Published on May 25, 2014
On the March 23, 2005, a hydrocarbon vapour cloud explosion occurred at the ISOM isomerization process unit at BP’s Texas City refinery in Texas City, Texas, killing 15 workers and injuring more than 170 others. The Texas City Refinery was the second-largest oil refinery in the state, and the third-largest in the United States with an input capacity of 437,000 barrels (69,500 m3) per day as of January 1, 2000. BP acquired the Texas City refinery as part of its merger with Amoco in 1999.