Posted by Chevron Richmond on Wednesday, January 8, 2014.

Chevron understands that there is concern over some visible “clouds” over the refinery. We want to assure the community the “clouds” you see are really just steam clouds. Specialized cooling towers recycle hot water so it can be reused at the refinery. During the cooling process some of the hot water evaporates and is visible as steam clouds.

The color of the steam clouds is affected by the weather and temperature. During days like today when it is cold with humidity, the clouds appear dark and heavy, similar to rain clouds. The infographic below illustrates the different types of steam clouds you may see depending on different temperatures and weather patterns.

If you should have any questions please feel free to email info@richmondrefinery.com or call 510-242-2000.