UK Petroleum Industry Association

Tank Storage Association

                                                                   24th July 2007

Tony Traynor of INEOS Refining to chair the Petrochemical Process Safety Leadership Group

Tony Traynor, Operations Director of INEOS Refining, Grangemouth has been nominated as the chair of the Petrochemical Process Safety Leadership Group (PPSLG), the formation of which is announced today as the successor organisation to the Buncefield Standards Task Group (2).

The PPSLG will aim to build upon the work of the Task Group, particularly in relation to maintaining leadership to improve operating and process safety standards in the petrochemical sector. It will also take forward outstanding matters arising from the BSTG work, examining any other recommendations coming from the Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board’s (3) reports, and will monitor compliance with all the recommendations.

The PPSLG (4) will include representatives from industry trade associations, the Competent Authority (5) and trades unions.

Tony Traynor (6) said “The industry welcomes and fully supports the formation of this new group whose main task will be maintaining the progress that has been made with the BSTG in the implementation of higher standards and providing an authoritative benchmark for guidance on best practice. Delivering effective sector leadership and raising the profile of process safety to the forefront of our operations, is a challenge I personally look forward to, and I am confident that a collaborative approach will deliver the improvements necessary.”

Ends

Enquires: UKPIA Nick Vandervell, 0207 632 9880 or Chris Hunt, 020 7240 0289

TSA Martyn Lyons, 01737 775602

Notes to editors:

1. UKPIA represents nine oil refining and marketing companies operating in the UK, which also own approximately 2,200 of the UK's 9,382 service stations, and own and operate the nine major crude oil processing refineries in the UK.

Tank Storage Association is an industry based organisation whose members are dedicated to the professional provision of third party bulk liquid storage in the UK. TSA’s members own and operate 35 terminals across the UK. Products stored typically include crude oil, petroleum and chemicals as well as potable liquids, edible oils and fats

2. The joint industry/Competent Authority Buncefield Standards Task Group was established in June 2006 in the aftermath of the explosion and fire at the Hertfordshire Oil Storage Buncefield terminal in December 2005, to make recommendations to enhance safety and environmental standards at major petroleum storage facilities. The Steering Group is chaired by Ken Rivers of Shell UK. The report issued today covers the key areas of:

· Actions required by site operators, including timescales

· Detailed guidance on standards for the transfer and storage of fuel

· Work in progress on process standards

· Comparison of BSTG recommendations with MIIB Design & Operations report

3. The independent MIIB, chaired by Lord Newton of Braintree, was set up to supervise the investigation into the explosions and fires at Buncefield. The investigation is directed by the Health and Safety Commission. The MIIB’s work covers:

· Design and operation of fuel storage sites (recommendations issued March 2007)

· Emergency response and preparedness (recommendations issued July 2007)

· Advice to planning authorities

· Examination of the roles of the Competent Authorities in regulating activities at Buncefield.

4. The Petrochemical Process Safety Leadership Group will include representatives from:

· UK Petroleum Industry Association

· Chemical Industries Association

· Tank Storage Association

· UK Onshore Pipelines Operators’ Association

· Competent Authority

· Trades Unions

5. The main process safety regulation of refineries and terminals in the UK is the Control of Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 1999. Refineries and larger oil storage terminals are categorised as top tier sites. These regulations require all such sites to have a major accident prevention plan and, in addition, top tier sites must produce a safety report to show that risks have been systematically reviewed and controlled, and necessary measures taken. COMAH Regulations are enforced by a joint Competent Authority: the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency in England and Wales; and HSE and Scottish Environment Protection Agency in Scotland.

6. Tony Traynor, an electrical engineer by training, is Operations Director of INEOS Refining at Grangemouth, Scotland. He started his career with ICI in 1969. During this period he held various senior operations and technical roles in the UK and Belgium, spanning different chemicals businesses, including multiple sites regulated under COMAH. He joined the INEOS Group in 2001, following the acquisition of the ICI Chlor business by INEOS.