Tanker truck crashes in route to Phillips 66 oil refinery

June 24, 2017

A tanker-truck hauling 5,200 gallons of crude oil crashed near Highway 1 in Nipomo Friday evening causing a small leak. Approximately five gallons of oil leaked from the truck.

The tanker truck was in route from San Ardo to a Phillips 66’s refinery in Nipomo when it rolled about 15 feet off Guadalupe Road near Highway 1 and Willow Road. The driver did not require medical attention.

The accident occurred three months after the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisor voted 3-1 against a controversial proposal to put in a rail spur so that crude oil, which at the time was delivered by pipeline, could be transported to the Nipomo Mesa refinery by train.

During the hearings, opponents of the rail spur voiced concerns of a train derailment and oil spill. Proponents argued that the additional train traffic would have a minimal impact compared to the added truck traffic anticipated if the project was denied.

Phillips 66 officials said oil production is decreasing in California, and the rail spur would allow the company to bring in crude oil from new suppliers. Company officials said that if the county denied the rail spur project, Phillips 66 would deliver the additional oil by adding about 100 truck trips per day.

Following Friday evening’s rollover accident, a county hazmat unit cleaned up the spill.


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Nowadays, most of the hauling trucks accidents lead to several unwanted issues which include permanent injuries, death, etc. One of the reasons of highway accidents occurs because of getting distracted by taking alcohol which causes accidents every day. So, it is very important that DOT should conduct a harsh penalty for all truck drivers for their distracted driving and they should face a lot of fines. There are many reputed companies like, Uship, We Will Transport It (http://www.wewilltransportit.com/), Barnett Transport, etc., whose drivers are professionals in hauling trucks and are fully licensed, bonded with a clean MVR record.


Holy Cow Batman!


Can you just imagine if this truck was loaded with LPG that travels by rail and truck as well? The misguided apponents to the Phillips 66 plant only had OIL ON THEIR MINDS, at the expense of other very hazardous materials being shipped as well through the area.


Again, where were the lawn posters wanting to eliminate other hazardous materials being shipped by rail and truck through SLO County? Did anyone see posters wanting to remove ALL railroad freight cars, along with trucks, that contained the following hazardous materials? Anyone?


Anhydrous Ammonia, Liquefied Petroleum Gas, Ethylene Oxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Vinyl Chloride, Anhydrous Hydrofluoric Acid, Anhydrous Ammonia Metallic Sodium Chlorine, Liquefied Hydrocarbon Gas, Motor Fuel Anti-Knock Compound Vinyl Chloride, Fertilizer Ammoniating Solution, Chlorine, Anhydrous Ammonia, Sulfur Dioxide, Butadiene, Refrigerant or Dispersant Gases, Nitrosyl Chloride, Helium Hydrogen Oxygen, Nitrogen Fertilizer Solution, Ethyl Chloride.


If the naysayers of the oil trains were really supporting their cause for total safety to our area, then the above dangerous materials should have been listed as well!


Can the naysayers spell H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E-S? Sure they can.


Ted, if Phillips 66 was applying to transport those items you can bet they would have been protested as well. They were not asking to do so.


To your point; unfortunately you neglect to consider that the railroads are under FEDERAL control.


Local communities do not have standing to dictate what can be hauled by train passing through a community. (Interstate commerce)


The spur however is a different matter. It is a county decision, not a Federal or State decision.


So the protesters are not hypocrites–as you claim—Protesting to the county over materials the county has no right to control would be silly–would it not?


That is a nice list though.


If I read that correctly, the UN code (1993) on the Haz Mat Placard is for Diesel, not crude.