BP's Texas City refinery exploded during startup — 15 died from a decade of cuts

On March 23, 2005, an isomerization unit at BP's Texas City refinery exploded during a startup procedure, killing 15 contract workers and injuring 180. The explosion occurred when a raffinate splitter tower was overfilled and overpressurized during startup, releasing a vapor cloud that ignited.

The US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) investigation found that the explosion was the result of years of deferred maintenance, cost-cutting and a culture that prioritized production over safety. BP had cut the refinery's operating budget by 25% over five years, and critical safety systems — including a blowdown drum that should have vented the overpressure — were inadequate.

The CSB also found that BP had placed temporary office trailers too close to the process units, despite internal warnings. The 15 workers who died were in those trailers. BP paid over $1.5 billion in fines and settlements. The case illustrated how years of incremental cost-cutting can degrade a safety culture to the point where a routine startup becomes a catastrophe.