Flares Vent Gases at Mobil Refinery

Smoke and flames billowed briefly from two elevated flares at the Mobil Oil Corp. refinery in Torrance Wednesday as gases were vented because of what a Mobil spokesman described as a problem in the refinery’s instrument-air system.

A momentary loss of pressure occurred about noon in the system, which helps open and close flow valves, Mobil spokesman Barry Engelberg said. To prevent a pressure buildup, gases were released and burned through the flares, he said, describing the release as “a system doing what it was supposed to do.”

The Torrance Fire Department sent an engine to the refinery at 12:13 p.m. and remained about an hour, said Battalion Chief R. Richard Nanney, the city’s hazardous materials officer. Nanney and Engelberg said late Wednesday afternoon that they had not yet heard the nature of the gases released through the flares.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District sent an inspector to the scene and is investigating the incident. The district received six complaints from witnesses about the smoke, agency spokeswoman Paula Levy said.