No, Marathon-El Paso Refinery Wasn’t Going to Blow Last Week

There are a lot of us who don't know the way things work at Marathon - El Paso Refinery.

Last week an El Pasoan shared a video that left some locals wondering and worried. The people who live near the plant site were worried about an explosion, after seeing black smoke emerging from one of the pipes.

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A Reddit user Numbersystem shared a short video of black smoke emerging from a pipe at Marathon - El Paso Refinery. If it wasn't for the comments below the video, I would be worried every time I see smoke in the future.

Apparently, the black smoke is totally normal.

There were a couple of other Reddit users that explained the black smoke as flaring. Apparently flaring is a process they do that burns excess or waste gas according to NZR13's comment.

The next time you're passing by the plant site and see black smoke, don't panic.

This procedure caught Numbersytem's attention that inspired the urge to film and share with other Reddit readers. I too would have mistaken the black smoke coming from a refinery smokestack as a fire

So if you also noticed a big cloud of black smoke in the sky last week, this is why.

Although it is nerve-racking how a regular procedure can also seem like something dangerous is happening, it's always cool to learn something new about a familiar spot some El Pasoans wonder about.