CORPUS CHRISTI, TX--(Marketwire - June 8, 2009) - Flint Hills Resources, LP, a subsidiary
of Koch Industries, Inc. (http://www.kochind.com), has set a new milestone
for consecutive days without flaring at its West Plant.
The plant set a new record of 168 consecutive days with no flaring, besting
its old record of 155 days set in from Dec. 7, 2005 to May 11, 2006.
"In the past decade, we have focused on understanding how to improve our
safety performance, environmental performance, and plant reliability," said
Richard Harris, vice president and refining manager for the Corpus Christi
refining complex.
"We have seen numerous benefits to our operating approach, including our
ability to reduce emissions and improve our efficiency. The flare is first
and foremost a safety device, but this new milestone is a testament to our
employees and their commitment to continuous improvement in all aspects of
our business."
As a company, Flint Hills Resources (http://www.fhr.com) reduced refinery
flaring by 89.7 percent from 1999 to 2007. This success has earned the
company accolades (http://www.kochind.com/about/honors.aspx) from local and
state organizations, including a Clean Air Award from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. Since 2004, the company has worked with
EPA to share its approach to reducing flaring during periods of startup,
shutdown and malfunction. EPA has shared FHR's protocol with the refining
industry.
In addition, employees at the complex have worked over 2,976 days without
an injury resulting in time away from work -- also a site record.
Flint Hills Resources employs about 900 in Corpus Christi and has operated
in the community since 1981.
Flint Hills Resources is a leading refining and petrochemical company based
in Wichita, Kan. Flint Hills Resources has completed capital expansions and
acquisitions worth more than $3.2 billion since 2002.