I'm happy to say I can scratch this one off my bucket list, but I only saw this location at night. This was my first oil refinery explore, and it was a geometric light painting oasis in an endless expanse of cows and Farm Roads stretching out into the infinite Texas expanse. My new goal is to go back during the daytime and really get to explore (i.e. climb things!) properly. Here's some light painting pics from last week.., only the first photo was edited (blended):


by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr



Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr
(it took a bit of self control not to pull the cord...!)


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


Refined by Dee Ashley, on Flickr


*And on a totally unrelated side note, I want to reach into my computer, grab that fucking Santa Clause, and squeeze all of the pixels out of him until he chokes on his cursor.

Cool pix and agree about Santa and the reindeer, very distracting!

I really wish my back wasn't crap right now, id LOVE to visit here when you go back. Awesome pics Dee! I think i would of tugged on that Full Pull. hahaha! and that one of my faves. Great B&W's too!

nice job !

Great pictures, and that looks like a fun explore.

For the sake of your photography, it's unfortunate you ran out of daylight, but I imagine it was a pretty cool place at night.

Posted by MisUnderstood! I really wish my back wasn't crap right now, id LOVE to visit here when you go back. Awesome pics Dee! I think i would of tugged on that Full Pull. hahaha! and that one of my faves. Great B&W's too!

That sucks, what happened to your back? BTW, are you in the North Texas area?

Thank you for understanding my issue with the "pull" cord, and for the photo love!

*Edited because I need to proof read more before I hit the post button.

Spine Surgery...look down the Tx. Section. See pics....Oh Meee! and watch yourself out there!
No, not N. Tx. Im near Houston. But, i would love to go on a road trip when I'm able to travel again

Posted by BoogieT Great pictures, and that looks like a fun explore. For the sake of your photography, it's unfortunate you ran out of daylight, but I imagine it was a pretty cool place at night.

Thank you very much, and it was! Interestingly enough, there was actually no "running out" of daylight, lol. We got there around 9:00PM and left around 2AM!

Posted by MisUnderstood! Spine Surgery...look down the Tx. Section. See pics....Oh Meee! and watch yourself out there! No, not N. Tx. Im near Houston. But, i would love to go on a road trip when I'm able to travel again

I was doing that right before I got to this post, lol, and as usual, I got distracted and forgot about my TX search...

So, did they give you an estimate on how long you'd be out of commission? That sounds awful!
Definitely message me when you get to feeling better, there's a ton of spots within a 3 hour radius of the east/southeast texas region that I've mentally (or even digitally) added to my urbex bucket list... And the same applies if you find yourself in the DFW area. We have a pretty active local group around here!

I've had my eye on this place for a while but finding a parking place that's close, doesn't arouse suspicion from the neighbors or the cops that regularly patrol the complex has kept me away. Someone else (Indo, Tiffers??) hit this one last year. From what I've been told, the company was going to dismantle it and move it a few years back but it fell through. Someone else said that the city owns it now - who knows.

If you are interested in some more east Texas locations let me know, I have a ton pinned to google earth. Also, if you're up for a bit of a longer trip northern Louisiana has quite a few gems to check out, including a ton of schools.

Good job on the explore, even though I'm jealous as hell that you got in before me!

Posted by Peptic Ulcer I've had my eye on this place for a while but finding a parking place that's close, doesn't arouse suspicion from the neighbors or the cops that regularly patrol the complex has kept me away. Someone else (Indo, Tiffers??) hit this one last year. From what I've been told, the company was going to dismantle it and move it a few years back but it fell through. Someone else said that the city owns it now - who knows. If you are interested in some more east Texas locations let me know, I have a ton pinned to google earth. Also, if you're up for a bit of a longer trip northern Louisiana has quite a few gems to check out, including a ton of schools. Good job on the explore, even though I'm jealous as hell that you got in before me!

I just parked at the church. It was only a block away, and as close to one can get to a "perfect" parking opportunity. They even were kind enough to provide clean bathroom options, lol.
My quick internet search on this location suggested that its disassembly was postponed when another oil company was going to purchase this property, but it fell through at the last minute. That was probably about a year ago. I even read somewhere that it may be under review for a potential superfund status.
I will probably take you up on your East Texas locations offer, particularly within the next month or so. I really want to make it to Hot Springs before the end of winter, so that might be a perfect time to hit some other spots as well!
Do live in East Texas?

Posted by Peptic Ulcer Someone else (Indo, Tiffers??) hit this one last year. From what I've been told, the company was going to dismantle it and move it a few years back but it fell through. Someone else said that the city owns it now - who knows.

I know someone else that explored this spot last year around this time (and is how I "discovered" it as well). I don't think he is a UER member, but he was with a small group of three or four, so it's very possible that one or more of them are on UER.