Oakland Dec. 21, 2009 – ConocoPhillips faces a proposed $490,000 fine for wastewater discharges into San Pablo Bay that were toxic to fish. These discharges occurred from January 2008 through May 2008. The San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board’s (Regional Water Board) enforcement staff issued the complaint for these chemical wastewater discharges on December 17, 2009.

ConocoPhillips discharged from 2.5 million gallons to as much as 7.6 million gallons each day in violation of its discharge limits for fish toxicity limits on seven occasions during this time period. The discharges flowed through a 6000-foot outfall pipe into San Pablo Bay. The violations occurred when high storm water flows overwhelmed the refinery’s treatment system.

The complaint asserts that ConocoPhillips failed to adequately plan for high flow conditions at its treatment plant. Had ConocoPhillips done so, its treatment plant could have properly treated the wastewater in compliance with permit requirements.

In addition to these violations, the complaint also addresses other less serious permit violations reported by ConocoPhillips from January 2008 through June 2009. The Regional Water Board is tentatively scheduled to consider the complaint and the proposed fine at a public meeting in March 2010.

For additional information, please visit http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/sanfranciscobay

“ConocoPhillips’ mini-city
By Alicia Caldwell

The energy company has submitted plans to the city of Louisville for its campus, and it’s something to behold. See the Daily Camera’s story here.

The company wants to build a helipad, a 120-room hotel and a child care center.

Wonder if they’ll have their own post office too?”

Source: http://blogs.denverpost.com/opinion/2009/11/17/conocophillips-mini-city/

An enviromental enforcement specialist with the Department of Enviromental Quality says under 2000 barrels of diesel leaked out of a pipeline on Sunday morning.

A spokesman with ConocoPhillips says the leak occured in a service line from the Exxon refinery that feeds the Seminole Pipeline. The service line and the pipeline are owned by Conoco Phillips.”

Source: 12/15/09, http://www.keci.com/-ConocoPhillips-and-Exxon-are-Cleaning-up-a-Spill-/5901313

“US energy giant ConocoPhillips strongly denied on Monday that there was an explosion on their site in Musi Banyuasin district, South Sumatra, as has been reported by the local media since Friday.

Residents from Sukamaju village told local media outlets that last Wednesday they were startled by a loud bang that came from the ConocoPhillips’ site. The villagers also said that an oil spill, believed related to the explosion, had polluted their rubber plantations.

ConocoPhillips admitted on Friday that it had discovered a leak in a 12-inch subterranean oil pipeline within the Corridor Block PSC but denied there was an explosion earlier in the week.

‘There was no explosion. There was some leakage from one of our pipes,’ said Jacob Kastanja, the company’s communications manager.”

Source: 12/14/09, http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2009/12/oil-spill-in-sumatra-no-explosion-says.html

“ConocoPhillips (COP.N) joint-venture 146,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery in Borger, Texas, was hit by a second power outage in four days, according to a notice filed on Saturday with Texas pollution regulators. On Saturday, the Borger refinery was hit by a partial electrical failure whereas on Wednesday the outage was plantwide.”

Source: 12/13/09, http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN1314314420091213

As much as I enjoy Mark personally, and he does like to do business “personally”, I have had to describe him as a “liar” in public meetings… but it is merely the truth. I would be happy to apologize if the refionery went into negotiations with the 3 parties… but until then, in my book, they lied to my face, and that makes them liars.

As I say: I’d be happy to apologize.

It sure is hard to have sympathy for a company pissing away the best corporate-community relations I’ve seen in my 60 years for such “small change”…. not even a middle management executive level salary for one person.

ConocoPhillips is calling on RMAC, as well as the Crockett Community Foundation (CCF) and John Swett Unified School District (JSUSD), to make presentations outlining how each body has historically spent GNA monies.

ConocoPhillips would appear to knows full well how RMAC’s piece of the pie is spent, and may even influence its spending.

What’s wrong with this picture?

$435,836.03 using the Consumer Price Index
$407,463.19 using the GDP deflator
$482,178.31 using the value of consumer bundle
$462,446.18 using the unskilled wage
$528,998.95 using the nominal GDP per capita
$611,474.62 using the relative share of GDP

Source: Measuring Worth.com

ConocoPhillips funding should be increased and adjusted for inflation and other economic indicators in a new GNA.

CP Rodeo’s recent “clean fuels” expansion cost approximately $600 million. Today it was announce that CP Santa Maria plans to expand as well. If this expansion goes through, it looks as though ConocoPhillips SF will have spent upwards of $1 BILLION in the past 2-4 years or so; just on expansion.

$1 billion is over 3000 times Crockett’s/Rodeo’s current funding under the GNA.

CP’s entire “we’re too poor right now” argument is a sham.

At Shell, spokesman Mark Hughes called the study ‘a contrived report targeting Martinez. The study doesn’t address health risk,’ Hughes said. He said if fewer cars drove to the schools there wouldn’t be so much pollution. ‘If these people were really interested in addressing air quality and reduction of things like nitrogen oxides, what they would do is help us find a way to fund school buses,’ Hughes said. ‘That would have a tremendousimpact on improving air quality near schools.’”

…Mark said the job at ConocoPhillips was attractive for several reasons. ‘Under the leadership of Refinery Manager, Mike Kenney, this refinery has earned a reputation of being a corporate leader in Contra Costa County. We are a leader in environmental and safety performance, a leader in community service and communications, and there is a strong commitment to continue to improve upon our success. I am excited about being a part of this team. Going forward with our community outreach, our primary focus is to partner with the community in an effort to further enhance the quality of life enjoyed by the residents of both Crockett and Rodeo. One way to address this goal is through greater active, participative and organized involvement…I want to further support the expansion of this company-community partnership.’”

Mark Hughes, ConocoPhillips Public Affairs Manager
Fall 2006 comments, Crockett Community Foundation News

Source: http://www.ccf.town.crockett.ca.us/docs/ccfnews_fall_06.pdf