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Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesHovensa Oil Spray May Have Contaminated Cisterns

Hovensa Oil Spray May Have Contaminated Cisterns

For the second time in as many weeks, hazardous droplets of oil have hit rooftops downwind of the Hovensa refinery, and the refinery is asking residents of a five-mile stretch of St. Croix to disconnect their cisterns until their roofs are checked.
When a processing unit at the refinery developed problems, Hovensa diverted heavy oil to a ground flare, which burned the oil, producing a massive opaque black cloud Thursday morning (For more about the accident, see "Update: Oil Flare Sends Billowing Smoke From Hovensa Refinery").
Some of the heavy oil also flowed into a low-pressure elevated flare, where it sprayed out and was carried downwind over Henry E. Rohlsen Airport; estates Clifton Hill, Profit and Enfield Green, according to a statement from the refinery.
Hovensa has deployed teams to assess areas as far west as Williams Delight to see if they were affected by the oil. Residents from Clifton Hill to Williams Delight are urged to disconnect their cisterns until their roofs are assessed.
On Sept. 19, a different set of circumstances also caused a spray of oil particles, when a line burst on a desulfurizing unit at the refinery. The following day, the departments of Health and of Planning and Natural Resources publicly advised residents of Estates Barren Spot, Ginger Thomas, Sunny Acres, and Strawberry not to use water from their cistern for human consumption until further notice, while roofs and cisterns are checked and cleaned. Hovensa has been visually inspecting properties in the area with oversight from DPNR and Health.
Results of these inspections, along with the information received from the call center, are being collected and will be reviewed by government regulators and Hovensa as they determine the next steps to take. The testing is ongoing.
There have been several similar oil-spray events over the years. In fall of 2008, Clifton Hill and Profit homes were sprayed, and Hovensa subsequently cleaned the roofs, gutters and cisterns of affected homes.
In 2006, water mixed with crude oil triggered a pressure-release valve, spraying out more than 100 gallons of oil in a fine mist. The contamination from that incident was confined within the boundaries of Hovensa.
In 2005, water mixed with hot oil also resulted in an airborne oily mist. Roads were closed briefly and monitoring stations set up, but there was no report of contamination outside the plant. In 2002, spray from a pressure-release valve led to warnings to Clifton Hill and Profit residents not to use their cistern water, but subsequent tests contracted by Hovensa showed no effect on area water supplies.

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