Much worse: an explosion occurred at one of the largest American refineries.

On March 24, it became known about an explosion at the Port Arthur Refinery, located in the city of Port Arthur in Texas (USA). Because of the incident, local residents were advised not to leave their homes. Official information about the victims has not yet been received. Read more about the incident in the Izvestia article.

Explosion at an oil refinery in the USA

A powerful explosion has occurred at Valero's Port Arthur Refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. This was reported by the local police on social media. After the explosion, thick plumes of smoke rose into the sky, which is why local authorities and police advised residents of the western part of the city to stay under cover. A persistent smell of hydrogen sulfide was observed in the areas adjacent to the plant. The incident occurred at about 3:30 a.m. Moscow time.

According to Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stevens, the cause of the explosion could be a malfunction of the heating unit at the refinery. She added that experts are checking the equipment and assessing the scale of damage. In addition, two nearby state highways were closed as a precautionary measure. A few hours after the incident, the city services reported that the level of pollution did not pose a danger to the health of residents. The authorities continue to monitor air quality due to emissions caused by fire and gorenje oil products.

According to information on March 24, a fire started at a diesel fuel hydrotreating plant, as a result of which the plant was seriously damaged. After the incident, the work of part of the refinery was stopped, but later it became known that the plant was closed to contain the fire.

Local residents also told the American media about the incident. According to one of the eyewitnesses, there was a strong smell of rotten eggs in the area of the explosion. Others said that the explosion shook their houses and cars. Some also reported several minor injuries.

A representative of Valero Energy Corporation said that all refinery personnel are safe.

The fire at the refinery was the second incident in Texas in recent weeks. Before that, on March 12, an explosion occurred at the Bayport Choate petrochemical plant, then two tanks caught fire.

What is known about the Port Arthur Refinery

The Port Arthur Refinery, owned by Valero, is located on the Gulf Coast of Texas, about 90 miles (about 145 km) east of Houston and is one of the largest in the United States. It also stands next to the Diamond Green Diesel plant, which produces renewable diesel fuel.

According to the information on the company's website, the refinery is capable of processing 435 thousand barrels of heavy sulfur oil per day into gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel.

Prices in the United States due to the war in Iran

It is important to note that the accident occurred against the background of a sharp rise in gasoline prices after the US and Israeli strikes, which forced Iran to resort to retaliatory measures, effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz and disrupting global oil and gas supplies.

It is possible that even a temporary suspension of the Port Arthur refinery could affect gasoline and diesel prices in the United States, as well as lead to a reduction in fuel supply in the region.

On Monday, March 23, a gallon of gasoline cost $3,956, although a month earlier it cost $2,938, an increase of about 35%. During the week, prices increased by about 6%. The highest cost of fuel remains on the west coast of the country: in California, the average cost of a gallon is $5.79, in Washington state — $ 5,274.

On March 22, the Financial Times newspaper wrote that the war in the Middle East had led to the suspension of transactions in the American oil and gas sector due to price volatility and called the current state "paralysis." Transactions related to gas and oil have been slowed down or suspended as companies expect the market to stabilize.