Benicia Fire Dept. Still Monitoring Valero Refinery Coke Fines

BENICIA, CA — The Valero Benicia Refinery notified the Benicia Fire Department Monday that a maintenance issue caused coke fines to be released from the facility's stacks, Benicia Fire Department Chief Josh Chadwick said Thursday.

The coke fines are a byproduct of the oil refining process that is comprised of pure carbon and small particles, and water vapors coming out of the stacks dissipate them in the air, Chadwick said.

The maintenance issue caused the coke fines to enter the process system and are being released from the stacks, making the release appear opaque, Chadwick said.

The maintenance issue was resolved, but the coke fines in the system will continue to be released through the stacks until the system clears all the fines, according to Chadwick.

The Benicia Fire Department, Solano County Environmental Health and Bay Area Air Quality Management District are monitoring the release, Chadwick said.

• PREVIOUS: Valero Refinery Maintenance: Benicia Monitoring Air Quality

— Bay City News Service

Editor's note: Bay City News Service issued a correction Friday morning, March 15, 2019 because the word "fires" throughout the story was incorrect. It should have been reported as "coke fines," which are small carbon particles and a byproduct of the oil refining process.