulfuric Acid Spill | 02/12/2014 | Martinez, CA | Chemical Release, Toxic Release |
| Silver Eagle Refinery Flash Fire and Explosion and Catastrophic Pipe Explosion | 01/12/2009 | Woods Cross, UT | Flash Fire, Explosion |
Frequently Involved Hazard Types¶
Chemical Release · Fire · Flash Fire · Explosion · Toxic Release · Structural Failure
Most Common Chemicals Involved¶
Hydrocarbon Vapor, Flammable Gas, Flammable Liquid, Butane, Naphtha, Hydrogen
Data sourced from CSB.gov public investigation reports. This site is an independent project not affiliated with the U.S. CSB.