Flaring reported at Martinez refinery Friday night

Air monitoring by Contra Costa Health Services determined there was no imminent health risk

An equipment failure caused flaring at a Martinez refinery Friday night, but there was no imminent health risk to the community, health officials said.

Contra Costa Health Services sent its hazardous materials team to investigate the incident at the Martinez Refining Co. facility in the 3400 block of Pacheco Boulevard.

“Air monitoring has determined there is no imminent health risk to the community at this time and there is no need for residents to shelter in place,” the agency said in a statement.

A compressor failure caused the flaring, according to the agency. The agency said it is investigating the incident, adding that more details will be made available in a report the refinery is required to file by 5 p.m. Monday.

The Martinez Refining Co. apologized for the incident in a post on its Facebook page.

“We apologize for impacting some of our neighbors and thank our employees who are safely responding to resolve the equipment issue that is causing intermittent flaring,” the post said.

Flares are an “essential part” of refinery safety systems, according to the company.

“Flares are designed to safely manage excess combustible gases by burning them off efficiently and effectively,” the post said.

The company drew scrutiny from Contra Costa Health Services last month when it failed to report the release of possibly harmful chemicals into the surrounding area. Industrial facilities such as the refinery are required by state law and county policy to immediately report the release or suspected release of hazardous chemicals.

The accidental release of “spent catalyst” began about 9:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving and continued into the early morning hours of Nov. 25, according to the agency. Tests of a powdery substance found near the refinery showed levels of aluminum, barium, chromium, nickel, vanadium and zinc higher than normal background levels for those metals.

There were no immediate reports of illnesses related to the release, according to the agency.