Deseret News | Woods Cross refinery is shutting down

Reader comments
Woods Cross refinery is shutting down

iamsure | 4:38 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

Watch this result in higher gas prices for everyone in Utah. And I would bet that the price at the pump won't go down when the refinery is back on line.

Department failure too. | 5:24 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

If the state and federal inspection departments have found some previous safety issues and most likely decades old, then they too are responsible for this event. The safety departments failed to do followup inspections and verifications for safety.

Time and again we have seen these so called enforcers of the law cause the loss of lives. We have seen it in the mines, home construction, road building, refineries, etc., and all because they are inept and lazy. They are looters of public trust.

In most of these catastrophic events a corporation will fight violations and I must applaud this refinery for its voluntary efforts to correct the issues and shut down. But it does not mean they will reopen if the state doesn't also do its part by providing blast zones and zoning laws around it and all other companies that should have it.

Engineer inspector | 6:17 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

This is a catastrophic failure of business, local, state and federal oversight. There are several spot and integrity tests that should have been performed to identify inherent breaches with mechanical and flow equipment.

Comments continue below

Legal observer | 6:31 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

Given the massive fines that will be imposed, cost of inspection and remediation, full payment of wages and benefits to idled employees due to management neglect, distress lawsuits that will certainly follow from residential neighbors and workers, etc...the financial impact to Silver Eagle will be significant.

Sounds appropriate | 7:09 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

But at the same time, I don't want to hear anyone whining about how local fuel prices are higher than the national average.

Plant safety and environmental controls cost money. There's no free lunch, people: If you don't want Silver Eagle to operate, then be prepared to pay the price.

Anonymous | 7:42 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

Headline is misleading. Makes it sound like this poorly-run operation will be closing down forever, when, unfortunately, it's only going to be on a temporary basis.

Excitement | 8:01 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

Maybe the utter excitement that Katie feels will be offset by the rest of us paying higher gas prices.

Yeah! I'm so excited!

Remembered | 9:06 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

As a kid in the 50's and also in the 60's I remember fires at this refinery. The first one I remember killed the dad (volunteer fireman) of one of my friends. This is not the first problem with this refinery. They make a killing on us with the price of gas and then they skimp on safety. Not just this one, but all of them.

Who is responsible? | 9:22 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

The city should never have allowed homes to be built so close to an explosive-prone energy plant. As Utah's population booms in the coming decades (Utah is the fastest-growing state in the nation), cities will need to determine how to deal with the various hazards that have been allowed to develop in Utah -- from siting homes near nuclear waste facilities to coal-fired power plants to refineries such as this.

If Utah starts importing more radioactive nuclear waste, homes near railroads could become the next problem. One derailment or terrorist attack on a nuclear-waste train could create significant problems for nearby homes and businesses.

Neighbor of Silver Eagle | 10:02 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

I am ready, even anxious, to pay a higher price for gasoline if we can shut down dangerous refineries in residential neighborhoods that seem to "blow up" and/or produce huge fireballs causing substantial damage to both human life and property. How about you?

AZ | 10:20 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

I don't think that is good news... Jobs lost before Christmas... Safty first for management but the worker is the looser!

Linda | 10:27 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

The thing stinks and is a huge eyesore. Rebuild it up to code someplace out in the boondocks.

An honest question | 10:29 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

When was this refinery built and put into action? Was it there before the surrounding neighborhoods of homes and schools or was it built in the middle of them? Just wondering.

Oh, and just to throw in my 2 cents' worth - Utah's gas prices are almost always higher than anywhere else in the surrounding states. The price goes up first and comes down last. It stinks.

Bad Title for Story | 10:40 a.m. Nov. 14, 2009

How about inferring that it will temporarily shut down until the problem is fixed? I read the story cause I thought the refinery was shutting down forever.

What About the City? | 12:47 p.m. Nov. 14, 2009

Who are the public officials that permitted and sanctioned building residential homes and neighborhoods in the shadow of a oil and gas refinery?? I'm sure it was all in the name of increased tax revenues for the city and profit for builders. Do any of those officials live in the neighborhoods impacted? Probably not. The refinery has been there for decades but the homes have not.

Processing unrefined oil to gas is inherently dangerous and because of that it is one of the most highly regulated industries in the US. Accidents will and do happen and we can all be thankful no one was physically injured or killed.

I feel for the good people in that neighborhood that have homes nearby where no home ever should have been permitted to be built.

Relocation?? | 10:14 a.m. Nov. 19, 2009

So shut it down permanently and build it in the boondocks - soounds like a good idea? Where are the workers going to live?? How are they going to feel about a long commute to work? We need to get realistic about the balance between community safety and practicality. Yes, the refinery needs to improve inspection procedures and other underpinning sfety sytems but when it all goes wrong (& it happen) make sure we've gotet the zoning right !

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