🚀 go-pugleaf

  Greetings,
   For those of you outside the Santa Barbara Area,
the following concerns a new oil well project
proposed by Mobil Corporation.  A large new onshore 
(25,000 barrels of oil/day) oil well complex and
processing facility is proposed *on the UCSB campus*.

   We posted a general description earlier.

   Please contact us if you desire more information.
       With Best Regards,
              Not Clearview
              notclear@truth.physics.ucsb.edu
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    Greetings,

  A good way to judge the kind of industrial standards
that the Mobil Corporation will maintain at the Clearview
facility it proposes to build on the UCSB campus is
to look at Mobil's record at other industrial facilities
in Southern California.

  One such facility is the Mobil refinery in Torrance,
just south of Los Angeles.  The crude oil that Mobil
currently extracts from Platform Holly, 2 miles off
Coal Oil Point at the West edge of the UCSB campus,
is now barged to the Torrance refinery.

  Explosions and gas releases, resulting in deaths and
serious injuries to both Mobil employees and the nearby
residents have been associated with the Torrance Refinery.

  The LA Times of Saturday, 3/18/95 contains the latest
in a long series of articles about the Torrance Refinery.
We reprint portions of that article here.  After the
article, we reprint a list of other articles in the
LA Times and other print media that document the disturbing
record of the Mobil Corporation in Torrance.

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   MOBIL OIL FINED FOR BLAST AT TORRANCE REFINERY

   By DEBORAH SCHOCH
      Times Staff Writer

   Mobil Oil Corp. was hit with nine citations and $67,005
in fines Friday by the state workplace safety agency Cal/OSHA,
which asserted that lax practices at the oil giant's Torrance
refinery preceded the thunderous October blast that injured
28 workers and sparked a community debate over refinery safety.

   After a five-month probe, Cal/OSHA investigators concluded
that Mobil failed to properly inspect refinery equipment during
a series of events before the Oct. 19 explosion.

   The lack of inspection was deemed ``willful'' by Cal/OSHA,
which is levying a $42,500 penalty for that single violation.

   The agency is assessing smaller penalties for eight other
violations, which include not utilizing certain record-keeping
procedures and failing to ensure that employees responding to
the explosion wore appropriate safety equipment.

   Mobil has the right to appeal Cal/OSHA's findings, but a
spokesman said the corporation is still reviewing the citations.

   The citations ``seem to be consistent'' with the findings of
Mobil's internal investigation, said William Buckalew, refinery
environmental health and safety manager.

   But he added that without further review, he could not say
``that each citation is 100% correct.''

   He questioned the ``willful'' violation, saying, ``There
was no willful intent to violate the law or cause injury here.''

   Regarding the $67,005 total, Cal/OSHA spokesman Rick Rice
said: ``For us, that's a substantial penalty.''

   The findings constitute ``a pretty strong batch of citations,''
said Anne Bell, editor of Cal/OSHA Reporter, a newsletter for
health and safety professionals, who described the ``willful''
citation as rare.

   ``They are reserved for pretty severe infractions,'' Bell said.

   Still unclear is whether a contractor will also be cited by
Cal/OSHA.  Agency officials said the investigation of the
contractor, I.S.T. Mechanical Corp. of Carson, is continuing.

   A separate arm of Cal/OSHA, the Bureau of Investigations, is
continuing its investigation of the Oct. 19 accident.

   Its findings will be reviewed by the county district 
attorney's office to determine whether the criminal charges are
warranted.

   The explosion and fire, the largest accident at Mobil since
1987, shook residents' faith in the practices at the mammoth
750-acre refinery, which sits alongside homes, schools and
businesses.

   The explosion occurred after flammable gases were allowed to
flow into a six-inch pipeline.  The gases escaped through a
disconnected flange and then ignited, according to a Mobil
investigation.

   Mobil criticized some of its employees for failing to follow
proper safety procedures, saying that five Mobil workers were
fired or disciplined.

