Texas judge issues restraining orders in Port Arthur refinery death
SEPTEMBER 8, 2015
HOUSTON, TEXAS
A Texas district judge issued temporary restraining orders on Tuesday to preserve evidence in the death of a bulldozer operator at Total SA's Port Arthur, Texas, refinery on Saturday, according to court documents.
Thomas Counts, a Kinder Morgan Inc employee, drowned when the bulldozer he was operating in a coker pit at the Total refinery overturned in scalding water early on Saturday, according to law enforcement officials.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department had previously identified the victim as Thomas Courts. A Sheriff's Department official did not reply to a request to explain the difference in names.
The restraining orders require Total, Kinder Morgan, which operates a petroleum coke terminal in Port Arthur, and the refinery's manager to preserve the scene of and all records relating to the accident until a hearing in the Jefferson County District Court.
"We will not comment on pending litigation," said Kinder Morgan spokeswoman Sara Hughes in an emailed statement.
Wanda Counts was identified in the documents as the representative of Thomas Counts' estate but her relationship to him was not explained.
Wanda Counts' attorney was not immediately available to discuss the temporary restraining orders. A Total representative was also unavailable.
///------------------------///
Kinder Morgan's Bulk Coke Facility in Port Arthur, Texas
Worker killed in bulldozer accident at Total Refinery in Port Arthur
Updated: Saturday, September 5 2015, 10:53 PM CDT
PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS
A contract worker has died in an industrial accident involving a bulldozer at the Total Refinery in Port Arthur. The accident happened near a deep conversion unit, known as a coker, that improves the processing of heavy crudes, converting them into lighter products and coke, a solid residue resembling coal.
Updated: Saturday, September 5 2015, 10:53 PM CDT
PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS
A contract worker has died in an industrial accident involving a bulldozer at the Total Refinery in Port Arthur. The accident happened near a deep conversion unit, known as a coker, that improves the processing of heavy crudes, converting them into lighter products and coke, a solid residue resembling coal.
Total Facility is located in the 7400 Block of 32nd Street in Port Arthur, Texas.
Justice of the Peace Marc DeRouen tells Fox 4 News he was called to the plant at about 3 a.m.
The accident happened at about 12:40 a.m. Saturday. DeRouen pronounced the worker dead at the scene.
He says the man worked for Kinder Morgan.
The name has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
JP DeRouen tells Fox 4 News the man was working on a bulldozer near the coker unit when the bulldozer somehow ended up in a pit filled with a chemical liquid.
A
deep conversion unit, known as a coker, that improves the processing of
heavy crudes, converting them into lighter products and coke, a solid
residue resembling coal. - See more at:
http://www.total.com/en/energies-expertise/oil-gas/refining-petrochemicals/projects-achievements/upgrading-port-arthur-refinery-united-states#sthash.ufGm9HLo.dpuf
A
deep conversion unit, known as a coker, that improves the processing of
heavy crudes, converting them into lighter products and coke, a solid
residue resembling coal. - See more at:
http://www.total.com/en/energies-expertise/oil-gas/refining-petrochemicals/projects-achievements/upgrading-port-arthur-refinery-united-states#sthash.ufGm9HLo.dpuf
He says another worker saw the headlights from the bulldozer submerged in the liquid and used the arm of his heavy equipment to pull out the bulldozer, but the worker was dead.
DeRouen says the chemical liquid had been heated to 180-200 degrees. He's ordered an autopsy to determine if the man died from burns, drowning or another cause.
/////-------------------///
UPDATE 3-Total Port Arthur refinery cuts production after worker killed
HOUSTON, TEXAS
September 5, 2015 (Reuters) -
Total SA cut production at its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery on Saturday after a contract worker was killed when the bulldozer he was driving in a pit beneath a giant refining unit flipped over in petroleum coke and coarse dust, said sources familiar with plant operations.
Total and the worker's employer, Kinder Morgan Inc, both confirmed the worker's death. Kinder Morgan operates a petroleum coke terminal in Port Arthur.
Total's Tricia Fuller said coker operations were at minimal rates and operators had stopped taking coke from the unit due to the death.
The sources said production at the 225,500 barrel per day (bpd) refinery's other units had been reduced.
"We will restart (the coker) once we know it can be operated safely," Fuller said.
The coker was not damaged in the incident, the sources said.
Investigators from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) were expected to open an investigation Saturday, Fuller said.
Generally, U.S. refineries do not need permission from safety or environmental regulators to resume production following a fatality.
Bulldozers were being used to push coke and coarse sand-like coke dust from beneath the 60,000 bpd delayed coking unit because a crane, the owner of which was unknown on Saturday, that is usually used to remove coke from the pit had been shut for repairs for several months, the sources said.
Kinder Morgan spokeswoman Sara Hughes said she had no further information about the accident beyond confirmation of the worker's death.
"An investigation is being conducted," Hughes said.
Petroleum coke, which can be used as a coal substitute, is made from the gunky, black residual crude that remains after all refinable material has been obtained from it.
In a delayed coking unit, residual crude is injected into giant drums where it is heated until it hardens, a process that usually takes 24-48 hours.
The coke is knocked out of the drums by high pressure jets of scalding water and falls into the coke pit beneath.
Total is currently seeking a partner to purchase a 50-percent stake in the Port Arthur Refinery.
///-----------------------////
Total refinery issues statement after contract worker killed at plant in Port Arthur:
"It is with great sadness that we report that at approximately 0037 a.m. on Saturday, a Kinder Morgan contractor suffered a fatal injury while working in the coker area at the Port Arthur Refinery.
Total Petrochemicals & Refining USA, Inc. and Kinder Morgan are working together in mutual employee support.
Total has great sympathy for the family and sends our condolences to his family, colleagues and friends.
We are unaware of any other injuries at this time. All appropriate authorities have been notified and the refinery is conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident.
We will update you as more information becomes available."
===============
BELOW IS PRESS RELEASE FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE at 6:03 p.m. Saturday:
News Release from Assistant Chief Deputy Rod Carroll
Subject: Industrial Fatality
Date: September 5, 2015
On Saturday, September 05, 2015, at approximately 1:10 am the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center received a 911 Call in reference to an industrial incident at the Total Facility in the 7400 Block of 32nd Street in Port Arthur, Texas.
Upon arrival deputies were directed to the Coke Pits at the facility, where they learned that a bulldozer occupied by one individual had entered the Coke Pits and become submerged.
The bulldozer was quickly removed by a co-worker that had witnessed the incident who called for assistance and utilized a track hoe to remove the bulldozer from the 200 degree byproduct waste water.
Once removed from the water, the co-workers administered CPR to the victim with the assistance of Acadian Ambulance Service medics.
The victim was pronounced deceased by Justice of the Peace Marc Derouen.
The identity of the victim is being with-held for 24 hours to allow family to be notified.
===============
Previous report:
PORT ARTHUR - A contract worker has died in an industrial accident involving a bulldozer at the Total Refinery in Port Arthur.
Justice of the Peace Marc DeRouen tells KFDM News he was called to the plant at about 3 a.m. He pronounced the worker dead at the scene. He says the man worked for Kinder Morgan. The name has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
JP DeRouen tells KFDM the man was working on a bulldozer near the coker unit when the bulldozer somehow ended up in a pit filled with a chemical liquid. He says another worker saw the headlights from the bulldozer submerged in the liquid and used the arm of his heavy equipment to pull out the bulldozer, but the worker was dead.
DeRouen says the chemical liquid had been heated to 180-200 degrees.
He's ordered an autopsy to determine if the man died from burns, drowning or another cause.
