Anyone see the fireball over the Valero refinery today? I did.

Greywolf · #1 (**permalink**) 11-30-2007, 11:22 PM

I was at Elvis Pressley and Brooks road when it happened. The comments I heard were "Is that another fire at that old refinery again?" etc...

It (the place) was called by the news "The Old Mapco Refinery" at first.

Valero is stating that "a system malfunction caused a control burn from one of their smokestacks, and the public was at no time in any danger."

I tell ya what - from where I was, the flames shot between five hundred to a fifteen hundred feet high, with a mushroom shaped black cloud double or triple that size above it that was reported seen from as far away as Southaven.

"Control Burn" ?

I have a bad feeling about that....

It happened at 4:45 approximately, earlier today.

I have a good friend and neighbor who is looking for his next job there, and he says it's a good company if they pick you up, but most of the maintenance is contracted out.

lariat97 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 08:47 PM

I missed it.I would like to see one like that. I fish on McCellar lake some.I'd be real close if one happened while I was fishing. It might cause me to need new underware.

Layed Out 100 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-03-2007, 11:05 AM

What does you'r friend or neigbor do for a living? I may have some connections there.

Greywolf · #4 (**permalink**) 12-03-2007, 06:46 PM

I think he's already in, he did the tests and I think the interview also. I expect he'll be in 'Operations'

rusty7983 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 07:57 PM

because gas is so cheap, lets burn it off

5_labsownus · #6 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 08:30 PM

We have several Chemical plants in the area that have stacks burning all the time. They burn off by-products that they can't use or are in such a small qty that it is of no value. The stack is 150 to 200 feet tall and the normal flame is 10 feet. If they have a system problem or failure they burn it off through these stacks. you can tell they had something going on when the flame is high and going stright up not following the wind.

In the past some of the plants only light the stack when they had something to burn off and when it would light it would make a BIG BANG and a good fireball. They stopped this because of the noise and went to the above method.

Rod

Greywolf · #7 (**permalink**) 12-12-2007, 09:00 PM

They screwed up that day - it was a malf.

1500 feet of flame malf.....

"Oops, gee Wally - I just burnt a thousand gallons of high-test. Do you think the boss will forgive me?"

"I dunno Beave - maybe you should hide..."