BP has been commended for its sustained commitment to improving process safety in the wake of the fatal Texas City refinery blast in 2005.

The Houston Chronicle reports that Eva Rowe, the daughter of two of the 15 workers who died in the blast, has expressed her gratitude for an endowment that has provided funding for oil and gas training programmes designed to minimise operational risks in the oil and gas industry.

"Not a single day goes by where we don't think about the tragic events of the day and rededicate ourselves to being an industry leader in process safety," said Keith Casey, manager of the refinery.

State district judge Susan Criss, who presided over the case that followed the blast, also praised BP for its unconditional agreement to Ms Rowe's settlement terms.

In its review of the blast, the Chemical Safety Board revealed that several key pieces of process instrumentation malfunctioned prior to the accident, which occurred on March 23rd 2005.

Oil and Gas Directory: Training and Development