UDS still evaluating damage to refinery in Three Rivers, Tex.

July 20, 2001
Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corp. said Thursday it was continuing to evaluate the damage to its 98,000-b/d refinery at Three Rivers, Tex. A fire damaged the 7,000-b/d alkylation unit July 9 and injured three persons. The refinery has been closed since.


By the OGJ Online Staff

HOUSTON, July 20 -- Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corp. said Thursday it was continuing to evaluate the damage to its 98,000-b/d refinery at Three Rivers, Tex.

A fire damaged the 7,000-b/d alkylation unit July 9 and injured three persons. The refinery has been closed since.

Three Rivers is a town of 2,000 persons midway between Corpus Christi and San Antonio. Persons living within a 7-block radius of the refinery had to be evacuated (OGJ Online, July 10, 2001).

UDS spokeswoman Tara Ford said the company was still cleaning hydrofluoric acid from the alkylation unit and assessing damages.

She said UDS has not determined when the refinery could resume operations. The Three Rivers refinery primarily makes gasoline and diesel fuel.

UDS said it was supplying customers from other plants. The company operates seven refineries in the US and Canada with total throughput capacity of 850,000 b/d.