DEER PARK – Don’t panic! Residents in the Houston area may think there’s a huge fire in Deer Park, but no worries, it’s just flaring, according to Shell Chemical Company.
The chemical company has issued an active Community Awareness and Emergency Response to inform the Deer Park community of ongoing flaring at its facility.
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The flaring, which began on Monday at 3:20 p.m., is due to a third-party steam reliability issue, and it is expected to continue for several days.
In its initial report, Shell’s Environmental Duty Representative assured the public that the company is actively working to minimize any potential disruptions related to the flaring, including noise, light, and smoke.
The company emphasized that there is no threat to the community or nearby industrial neighbors and expressed regret for any inconvenience caused by the activity. The flares could be smoky at times due to the steam issue, officials said.
Officials said flaring is a safety measure used by industrial facilities to burn off excess gases that cannot be processed or stored. While the sight of flaring can be concerning, the company stated that it is a controlled activity that helps prevent more serious incidents.
Shell Chemical Company stated it is closely monitoring the situation and will provide additional updates as necessary.