The Phillips 66 refinery on the Nipomo Mesa, was one of three refineries nationwide to win a safety award from the American Fuel and Petrochemicals Manufacturers, according to a recent news release.

The honor is determined by a panel of refining industry peers and is not necessarily awarded to a refinery every year.

To qualify for the competition, the refinery had to exhibit an exceptional safety record for three prior years, including no lost-time injuries.

The Santa Maria refinery began operations in 1955, processing crude oil from the Santa Maria Valley.

It has 150 employees and processes about 45,000 barrels per day of crude oil that arrive by pipeline from various locations. The oil is then is shipped via pipeline for further processing at the company’s refinery in Rodeo.