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 1. Torrance asks for tougher Mobil refinery safety plan; city wants firm...
      Los Angeles Times v114 (Thu, Feb 16, 1995):B3, col 2, 9 col in.
 2. Torrance residents wary of Mobil plan to lessen risk of toxic cloud....
      Los Angeles Times v114 (Mon, Feb 6, 1995):B1, col 2, 44 col in.
 3. Mobil to present its case on Torrance refinery safety. (California)
      Los Angeles Times v114 (Wed, Jan 18, 1995):B3, col 5, 10 col in.
 4. Some refinery foes upset with settlement. (Torrance, California Mobil...
      Los Angeles Times v114 (Tue, Dec 27, 1994):B1, col 2, 44 col in.
 5. Failure to follow safety guidelines cited in blast; gases ignited...
      Los Angeles Times v114 (Fri, Dec 16, 1994):B3, col 5, 10 col in.
 6. Injury toll grows to 28 in Mobil refinery blast. (explosion in...
      Los Angeles Times v113 (Fri, Oct 21, 1994):B4, col 5, 20 col in.
 7. Explosion in Torrance injures 20. (California)
      Los Angeles Times v113 (Thu, Oct 20, 1994):A1, col 2, 24 col in.
 8. Mobil Corp. (fire at Torrance, California refinery)
      Wall Street Journal (Fri, Oct 21, 1994):B4(W), col 5, 2 col in.
 9. Refinery blast hurts 16. (Mobil Oil facility, Torrance,...
      New York Times v144 (Thu, Oct 20, 1994):A10(N), B15(L), col 2, 2 col in.
10. Document Alleges Hazards at Refinery
      Los Angeles Times (Sep 12, 1991):B3,B6,B7
11. Deal Lets Mobil Oil Keep Hazard Data Secret
      Los Angeles Times (Nov 19, 1990):B1,B6
12. Torrance asks for tougher safety contract with Mobil.
      Los Angeles Times v110 (Wed, Oct 23, 1991):B1, col 5, 9 col in.
13. Mobil pipeline. (replacement of the Mobil Oil M-70 pipeline that...
      Los Angeles Times v110 (Sat, May 18, 1991):B5, col 1, 8 col in.
14. Mobil agrees to safety pact with Torrance (agreed to modify the use...
      Los Angeles Times v109 (Fri, Oct 19, 1990):A1, col 3, 33 col in.
15. Proposed pipeline would cut risk of oil spills, report says. (Mobil...
      Los Angeles Times v109 (Mon, Sept 3, 1990):B1, col 2, 19 col in.
16. Trial Opens Over Fatal '88 Mobil Refinery Blast
      Los Angeles Times (Jun 15, 1990):B3,B8
17. Mobil wins refinery vote. (Mobil Oil Corp. plant in Torrance, California)
      New York Times v139 (Thu, March 8, 1990):D20(L), col 4, 3 col in.
18. Torrance, Calif., voters to determine if Mobil can continue...
      Wall Street Journal (Mon, March 5, 1990):A4(W), A4(E), col 1, 14 col in.
19. Can voters head off refinery calamities? (Torrance, California vote...
      Los Angeles Times v109 (Thu, March 1, 1990):B7, col 1, 16 col in.
20. 3 Teachers and 2 Students File Suit Against Mobil Oil
      Los Angeles Times (Jan 14, 1990):1,4
21. Mobil is Accused of Safety Violations in Fatal Refinery Blast
      Los Angeles Times (Jul 18, 1989):1,4
22. Casualties of a an Ill Wind
      Los Angeles Times (Jun 25, 1989):1,8
23. Safety Fears in Torrance Strain Ties With Mobil
      Los Angeles Times (Apr 16, 1989):1,7,8
24. Torrance Asks Court to Declare Refinery a `Public Nuisance'
      Los Angeles Times (Apr 8, 1989):1,4
25. Mobil Oil, 10 Contractors Cited for Safety Rule Violations
      Los Angeles Times (Nov 8, 1988):1,8
26. Blasts Revive Calls for Study of Mobil Safety
      Los Angeles Times (Jul 24, 1988):6,8
27. Mobil Given Deadline for Cleanup of Gas Pollution
      Los Angeles Times (Mar 31, 1988):8,12
28. Torrance Residents Target Mobil Plant for Complaints
      Los Angeles Times (Nov 26, 1987):3,9
29. 1 Dead, 9 Hurt in Blasts at Refinery
      Los Angeles Times (Nov 26, 1987):1,4
30. Powerful Explosion, Blaze Hit Torrance Refinery; 2 Injured
      Los Angeles Times (Nov 25, 1987):1,8
31. Mobil, air quality district develop plan to restart Torrance refinery.
      Los Angeles Times v104, secI (Sat, March 2, 1985):30, col 1, 13 col in.
32. D.A. confirms inquiry at Torrance Mobil plant; preliminary...
      Los Angeles Times v104, secI (Sat, Feb 16, 1985):29, col 1, 15 col in.
33. Mobil to repair Torrance refinery pollution system. (California)
      Los Angeles Times v104, secII (Wed, Feb 6, 1985):1, col 1, 12 col in.
34. Mobil braces for damage claims after oil cloud hits 10,000 cars....
      Los Angeles Times v103, secI (Sat, June 2, 1984):27, col 4, 2 col in.
35. Gas Tank Fire Flares Up; 300 Flee, Two More Die
      Los Angeles Times, (Dec 5, 1979):3,24
36. 1 Killed, 4 Hurt as Explosion Rips Refinery
      Los Angeles Times, (Dec 4, 1979)

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