@not2b @Infoseepage @newsguyusa The real problem is often not flammability but corrosiveness. Crude often comes with a dose of salt water dispersed in it, depending on how much care is applied in pre-processing. Obviously not an issue here, but REB (russian export) is known to eat refinery components faster due to its salt (chloride) content.

To state the obvious, maintenance is a must.

@not2b @Infoseepage @newsguyusa

One day I was riding a bus across the Bay Bridge, glanced up, saw a HUGE WALL OF BLACK SMOKE stretching across half of the horizon, and followed it with my eyes to the source-- a seething pillar of flame over the Chevron refinery, easily 100' high.

Nobody else on the bus seemed to notice or think anything was out of the ordinary.

From Treasure Island that night, I could distantly hear Richmond's air raid sirens warning everyone to stay inside.

The rates of respiratory illness around these refineries is very alarming.

If anything good is to come out of this whole nightmare, hopefully people will start taking divestment more seriously. We have GOT to end our dependence on this filthy stuff.