At 5:15 p.m. Petronor stopped all units at its refinery in Muskiz, Bizkaia, due to a power failure. The incident forced the automatic activation of the industrial plant’s safety systems.
As a direct consequence of the power outage, black smoke was released through the refinery’s three flares. According to the company, the shutdown was carried out in full safety conditions and with all emergency systems working properly.
Why black smoke came out of Petronor
After the electrical failure, the flares came on line to release pressure and burn the gases generated during the unscheduled shutdown. The flares are permanently monitored and their flow rates, temperature and flame appearance are controlled.
Their function is to burn in a controlled manner the gases derived from operating incidents and prevent their direct emission into the atmosphere and, in certain situations, they can generate visible flames and occasional black smoke. Far from indicating a hazardous situation, this visual effect confirms that the safety system is performing as designed.
Petronor begins sequential start-up of the refinery
Once the electrical incident had been resolved and the units stabilized, Petronor informed the competent authorities of the start-up of the refinery in a gradual and sequential manner during the early hours of the morning.
During this start-up phase, the company will follow the safety procedures established for this type of industrial operations. Nevertheless, there could be occasional episodes of flare flame increase in the flares while the activity is completely normalized.
Measures to minimize environmental and noise impact
In parallel to the restart of the activity, Petronor will apply several measures to reduce any impact on the Muskiz environment.
On the one hand, the start-up sequence will be executed in accordance with the defined technical protocols, while at the same time activities will be organized to minimize the acoustic impact on the area. Finally, continuous monitoring of emissions will be carried out in order to control and reduce any release into the atmosphere.
Petronor and its strategic role in northern Spain
The Muskiz refinery is one of the most important energy infrastructures in northern Spain. Its activity is key to the supply of fuels and petroleum products in the Basque Country and other surrounding communities.
Incidents such as this one demonstrate the effectiveness of industrial safety protocols designed to protect both staff and the environment. The automatic activation of systems and rapid communication with the authorities are part of standard procedure at this type of energy facility.
Source: Petronor
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