HOUSTON, July 10 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell Plc has agreed to cut pollution at its joint-venture 327,000 barrelper day (bpd) refinery in the Houston suburb of Deer Park,Texas, according to an announcement on Wednesday by the U.S.Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Under the agreement, which will take the form of a consentdecree entered in U.S. District Court, Shell will install atleast $115 million worth of equipment that will cut pollutionfrom safety flares at the Deer Park refinery and adjoiningchemical plant, according to the announcement.
"These controls will also reduce emissions of greenhousegases by approximately 260,000 tons per year," according theannouncement.
Shell will also pay $2.6 million to settle a civil penalty.
The equipment will also monitor benzene escaping through theair beyond the refinery's fence line, according to theannouncement. Benzene can cause cancer and bone marrow failure.
Shell is the sole owner of the Deer Park Chemical Plant, butthe crude oil refinery is a 50-50 joint venture called Dear ParkRefining LP owned by Shell and Mexico's national oilcompany, Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex). (Reporting by Erwin Seba. Editing by Andre Grenon)