Total limits Texas refinery operations after worker dies in bulldozer accident

Total is running operations at about 50% at its 225,500-bpd refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, after a fatal accident involving a contract worker over the weekend.

Thomas Courts, a 66-year-old contractor from Denton, Texas, drowned in the large pit beneath the coker after the bulldozer he was driving flipped over early on Saturday.

He was an employee of Kinder Morgan.

"The investigation is ongoing, and we are working with Kinder Morgan to implement a plan to return to full service," Total spokeswoman Wendy Ashworth said. "We are operating at minimum capacity until such time."

Total is considering bringing in additional feedstocks to boost gasoline production while overall refinery operations are reduced, news agency Reuters reported.

Courts was using the bulldozer to push petroleum coke from the pit for loading, according to Jefferson County officials. The pit is located beneath giant drums where residual oil is heated to harden into petroleum coke, which can be used as a coal substitute. The coke is removed using high-pressure hot water jets.

The pit where Courts was working contained coke, coarse sandy coke dust and scalding water, according to news reports, and Courts also suffered third-to-second degree burns over his body.

Sources told Reuters that bulldozers were operating in the coke pit because a giant crane normally used to remove coke and coke dust has been out of service for several months.