Deer Park Refinery Incidents — Public-Record Timeline

Pemex reported an oil sheen on the Houston Ship Channel adjacent to the Deer Park refinery in May 2026. The incident triggered monitoring and response protocols by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The Ship Channel serves as a source of livelihood for commercial fishermen and supports recreational use along Galveston Bay.

A fatal hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) exposure incident occurred at the Deer Park facility in 2024. A subsequent investigation report found the release was caused by inadequate equipment labeling and procedural failures. Hydrogen sulfide is an acutely toxic gas that can be fatal at low concentrations. The incident was investigated by OSHA and state regulators, with findings reported in early 2026.

A massive fire at the Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) facility in Deer Park — adjacent to the Ship Channel corridor near the Pemex Deer Park refinery — burned for more than two weeks beginning March 17, 2019, releasing benzene, xylene, toluene, and other petrochemicals into the air. The City of Deer Park issued shelter-in-place orders lasting several days. Schools were closed. Residents reported headaches, nausea, and respiratory symptoms. The incident drew national media coverage and resulted in multiple lawsuits against ITC. Harris County environmental officials recorded elevated benzene levels in the surrounding neighborhoods.