Fire explodes at BP Cherry Point oil refinery

intrepid1 said on February 20, 2012 at 6:22 PM

How much you want to bet that BP will try to totally avoid any costs for clean-up on this... and would any of the '"serious" violation' responsible for this? BP has a pretty horrendous safety record, overall, and an even worse record for actually accepting accountability for it's problems or the messes they cause globally.

JohnnyPleasure said on February 20, 2012 at 2:21 PM

They are always looking for reasons to raise gas prices even though the total produced by BP at this plant is microscopic compared to world distribution percentages.

luna1sierra said on February 18, 2012 at 10:27 PM

at least no one was hurt

proudmarinewife said on February 18, 2012 at 9:27 PM

To all the so called "experts", people venting, and others running your mouths.... Lets get a couple facts straight. 1. BP supplies hundreds of jobs in Whatcom County. We should be thankful for them. 2. BP gives back millions to our community. 3. Shuts down every year for a turn around where production is very low or none and we don't see gas prices go up.4. Gas prices were already speculated to increase in the news prior to any of the BP explosion. 5. MOST OF US USE GAS DAILY no one would want a refinery in their backyard but we have one of the SAFEST, newer, well protected refineries out there. 6 Most houses and neighborhoods were built after the refinery and people chose to live there BUT IF WE ALL SHOULD BE SAYING ANYTHING IT SHOULD BE THANK YOU FOR THE FAST RESPONSE, WELL TRAINED INDIVIDUALS making sure nothing got worse, out of control and NO ONE WAS HARMED.

ARCObrat said on February 18, 2012 at 5:59 PM

Gas Prices are like a roller coaster ride. Always up and down but always moving and has been this way since the beginning of automobiles. But we'll never ever see it below a dollar! You want it, you need it, your going to pay for it.

marshald44 said on February 18, 2012 at 9:31 AM

What! Gas prices going up! I guess you don't live in Whatcom county. I live not 5 mi from this refinery. This also means I live in Whatcom county. We the residents of this county pay MORE for our gas at the pump than any in the greater Seattle area. Every day, week , month, of every year. And this fuel is refined here in our county. Just the prevlage we pay for having 20% (plus/minus) according to the news brodcasts of the states fuel refined. BTW one has heard that diesel fuel is being shipped to Japan due to high prices there. Maybe King 5 could do a news report on these items. Who knows maybe.... it will help lower prices in our state. Ray D. from beautiful Birch Bay Wa.

duanesworld said on February 18, 2012 at 8:27 AM

"Fire explodes?" Fifth graders can write better than this collection of dolts. This incident should be good for a healthy spike in gasoline prices ....

skizex said on February 18, 2012 at 3:00 AM

so is it bp or tesoro? I thought it was a Tesoro refinery, ok owned bY bp SHELL GAMERS wtf

skizex said on February 18, 2012 at 2:56 AM

note to self: make sure Tesla tech stays out of reach of general public. we have to raise the price......................

skizex said on February 18, 2012 at 2:54 AM

safety yeah and then well. we have to raise the price, well we have to raise the price due to our false flaggin of Iran, we have to raise the price even though we made billions in proifit last qtr., we have to raise the price, repeat after me...we have to raise the price/.//because we want your money so we can have you under our thumb.

ARCObrat said on February 18, 2012 at 12:34 AM

BP has only owned that facility for 10 - 15 years. It was built in 71 by Atlantic Richfield, otherwise known as ARCO. Gas prices in Whatcom Co are the highest in the state. Having the biggest refinery does not mean we get cheaper gas or get cut any deals. They get crude from the Alaska Pipeline and most of what is refined is sent via pipeline (The one that blow up in Whatcom Falls Park) South to your area and SeaTac. I know my father worked there for 27 years. And I still have family that works there today. No one knows yet what actually happened, they just got done with a turnaround, but safety of the employees is always a priority. Even with "serious" violations. Somewhere something went wrong but it is really to quick to say prices will go up, people will lose their jobs. Looks like the coker will be down for a bit. And all that where going to be laid off will work a little longer getting it back up and running. I'm just thankful no one got hurt!

