BP Canada Energy fined $1 million for chemical release

SARNIA — BP Canada Energy Co. has been fined $1 million (link gives more details) for a release of natural gas vapour in Sarnia that affected residents and disrupted a school plus a number of neighbouring businesses. This comes just days after the British oil giant was hit by record fine of $87 million USD for outstanding life-threatening safety problems at its Texas City refinery in the southern United States. Starting early in the morning last March 27, Sarnia police and Union Gas received 80 complaints about an airborne odour, described by some as a rotten egg smell. Natural gas vapour containing sulphur was escaping from the company’s Sarnia plant and causing residents north of the plant to suffer discomfort and irritation. At least one school was evacutated with students and teachers complaining of a strong gas odour resulting in nausea and causing eye and mouth irritation. The BP Canada Energy offices on Plank Road, in Sarnia, were raided in mid-August by Ontario Environment Ministry staff and Sarnia Police. Armed with a search warrant, they examined documents and computers. In court today, Wednesday, BP pleaded guilty to violating Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act. BP Canada, on Plank Road in Sarnia, operates a natural-gas liquids-fractionation plant with approximately 75 employees producing propane, butane and other related products with annual sales from $50 to $100 million.