Power Cuts Hit BP, Marathon, Valero Texas Plants

Refineries operated by BP, Marathon Oil and Valero Energy, with combined capacities of 765,000 barrels of oil a day, have been hit by power outages in Texas City, Texas, officials said.

BP's 475,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery in Texas City lost power on Monday evening, sending local residents inside to avoid breathing smoke from the refinery's flares.

Bruce Clawson, Emergency Management Director for Texas City said on Tuesday that Valero's 214,00 bpd and Marathon's 76,000 bpd refineries subsequently lost power early Tuesday.

"I can confirm that we've had issues with power at Texas City," said Valero spokesman Bill Day. "To what extent we don't know yet."

Texas City emergency management officials said some of BP units were shut, but BP declined to discuss the status of units at the refinery.
A BP spokesman said no injuries had been reported due to the power outage, which also knocked out electricity at BP's adjoining chemical plant. The cause of the outage was unknown.

BP "immediately called the city and declared a level 3 emergency," said BP spokesman Michael Marr in a statement. "The city declared a shelter-in-place for its residents."

A Dow Chemical plant in Texas City is also shut due to the power outages, said the plant manager, confirming an earlier local press report.