This web site is supposed to be about New Zealand but events in other countries have profound effects on us both economically and environmentally.
There is much debate on the environmental effect of pumping tar sands from Canada to be refined in Texas but so far I have not heard where this oil is to be processed. The biggest oil refinery plant in the World is at Baytown, Houston and presumably it will handled there. This refinery, like many others, is very close to sea level and with one or two meters of sea level rise in the next ninety years and being in a hurricane area there must surely be some concern about its viability due to the high risk and short operational life.
There is much debate on the environmental effect of pumping tar sands from Canada to be refined in Texas but so far I have not heard where this oil is to be processed. The biggest oil refinery plant in the World is at Baytown, Houston and presumably it will handled there. This refinery, like many others, is very close to sea level and with one or two meters of sea level rise in the next ninety years and being in a hurricane area there must surely be some concern about its viability due to the high risk and short operational life.
This map is taken from http://flood.firetree.net/ and the dark blue squares shows where the refinery would be flooded at three meters. A bit more sea level rise and a storm surge and the refinery would be flooded. If the USA had to manage for any period of time without this refinery there would be a severe economic impact as well as the massive environmental mess.
If anybody was thinking clearly about this they would either not build it (favourite) or build a new refinery in Chicago.
If anybody was thinking clearly about this they would either not build it (favourite) or build a new refinery in Chicago.
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