Early June US downstream update

California

Exxon Mobil’s 150 000 bpd refinery in Torrance resumed a unit on May 30 that halted last week. The refinery had reportedly undergone flaring due to an unexpected provisional shutdown of a unit.

Delaware

Following troubles in a key processing unit on May 27, emergency pollution flaring and a system shutdown affected PBF Energy’s 210 000 bpd Delaware City refinery. PBF bought the refinery from Valero in early 2010, averting Valero’s plans to raze the complex, which had amounted loses in excess of US$ 1 billion due to chronic operating problems.

New Jersey

ConocoPhillips shut a crude unit at its 250 000 bpd Bayway refinery in Linden after a fire on June 1. One worker was injured. The fluid catalytic cracker has also been shut down at the complex.

PBF Energy reported an operational upset of a unit at its 185 000 bpd refinery in Paulsboro on June 2. PBF, which was formed in 2008 to acquire US refineries, agreed in September to purchase Valero’s Paulsboro unit for about US$ 360 million and an estimated US$ 275 million for crude inventories and other expenses.

Texas

Royal Dutch Shell Plc has reported that it is operating its refinery in Deer Park at planned rates after a steam loss on June 1 stopped production. The startup was quicker than usual after such a shutdown because the closure was brief, reports stated. The production shutdown was reportedly triggered when the 340 000 bpd Deer Park refinery lost power to all units after an interruption to the electric grid operated by CenterPoint Energy Inc.

Washington

Royal Dutch Shell Plc had a spill of ‘dissolved air flotation material’ from an above ground line after an equipment failure at its Washington state refinery, according to a report filed with the National Response Center.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/03062011/early_june_us_downstream_update/