Oil rig blast 'not terrorism'

[Rose Siding]

The explosion on a Texan crude oil refinery that claimed at least 14 lives and left more than 100 people injured remains a mystery, BP said today.

Terrorism, says the British oil giant, was not the cause of yesterday's incident at the 470,000 barrel-a-day facility, the third largest in the US. The explosion occurred in a unit that makes components that boost octane in petrol.

"We have no reason to believe this was anything caused by an outside agent," said Hugh Depland, a company spokesman.

BP's chief executive, John Browne, travelled to Texas today to meet employees and families affected by the explosion. Company officials and area health officials said that of the 100 hurt, some were in critical condition. There are still some people unaccounted for.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1444972,00.html

[Zynx]

1. Just wouldn't be an oil refinery without explosions

Seriously, if it doesn't happen at least once a year, people start talking about one being "due."

[Norquist Nemesis]

2. "We have no reason to believe"

but can We believe YOU!?!

I have to admit, terrorism was the first thing that crossed my mind when I saw this on the news. Even if it were domestic terrorism, I'm not convinced we'd hear anything but glowing stories right now about our effectiveness in the 'war on terra'.

I hope the families are looking into this situation and asking questions.

[Zynx]

4. You should become more familiar with how often this happens

Chemical plants and refineries are extremely dangerous places. As I said, if Texas City doesn't have one accident like this a year, people start getting twitchy.

[Norquist Nemesis]

12. I would too if my community history involved leveling the town

This morning's local news had a little bit about an accident back in the 1930's. IIRC, something like 3,000 (????!!!!) died and blocks of the city were leveled from a ship blast.

[Rose Siding]

8. Also, the remark about an "outside agent" being involved

is superfluous. Why would that indicate cause one way or the other?

[Norquist Nemesis]

13. That's what caused my alerts to ring

Even if these accidents are common/regular, as per another poster. Is that the reason why it's not all over the wires...because it's fairly common? I don't know, but I find the wording carefully crafted and that usually gets my attention.

[Wright Patman]

9. Before the election

I might have more readily agreed with you. But the Pukes are safely in for another four years.

I tend to think just the opposite. If there were any hint of terrorism, the administration would give the orders to the controlled media to ramp up the 'war on terra' hysteria 24/7, especially since they have designs on Iran and Syria and the Schiavo case is not polling well.

I believe there was only the one incident on 9-11 and that it was an inside job, as were the anthrax letters. We have some sick $h!ts in the intel agencies who are pulling these black ops on the American public and apparently most of the citizens are dumbed down enough to where they still can't see through it nearly four years later.

[Rose Siding]

11. A hit could cut into the bottom line

Not saying this was but if it ever happened, I could see the corps covering it up to protect the industry.

[VegasWolf]

3. Yeah, we all know those refineries explode all the time. Not. n/t

[Zynx]

5. Actually, they do

Usually not as bad as this, but working in that sort of place is going to be one of the most dangerous jobs in the US.

[Jacobin]

6. Like clockwork my friend

High temperatures, cracking oil into its component parts, 24 hours a day, piping it, its a messy dangerous business.

They blow up around here with considerable frequency

[Jacobin]

7. Not a "rig", its fricking refinery

typical idiot media dimbulbs

[global1]

10. Of Course It Wasn't Caused By An Outside Agent.......

it was caused by insiders that want to keep the price of gas up. Now they have another excuse. When do we see profit statements for oil companies? We're coming to an end of the quarter. Do you think that profits will be down? I think not.

[ElectroPrincess]

18. I hope you're wrong and it was an horrible accident

[Dover]

14. This happened last year to a BP plant in Indiana. Seems to occur

with some regularity. AND it effected gas prices then as well.

Hmmmmm.....

[Moderator]

15. kick to combine

[emad]

16. FBI rejects Islamic terror link to Texas refinery blast

Texas City (Texas), March 25, 2005|15:43 IST

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has rejected claims purportedly from two Islamic extremist groups of responsibility for an oil refinery explosion in Texas that left 15 people dead.

But for residents of this south Texas town, Wednesday's blast and subsequent rumors of bomb scares continued to fuel fears that have long enveloped their lives in this smoggy town.

The claims by the Islamic groups emerged in e-mails the day after the blast rocked the third-biggest petrochemical complex in the United States, run by British multinational BP at Texas City south of here.

"We've found no evidence to support criminal or terrorist activity," Al Tribble, spokesman for the FBI office in Houston, told AFP.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1294495,00050001.htm

[7th_Sephiroth]

17. oh those refinery's blow up all the time

some jackass making upgrades during a shit down gets his pipes crossed up and on start up KABOOM