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CSB fingers BP brass over Texas blast



By Upstream staff 

BP executives were aware of problems with equipment well before an explosion at the company's Texas City, Texas, refinery in March 2005 killed 15 workers and injured 180 others, US federal investigators said today.

"The CSB's investigation shows that BP's global management was aware of problems with maintenance, spending, and infrastructure well before March 2005," said Merritt, chairman of the US's Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.

"Unsafe and antiquated equipment designs were left in place, and unacceptable deficiencies in preventative maintenance were tolerated," she said.

The explosion at the Texas City refinery was the worst workplace accident in the US in more than a decade, Reuters reported.

The CSB's final report on the blast will not likely be issued prior to March 2007, the CSB said in a statement.

BP's image has been further undermined since the blast as corrosion problems at its Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska caused the worst ever oil leak on the North Slope last winter. BP is also under investigation for alleged manipulation of some energy markets.


Monday, 30 October, 2006, 16:47 GMT  | last updated: Monday, 30 October, 2006, 16:47 GMT

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