Chevron: Flaring At Richmond Refinery Was 'Nothing Significant'

RICHMOND (CBS SF) -- Flaring occurred New Year's Eve and New Year's Day at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, officials with the oil company said Tuesday.

Chevron officials wrote on Twitter that flaring that occurred on Sunday was followed by brief additional flaring Monday as experts worked to address the issue.

Chevron spokesman Braden Reddall said flaring is meant to burn off vapors safely and he directed people to www.fenceline.org/richmond to see real-time measures of air quality.

"We recognize the sight of flares may cause concern, but we want to assure the community that flares are a highly regulated safety device monitored by the air district, used in refineries to relieve pressure," the company said in a statement.

Bay Area Air Quality Management District spokesman Tom Flannigan said the flaring didn't trigger any alerts.

"Initial reports show that this was nothing significant," Flannigan said.

He added that sensors on the refinery stacks show whether the flaring exceeds certain thresholds and this flaring did not.

Like Reddall, Flannigan said flaring is a safety measure, which is used to burn off excess fuels.

One person submitted a complaint to the air district and district officials are following up with Chevron on the complaint.

The complaint was from a resident who said they saw flaring and a puff of smoke.

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