ARCO PLANT EXPLOSION: Many casualties, markets disrupted

On July 5, an explosion and fire rocked through the utilities area of Arco Chemical Co.'s Channelview, Tex., petrochemicals complex, claiming the lives of 17 workers and further highlighting concerns about the safety of petrochemical plant operations. Arco says the damage was confined to the utilities area. Nevertheless, it has halted all production at the complex, which is the world's largest producer of the gasoline octane booster, methyl tert -butyl ether (MTBE). Arco sources say a treatment tank, which normally contains 900,000 gal of wastewater and chemicals, apparently blew up during routine maintenance of a compressor and other pieces of equipment around it. With this accident, plus last year's Phillips 66 explosion in Pasadena, Tex., 40 workers have died at Houston-area chemical plants, more than the previous 10 years combined, according to Occupational Safety & Health Administration figures. Arco expects to be able to restart the plant in phases over the next several months. Up to ...