Shell Puget Sound Refinery and the Marine Spill Response Corporation completed an oil spill response drill Tuesday morning near Guemes Island.
About two dozen refinery employees participated in the drill, which involved putting an oil boom into the water.
The exercise was part of the refinery’s ongoing spill response training. Refinery spokesman Cory Ertel said the refinery performs drills six to eight times a year.
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Last year, two training sessions were held in Fidalgo Bay, one of which included staff from the neighboring Tesoro Anacortes Refinery.
The training Tuesday was held in Long Bay on the southeast end of Guemes Island.
“We try practicing deploying what are called geographic response plans in different areas around the refinery so it’s not always a drill in exactly the same areas,” Ertel said.
The drills help ensure employees are prepared to respond during an emergency spill situation.
“We regularly test and drill on these systems to ensure their effectiveness … While the specific drill activities can vary from exercise to exercise, they serve to ensure our employees are properly trained and prepared to respond if needed,” according to a statement from Shell Puget Sound Refinery.
