Big Spring, TX

[ARLT1YJ]

Some of you may have heard of a refinery explosion that happened on Monday of this week in Big Spring, TX. If you didn't hear of the explosion, you may have noticed gas prices went up a few percent around Tu and We of this week.

My family is from west Texas, and in fact both my dad and grandfather worked and lived at this refinery back in the 60's and 70's. Here's the full-details of the explosion from Fox news. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331242,00.html

One of our friends down there sent up some pretty amazing pictures following the big boom. I thought it'd be good to share them.

Approaching the Refinery


Fires Burning 1


Fires Burning 2


Fires Burning 3


Leveled Equipment


Lots of Black Smoke


Inside Offices


Inside Offices 2


Highway Debris


Lucky Motorist


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[slow_walker]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing these.

[BROUSER]

If it weren't for the fact that refineries often explode (well, often enough that it isn't unheard of), I'd postulate a conspiracy theory.

[ropingk]

man i havent seen a FINA sign in like a million years

[pinkspider]

wow that car really was lucky...

[cousin]

We have family in Big Springs and Midland, we recieved a couple, yes we are ok calls after it happened.

[Pinwheel]

My uncle and two cousins are Engineers out there. Fortunately everyone is ok. I sympathize Cousin!

[ropingk]

so this is the reason for the increase in gas prices?????

[ARLT1YJ]

One of the many reasons... but it boils down to Supply < Demand

[ropingk]

not really it boilsdown to stupid americans (yep just like me) who will go ahead and drive 200 miles a day to work and pay whatever they charge for fuel cause we have to have it OUR way--that is the #1 reason they can charge what they want for fuel---cause we will pay it

[ARLT1YJ]

I've been saying for a couple of years that I'd like gas to be $8.00 a gallon... I know it'll totally wreck our economy, but it'll be a great day when we all ride our bicycles to work and leave the gas guzzlers in the garage.

[Nicotti]

by the time gas prices are raised to $8.00, Americans will be willing to pay that much. The companies aren't dumb enough to raise it so quickly to actually lose many customers, but they still raise it faster than inflation does.

[cousin]

I drive 500-750 miles a week for work in an Avalanche, 15mpg if I am lucky, and I will not be getting a better gas mileage vehicle anytime soon. Doing the math, the return is not there to offset the additional costs of getting another vehicle or getting rid of the Avy. All my fuel expenses come out of my pocket.

[ARLT1YJ]

Sadly I'm in the same boat, Cuz.

I'd love to buy a Corolla or even a hybrid model bowtie, but the math doesn't justify selling my diesel right now. Plus, I'm sure it'd be a tough sell because everyone knows diesel is a ten to twenty percent premium over regular unleaded. So I'll just keep filling her up $80 at a time and try to ignore the fact that the oil companies are a bunch of greedy otter-heads.

[Nicotti]

Sadly I'm in the same boat, Cuz.

I'd love to buy a Corolla or even a hybrid model bowtie, but the math doesn't justify selling my diesel right now. Plus, I'm sure it'd be a tough sell because everyone knows diesel is a ten to twenty percent premium over regular unleaded. So I'll just keep filling her up $80 at a time and try to ignore the fact that the oil companies are a bunch of greedy otter-heads.

Convert yours to biodiesel and make your own fuel.