CDU maintenance at Japanese refineries

The Japanese oil refiner Cosmo Oil Co. has announced that it is starting scheduled maintenance on the 90 000 bpd No. 5 crude distillation unit (CDU) at its Yokkaichi refinery in western Japan. According to a company spokesperson, the maintenance is set to last until November 14^th.

Cosmo Oil, which operates four domestic refineries with a total capacity of 635 000 bpd, has been unable to restart its biggest 220 000 bpd Chiba refinery since May due in part to an asphalt leak from the refinery into the sea. It hopes to restart refining operations at Chiba by the end of this year.

The shut down of one of the two CDUs at the 175 000 bpd Yokkaichi refinery has reduced the company's operating CDU capacity to 325 000 bpd.

Elsewhere in the country, Japan's second biggest oil refiner TonenGeneral Sekiyu has announced that it has resumed normal operations of the sole 156 000 bpd No. 1 CDU at its Sakai refinery in western Japan after an unplanned shut down.

Typhoon Jelawat

As typhoon Jelawat hit Japan at the weekend, one refiner Nansei Sekiyu announced that it is halted operations at its 100 000 bpd Nishihara refinery in Okinawa. As of the weekend, Nansei Sekiyu was the only refiner that halted operations due to the typhoon, which brought heavy rain and strong winds.

The company plans to resume refining and marine berthing operations after an inspection. Following the passing of the typhoon, the company said it resumed truck terminal operations on Sunday morning. The company, wholly owned by Brazil's Petrobras, had halted marine berthing operations since Friday.

Edited from various sources by Joe Hester.

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