Beermen said on February 17, 2012 at 11:55 PM

@WhoMe dude, our biggest export is garbage. then entertainment. (when I said garbage, i ment garbage. That;s still America's biggest export, right?) price fixing? wtf? havn't you heard of OPEC?

thegoat said on February 17, 2012 at 9:59 PM

So, king5 has taken to removing posts eh?

tbear726 said on February 17, 2012 at 9:58 PM

As a Mother of one of the employees there, I thank God no one was hurt. People should think about that and not the cost prices that might raise because of it.

tprop said on February 17, 2012 at 9:54 PM

cool.

mgchawkfan6421 said on February 17, 2012 at 8:31 PM

Gas prices were going up anyway. They said so on the news yesterday. By summer the price per gallon is supposed to be 5.00

kmcbride said on February 17, 2012 at 7:16 PM

Son-of-a-bus......any excuse to raise fuel prices, and this will be a huge one!!!

forkmaster said on February 17, 2012 at 6:56 PM

Gas prices will be going up, just watch and see!!!

thegoat said on February 17, 2012 at 6:41 PM

Glad to hear nobody was hurt at this point. Someone probably set this off so they can charge us more. Grrrrrr

LaughMore said on February 17, 2012 at 6:17 PM

@Citizen101 Really? Safest in the US? Doesn't seem like it (see big fire ball above). And legislation? Hmmm, I think I might need a few billion $ to overbid the oil companies at the next legislator auction. I'm glad you feel the oil companies deserve more money, but I disagree. They're mining a natural resource by leasing OUR land (at minimal rates) and gouging us at the pumps. Then, THEY make a mistake, innocent people are sometimes hurt or killed, and the rest of us end up paying for it. This is a stupid system and I don't see how anyone can not see how flawed it is.

cheechmo said on February 17, 2012 at 5:28 PM

@detdetdet: Sounds good! What should I fill my gas tank with instead? Will my car - which I need for work - run on rainbows and gumdrops?

Citizen101 said on February 17, 2012 at 5:28 PM

As I work there, and as I too have trouble filling the tank on occasion, my concern isn't for gas prices, which are already too high, but with the families of the people that as Solistic stated, "they might not have a job as of tomorrow". Without that job, it won't matter what the price of gas is next week. As for the Exec's bonus', write up some sort of legislation to correct the problem, and quit whining about it. As for safety concerns stated by Laughmore, people I work with that work at other refineries (BP owned and others) will tell you straight up that the Cherry Point Refinery is the safest refinery in the US so you can forget that whole line of questioning. Our hearts and prayers to those involved in this tragedy.

WhoMe said on February 17, 2012 at 5:21 PM

Come on our largest export today is gasoline and prices are still going up can anyone say price fixing. Not to mention just watch gas prices will be the highest ever right before the election. These oil bozos are going to try to influence the elections by raising gas prices to $5 a gallon. Time to enforce the Sherman Anti Trust Act. And we should take oil off of trading we should never let anyone manipulate the price of oil for profit.

detdetdet said on February 17, 2012 at 5:10 PM

You folks that are complaining about bp raising their prices already due to this fire, I have a suggestion for you...... If you don't believe their product is worth what they are asking, just don't buy it! simple enough.

cantora said on February 17, 2012 at 5:09 PM

Wow, looks bad. I feel for the families this affects, not just job related but for everone who has to breathe up there, that can't be good. And they want to import coal near here as well? Yikes.

LaughMore said on February 17, 2012 at 5:03 PM

@Solistic - I understand what you are saying, to a point, but people worried about increasing gas prices are also worried about their own families. I know working people who have to choose between filling the tank and putting food on the table. Meanwhile, BP execs's 7 figure bonuses MIGHT take a little hit for this, but they also might not.

Solistic said on February 17, 2012 at 4:57 PM

To be honest, all you guys can think about is the stupid prices for gas. Not even caring that there might no longer have this refinery up for the people that actually work there. Quite frankly that's my main concern, since I happen to know families that work there, including my own. This fire was unexpected, but stop the complaining about gas prices, the people who need the jobs deserve that. Be upset with BP all you want, just don't do it by saying "this is just an excuse to raise the gas prices." Show some empathy for the workers there. They might not have a job as of tomorrow.

phil49 said on February 17, 2012 at 4:55 PM

Now the oil companies will raise pump prices claiming that the supply is short. Happens anytime there is a refinery fire in the country. They have insurance for this but we get penalized.

Daytrader said on February 17, 2012 at 4:26 PM

With high temps and pressure cracker unit cracked.

Joseph_Braun6c5 said on February 17, 2012 at 4:17 PM

The will more then likely raise prices

LaughMore said on February 17, 2012 at 4:10 PM

@jlwaltosz - Yep, of course they will raise their prices. Why should THEY have to pay for their mistakes? That's what WE are for (in their minds).

LaughMore said on February 17, 2012 at 4:03 PM

Wow, I hope no one was hurt. Unfortunately, that probably not the case. I just don't understand how BP can still have these terrible accidents. You would think, after the Gulf spill, they would have tightened up safety practices.

jlwaltosz said on February 17, 2012 at 3:54 PM

Any bets that they use this as an excuse to raise gas prices? Hopefully no one gets hurt in this fire.