Silver Eagle shuts Utah refinery at CSB suggestion

Nov. 20, 2009
Silver Eagle Refining Inc. has shut down its 12,500 b/cd Woods Cross refinery in Utah on the suggestion of the US Chemical Safety Board and state officials.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 20
-- Silver Eagle Refining Inc. has shut down its 12,500 b/cd Woods Cross refinery in Utah on the suggestion of the US Chemical Safety Board and state officials.

CSB investigators found widespread safety problems at the refinery following a Nov. 4 in the plant’s diesel unit. No one was injured and the fire was quickly contained.

CSB Chairman John S. Bresland said he asked on Nov. 13 that the refinery be shut down, and Silver Eagle executives ”responded rapidly and positively” to the suggestion.

"The CSB team has developed a number of serious concerns about the integrity of the piping and equipment at various locations in the plant," Bresland said.

Bresland said he asked for the refinery to be shut down temporarily to correct potentially serious safety problems.
“This decision will obviously cost Silver Eagle some revenue in the short run, but I believe it is the right action to protect the long term interests of the company, its workforce, and the community which gives it license to operate,” Bresland said.

The Nov. 4 accident was the second accident at the plant to be investigated by the federal agency this year. CSB already investigated a Jan. 12 fire in an atmospheric storage tank that seriously burned two employees and two contract workers.