By Thomas Hughes | Bay City News
Unplanned flaring occurred for about a half-hour at the Martinez oil refinery on Saturday night.
The Martinez Refining Company, a subsidiary of PBF Energy, said in a statement on Sunday on Facebook that the unexpected flaring began at 11 p.m. and stopped at about 11:30 p.m.
Flaring is the burning of refinery gases that are expelled after power disruptions that interrupt the normal processing of those gases, according to the company’s website.
Flaring can occur because of planned maintenance or unexpected power failures. It results in thick black smoke and can produce a loud, thunder-like sound, according to the company.
A Community Warning System Level 1 was issued by the company, which did not require any action from the public.
The company operates a community inquiry phone number at (925) 313-3777 for residents with concerns or complaints.
Real time emissions levels are posted on the company’s website at www.fenceline.org/martinez/.
Flaring at the facility is regulated by the Bay Area Air Quality Management Agency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The 860-acre refinery and its inventory were sold by Shell to PBF Energy in 2020 for $1.2 billion. The facility can produce 157,000 barrels of oil per day.
In November 2022, powdery “spent catalyst” was released into the community after a compressor failed. An explosion at the plant about two weeks later again caused flaring and an investigation by the Contra County Health, according to a community message from the city of Martinez at the time.
The county hired an independent investigator to test soil samples and determined there was no risk to the public.
In 2023, there were at least 21 instances of release or spills of hazardous material at the refinery, according to Contra Costa County Health.
“Repeated commitments to the community and to regulators to improve the culture of safety at PBF have not resulted in improvement,” Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover said at the time. Glover’s district includes the refinery.
“We intend to hold PBF accountable for making the necessary investments to become a better neighbor,” he said at the time.
This year there have been multiple flaring incidents, including planned flaring that occurred during maintenance work in February and several weeks in April and May.