Refinery Status

Refinery Status: Units Shut At Motiva, Tx., Refinery Due To Power Failure

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

The following table lists unplanned and planned production outages at U.S. refineries as reported by Dow Jones Newswires. The information is compiled from both official and unofficial refining sources and doesn’t purport to be a comprehensive list.

A fluid catalytic cracker and other units were shut at Motiva’s 285,000 barrel-a-day refinery in Port Arthur, Tx., the afternoon of Mar. 20, after an electrical storm caused a power outage. No definitive word regarding restart of units has been received.

A fluid Catalytic Cracker at ConocoPhillip’s 146,000 barrel-a-day refinery in Borger, Tx., was shut early Mar. 20 for repairs, according to the Texas Commission On Environmental Quality. A catalyst leak was responsible for the shut down and the unit is expected to re-start late Mar. 21.

A boiler was shut and flaring ensued for three hours on Mar. 19, at a 67,000 barrel-a-day refinery owned and operated by Alon Israel Oil Company LTD in Big Spring, Texas, according to a Hazardous Materials Spill Report.

A unit at BP’s 405,000 barrel-a-day refinery in Whiting, Indiana, was briefly taken off line Mar. 19, according to a filing with the U.S. National Response Center. The incident caused excess release of sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, but was of no force or effect, according to BP spokesman, Scott Dean.

BP will initiate planned flaring at it’s 265,000 barrel-a-day refinery in Carson, Calif., from Mar. 18 through Mar. 20. In addition a large amount of hydrogen sulfide has been released due to a leaking valve, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The crude and coker units taken down for maintenance on Mar. 13, are expected to be back on line Apr. 15.

The 58,000 barrel-a-day Delek Refinery in Tyler, Tx., owned and operated by Delek Group LTD, experieneced a mechanical failure at the fluid catalytic cracking regenerator on Mar. 16. The event caused excess emissions through Mar. 18, according to the Texas Commission On Environmental Quality.

A Mar. 16 fire in a desulfurization unit heater at the 210,000 barrel-a-day Delaware City Refining Company in Delaware City caused the release of sulfur dioxide, according to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Substantial flaring was evident on Mar. 16 at ConocoPhillip’s 120,000 barrel- a-day refinery in Rodeo, Calif., according to a California Hazardous Materials Report. Off and on again flaring has been seen at the refinery since Mar. 14.

A steam leak in a light olefins unit at the Flint Hills Resources Port Arthur, Tx., facility was still evident on Mar. 16, acording to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The initial leak was discovered Feb. 16. Repair should be completed by Mar. 23.

A planned flaring event is taking place at Tesoro’s 110,000 barrel-a-day refinery in Wilmington, Calif., from Mar. 18 through Mar. 19, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. No firm indication was given as to which units will be affected.

Sunoco reported flaring at a large hydrotreater in it’s Point Breeze section of the 335,000 barrel-a-day refinery in Philadelphia on Mar. 16. The duration of the flaring wasn’t known.

Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) on March 12 shut a gas compressor unit at a catalytic hydrodesulfurization unit at its Joliet refinery in Channahon, Ill.

BP PLC’s (BP, BP.LN) Carson, Calif., will begin planned maintenance at a CDU on March 13, a person familiar with the plant said on March 12. Flaring and emissions are expected between March 13 and 26, a filing to state environmental regulators said.

Sunoco Inc. (SUN) shut the 231 hydrotreater and associated compressor in the Girard Point section of its Philadelphia refining complex for maintenance on March 7, according to a notification to Philadelphia environmental regulators made public on March 23. The filing didn’t specify whether the shutdown was planned or unplanned or how long the maintenance would last.

ConocoPhillips (COP) said flaring and emissions occurred on March 11 during a shutdown for annual turnaround maintenance at its oil refinery in Ferndale, Washington, according to a filing to the National Response Center. The report didn’t specify what unit, or units, will be involved in the turnaround, and ConocoPhillips only confirmed that work is under way. Traders doing business in the region said the maintenance is expected to last five to six weeks.