Whiting refinery leak leads to complaints of odor near refinery

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By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Mar 20, 2008 at 5:35 PM EST

Story Updated: Jul 10, 2008 at 7:17 AM EST

WHITING, Ind. (AP) — A gas that leaked Thursday into a cooling system at BP's Whiting refinery was contained after the refinery began receiving complaints from nearby residents of an odor, company officials said.

The pipe leak that began after a distillation unit was restarted sent a light hydrocarbon into the cooling system, where it vaporized and caused an odor like gasoline or lighter fluid, BP spokesman Scott Dean said.

"It was never a source of any danger in the community, but it was a nuisance odor," he said.

Until it was restarted Wednesday night, Dean said the distillation unit had been shut off since winter for repairs.

The source of the leak was identified and contained by about 9 a.m. Thursday, after a northwest wind carried the gas from the lakefront refinery toward inland areas.

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Information from: The Times, http://www.thetimesonline.com

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