TPC Group’s Port Neches, Tex., petrochemical plant suffered an explosion in a processing unit at about 1:00 a.m., Nov. 27. Emergency responders were still attempting to extinguish the resulting fire as of 10:00 a.m. local time.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was conducting air quality monitoring along the plant’s fence line and in the surrounding community. Homes and businesses within 0.5 miles of the plant were evacuated.
No fatalities occurred, but two TPC employees and one contractor were transported to regional medical centers for treatment. TPC has more than 175 full-time employees and 50 contractors at Port Neches.
TPC has not yet stated what caused the explosion or the extent of damage to the plant, which produces a combined 900 million lbs/year of butadiene and raffinate. Sited along the Sabine Neches River, TPC’s Port Neches plant includes pipeline, barge, rail, and truck facilities.
The company is owned by private equity firms SK Capital Partners and First Reserve.
