Valero Energy : Reports Leak, Emissions at Corpus Christi, Texas, Refinery

By Dan Molinski

Valero Energy Corp. reported a leak that led to emissions Monday at its refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas.

In a statement to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the refinery said the incident happened at "BTX [benzene, toluene and xylene] Fractionation Clay Towers," and said when an "inlet to tower developed a leak," this caused the emissions of benzene and volatile organic compounds.

The emissions began late Monday morning and lasted about six hours, the refinery said, adding it was able to isolate and de-pressure the tower.

Valero's 293,000-barrel-a-day Corpus Christi refinery has an East and West plant, and this happened at the East plant.

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