Texas residents were left worried recently after two workers at an oil refinery in the Houston area were killed.
Here’s what you need to know about the terrifying hydrogen sulfide leak that happened at the plant.
At a glance:
- A hydrogen sulfide leak at Pemex’s oil refinery in Deer Park, Texas, killed at least two workers and injured nearly 36 others.
- The leak occurred during maintenance work on a flange, prompting a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents, which was later lifted.
- Although hydrogen sulfide is a toxic gas, air monitoring showed no risk to the public.
- Pemex halted operations at two units in the plant to control the situation, and investigations into the cause of the leak are ongoing.
At least two workers were killed, and nearly 36 others were injured following a hydrogen sulfide leak at Pemex’s oil refinery in Deer Park, Texas, on Thursday. The leak led local authorities to issue a temporary shelter-in-place order for the surrounding area while emergency responders worked to control the situation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnLAuHMz0xY
The leak occurred during routine maintenance work on a flange at the facility. A flange is a part of the piping system that connects different components, and in this case, it seems that something went wrong during the operation, leading to the release of hydrogen sulfide gas. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez reported that the situation remained dangerous for several hours after the initial leak, preventing investigators from entering the affected area. Authorities expected to begin their investigation into the cause on Friday once the area was deemed safe.
Pemex, Mexico’s state-owned oil company, which operates the refinery, immediately stopped operations at two of the plant’s units to mitigate the gas leak’s effects. The plant, located in Deer Park, a suburb of Houston, is part of a critical cluster of oil refineries and petrochemical plants that make up a large part of the region’s economy.
Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas known for its foul odor, often compared to rotten eggs. It is highly toxic and can be deadly at high concentrations. Fortunately, local officials reported that air monitoring did not detect any dangerous levels of hydrogen sulfide outside the plant, and the shelter-in-place order was lifted after a few hours.
This incident marked the second significant event at the Deer Park plant in just a few weeks. In September, a pipeline fire that burned for four days forced the evacuation of nearby neighborhoods. Investigations into this latest leak are still ongoing, as officials aim to determine the exact cause of the malfunction.
