BP Whiting Refinery Fact Sheet

BP plans to invest more than $3 billion to modernize its Whiting, Indiana refinery so it can process additional heavy crude oil from a secure and reliable source, Canada. 

This project will provide the Midwest with a supply of crude oil for the long term and will result in an estimated 15 percent increase in output of gasoline and diesel fuel.  It also helps ensures the future viability of the Whiting refinery and the continuing supply of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel for Midwest residents.

Here are some facts:

• The BP Whiting Refinery does not and will not dump sludge or toxic waste into Lake Michigan.
• As part of this modernization and upgrading program we will invest $150 million in upgrades to our existing waste water treatment facilities.
• We will be using best available technology in our facility.  The discharge into Lake Michigan will meet and in most cases exceed all federal and state standards. It is protective of human health, the environment and Lake Michigan.
• The water that BP returns to the lake is just that - water.  It has been treated at BP's lakefront facility and is more than 99.9 percent pure.
• The Indiana Department of Environmental Management granted the permit after a careful, thorough, open and transparent review of our application.  We requested increases in two parameters - both of these increases are within guidelines set by the EPA.  These are Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and ammonia.
• These new limit levels of ammonia and TSS are needed because of the major changes at the refinery including the use of a totally different crude oil.  The change in crude oil is being brought about by the decline in US produced crude oil from the Mid-Continent and Texas.
• Canadian Crude is heavier and harder to process.  Unfortunately the supply of the type of crude oil from North America is declining and will continue to decline over the next decade.  BP's is likely the first of several US refineries who will need to adjust their processing capability as we move to heavier crude oils available here in North America.
• Total Suspended Solids (TSS) are not sludge.  The amount from this facility is comparable to that released by a small-sized city - as every waste water treatment plant has some emission of TSS.  They can not be totally avoided.  They are micron in size and no technology exists to totally remove them from treated waste water.   We are using best available technology to remove TSS.
• The ammonia limits are one-half of the federal standards - designed to protect the nation's water - and have been reduced as far as possible using Best Available Technology.
• BP received no exceptions to state or federal water quality regulations when receiving this permit.
• BP followed the existing regulatory process established to pursue environmental permits.
• BP has already begun another sweep to determine if further measures can be taken.

As a company with thousands of employees who live and work in and around Lake Michigan, we care about the Lake and about protecting aquatic and human life. As we have demonstrated in the past and will continue to do so, BP is committed to ongoing environmental stewardship. 

BP is fully compliant not only with the law but its efforts to protect Lake Michigan go beyond what is required. 

For more facts on BP and our U.S. activities, visit us at bp.com/us.