Monday , February 18, 2008

BIG SPRING, Texas —

An explosion rocked an oil refinery Monday morning in a violent blast that shook buildings miles away, injuring at least one person, the company said.

Blake Lewis, spokesman for refinery owner Dallas-based Alon USA, said about an hour after the explosion that all workers were accounted for. The injured worker was in the hospital, but the condition was not known, Lewis said.

The blast sent black smoke billowing into the sky, shut down a major interstate and left residents rattled.

"It was extremely scary. You shook you were so scared," said Laura McEwen, the wife of Mayor Russ McEwen who lives about two miles from the refinery. "Our walls shook. It jolted your bed. It was like an earthquake."

John Moseley, managing editor of the Big Spring Herald whose downtown office is also about two miles from the refinery, heard the blast and said, "I thought it would knock the walls down."

The refinery employs about 170 people and produces about 70,000 barrels a day.

Big Spring police spokesman Roger Sweatt said a "major event" at the plant shut down Interstate 20.

"There's some fire and a whole bunch of smoke," Sweatt said.

Big Spring is about 280 miles west of Dallas.

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,331039,00.html

Jew owned which might tell us a lot about why there is no oil exploration or new refineries in the Kwa. Jews have a monopoly on it and they are going to keep it that way. Meanwhile, they most likely fund the green, do-gooders that protest the oil companies and demand that the Kwa add no more refining capacity.

Corporate Officers:

Mr. David Wiessman
Executive Chairman of the Board
Mr. Jeff D. Morris
President & CEO
Mr. Claire A. Hart
Senior Vice President
Mr. Joseph A. Concienne
Senior Vice President of Refining and Transportation
Mr. Alan Moret
Senior Vice President of Asphalt Operations
Mr. Shai Even
Vice President and Cheif Financial Officer
Mr. Harlin Dean, Jr.
Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Mr. Joseph Israel
Vice President of Mergers and Acquisitions
Mr. Jimmy Crosby
Vice President of Refining & Supply
Mr. Yossi Lipman
President and CEO of Southwest Convenience Stores

http://www.alonusa.com/Index.cfm?FuseAction=Page&PageID=1000011

Head Jew's bio:

Mr. David Wiessman is Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of ALON USA. The company was formed in August 2000 after ALON Israel Oil Co., LTD (ALON Israel) purchased the downstream assets of Atofina Petrochemicals, Inc. (FINA).
Mr. Wiessman has over 25 years of oil industry and marketing experience. In 1976, after serving in the Israeli Air Force, he became CEO and majority shareholder in Bielsol Group, a privately owned company that owns and operates gasoline stations and real estate in Israel.
In 1993 Mr. Wiessman acquired ALON Israel. In 1994 he became CEO and President of ALON Israel Group, moving it from a 0% market share to more than a 20% market share today, making ALON Israel one of Israel's leading enterprises.
ALON Israel has pioneered retail outlets in Israel's gas stations, opening up commercial centers, supermarkets, and roadside restaurants. ALON Israel's "Super Alonit" convenience stores were the first stores to be operated in Israel, while the company also operates fast foot outlets and SegaFredo cafes. ALON Israel holds the Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises in Israel.
Mr. Wiessman, through ALON Israel, also purchased in 1999 - 80.3% of Dor Energy shares, which more than doubled the number of ALON Israel service stations and has given the company a 20% share of Israel's fuel market. ALON Israel now holds 100% of Dor Energy. Through Dor's fully-owned subsidiary, Dorgas, ALON Israel has become a major player in the LPG market. Dorgas has the exclusive rights to import LPG to Israel via Haifa Port and the exclusive rights to supply fuel and LPG to the Palestinian Authority.
ALON Israel is also part of the DerechEretz consortium, which holds the tender to build the Cross-Israel Highway, Israel's first-ever toll road. ALON Israel holds 100% of the rights to construct and operate road services adjacent to the highway, which, when completed, will stretch from the north to the south of the country. The project will cost $1.2 billion, and ALON Israel will also hold 20% of the company that will operate the highway.
In August 2000, Mr. Wiessman negotiated ALON Israel's purchase of the downstream assets of FINA, Inc., including the Big Spring refinery, terminals, pipeline systems, and marketing operations located in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Kansas. As Executive Chairman of the Board of ALON USA, Mr. Wiessman is committed to continuing the growth of the FINA brand name in the United States and will preserve FINA's culture and growth through significant investments in marketing. In 2001, ALON USA purchased Southwest Convenience Stores, LLC, the largest 7-Eleven licensee in the United States.
In June 2003, Mr. Wiessman through the Bronfman - ALON Israel group purchased 78.13% of Blue Square Israel Ltd. making ALON Israel the leading food retailer in Israel with more than 170 supermarkets in Israel. Blue Square is a public company both in the U.S. and Israel stock exchange market (BSI).
Blue Square, Super Alonit, Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken have brought ALON Israel to be the leading food retailer in Israel.
Mr. Wiessman is considered the leader of the Fuel Industry Reform in Israel, and he is formally involved in the design process of the Israeli Fuel Industry. He serves on many Boards of Directors, is an active member of governmental committees relating to energy issues, and is a frequent guest speaker to large groups regarding the energy industry and issues.
In recognition of his many accomplishments within the business community, Mr. Wiessman was named Israel's Man of the Year for 2005. This distinguished honor, which has been awarded for the past 11 years, was presented during the annual Israel Business Conference. The conference was attended by such dignitaries as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, other ministers, and top Israeli business people, including industry leaders, industrialists, economists, senior officials, politicians, and representatives of various social organizations.
Mr. Wiessman created and is the largest contributor to the "Warm House Project", a community service project in Israel that provides transportation to and from school for economically disadvantaged children, as well as lunches and after school tutoring. Mr. Wiessman founded the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra Scholarship Fund that provides underprivileged students with an opportunity for musical college education. ALON USA is also involved in the "Community in Schools" project: ALON USA recently established a $1 million endowment to benefit the exemplary stay-in-school program for students in Dallas and the North Texas area.

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