BP Whiting Indiana Refinery
We Americans badly need to expand our refining capacity. While we can still import the oil that we require for our needs we do not have enough refining capacity in place to produce as much of the final products, especially gasoline, as we need to keep prices down.
Part of the challenge is to balance off the environmental concerns about building or enlarging refining plants against the needs of our economy. In the US getting the necessary building permits can be such a long and expensive process that new refinery construction has been almost zero over the past twenty years.
British Petroleum is now involved in the approval process to expand and modernize a refining plant in Whiting, Indiana. As you might expect the project is controversial.
The following is a link to a news story that BP feels unfairly represents their efforts. Chicago Tribune Article.
This link is to a story that BP feels is fair and accurate and tells both sides of the complicated story. News Sentinel Story.
Here are a few points that I feel are important in supporting BP’s efforts to address environmental and safety issues.
1. The plant will provide energy security and diversity. BP plans to
spend more than $3 billion to modernize the Whiting Refinery to process additional heavy crude oil from Canada, a secure and reliable source. To me this seems much sounder for the US than continuing to be such a heavy importer of crude oil from the unstable Mid East.
2. BP is not trying to hide what they are doing from the officials or the public. BP is taking a collaborative, transparent approach and is working with federal, state and local elected officials, regulators, community and
environmental organizations, and communities to develop comprehensive, environmentally sound plans.
3. BP is committed to safeguarding Lake Michigan. What is released from their refinery is treated water that is more than 99.9% water — not sludge. All sludge is treated separately, according to state and federal requirements, and never discharged into Lake Michigan.
While environmental issues should concern all of us so should the need to continue to have a strong economy that offers opportunity to all Americans for a good life. It seems to me that when a major corporation, like BP, is trying to provide jobs, the refined products that we need, and adhere to all environmental regulations we should be thankful for their investment and desire to be a good neighbor.
Disclosure Notice: This is a paid post paid for by BP.
