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Buncefield is a 'spider's web' of pipework
The row over who was in charge of the Buncefield depot where the disaster took place continued in the High Court today.
Bryan Workman, a director of Hertfordshire Oil Storage Limited (HOSL) and Chevron employee, was in the witness box for a second day facing questioning by Lord Grabiner, acting for Total.
HOSL, a joint venture between Total and Chevron, ran the part of the depot where the blast took place but Chevron is arguing that Total was in fact responsible for the operation and must pick up the tab for the disaster.
Mr Workman, when confronted with a legal agreement identifying HOSL as the operator, said: "You are trying to make is sound simple when in fact it's very complicated.
"The whole site is a spider's web of pipework coming from various pipelines."
Lord Grabiner told him: "The story you are putting forward bears no relation to that contractual bargain."
Mr Workman replied: "What I'm trying to describe to you is not reflected in that document."
Lord Grabiner said: "The arrangements that were in place declared HOSL and the board of HOSL to be in control of the operation at Buncefield."
Mr Workman said: "I'm not sure I can agree with your philosphy."
He added: "People got in the habit, and I was one of them, to define the difference between Total the operator and Total the haulier, we used the word HOSL.
"HOSL was an abbreviation for the site."
Simon Humphries, another HOSL director and Chevron employee, repeated this point from the witness box.
He told the court: "As a matter of shorthand we slipped into the habit of talking about HOSL as the location or as the operator, under which we understood the Buncefield terminal operated by Fina (which became Total].
"Fina employed most of the staff, in particular they employed the terminal manager and the manager reported into Fina's operation.
"I cannot accept that Fina was not responsible for operating the joint venture terminal."
Residents and businesses are seeking damages of around 700million from Total and HOSL.
The trial continues.
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Weather for Hemel Hempstead
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
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Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
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