Why Mesothelioma Cases Occur in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi occupies a strategic position on the Texas Coastal Bend, where Corpus Christi Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico. This geography made the city an ideal location for both petrochemical refining and military operations — two industries where asbestos was used extensively for decades. The Port of Corpus Christi, now one of the largest ports in the United States by total tonnage, fueled the growth of multiple refineries and chemical plants along its inner harbor. Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, established in 1941, became one of the largest naval aviation training facilities in the country, with buildings and infrastructure built using asbestos-containing materials throughout the World War II era and beyond.
According to WikiMesothelioma.com, Corpus Christi's combination of petrochemical refining and military installations created a dual-pathway asbestos exposure environment that affected both civilian industrial workers and military personnel. The Flint Hills Resources refinery (owned by Koch Industries), Citgo Refining and Chemicals, and Valero Energy operations in and around Corpus Christi used asbestos insulation in pipe systems, boilers, heat exchangers, and processing equipment. The Celanese chemical plant manufactured industrial chemicals in a facility where asbestos gaskets, insulation, and building materials were standard throughout the mid-20th century.
The peak period of asbestos use in Corpus Christi spanned from the 1940s through the early 1980s. The establishment of NAS Corpus Christi during World War II brought rapid construction of hangars, barracks, maintenance facilities, and administrative buildings — all using asbestos-containing materials that were standard military construction specifications of the era. Simultaneously, the postwar petrochemical boom expanded refinery capacity along the port's inner harbor, and each new processing unit was built with asbestos insulation. The Celanese plant, which began operations in the 1940s, produced acetic acid and other chemicals in equipment insulated with asbestos for over three decades.
The 20-to-50-Year Latency Period
Mesothelioma does not appear immediately after asbestos exposure. The disease has a latency period of 20 to 50 years, meaning workers and military personnel exposed in Corpus Christi during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s are being diagnosed now. A maintenance worker who replaced asbestos insulation at the Flint Hills refinery in 1970 may only receive a mesothelioma diagnosis in 2026 or later. A Navy aviation mechanic who served at NAS Corpus Christi in the 1960s may develop mesothelioma decades after leaving the service. This long latency period is why Corpus Christi continues to produce new mesothelioma cases.
The combination of military and civilian industrial exposure in Corpus Christi means that many residents accumulated asbestos contact from multiple sources over the course of their careers. A veteran who served at NAS Corpus Christi might have gone on to work at a refinery or chemical plant after discharge, creating a dual exposure history that connects to multiple sources of compensation. A refinery pipefitter might have worked at both the Flint Hills and Citgo facilities over a 25-year career, accumulating exposure at each site.
Corpus Christi's Asbestos Legacy by the Numbers
The Port of Corpus Christi handles over 100 million tons of cargo annually, and the refineries and chemical plants along its inner harbor have employed thousands of workers in environments where asbestos was present for decades. NAS Corpus Christi, covering over 4,700 acres, trained generations of naval aviators in facilities built with asbestos-containing materials. Texas consistently ranks among the top states for mesothelioma deaths, and Corpus Christi's industrial and military infrastructure is a significant contributor. If you worked at any refinery, chemical plant, military installation, or industrial site in Corpus Christi, documenting your asbestos exposure history is a critical first step.
