Downstream news from the Americas: Early September

Aruba

Valero Energy Corp. has announced the decision to convert the offline Aruba refinery into a storage terminal. The 275 000 bpd facility was idled in March of this year due to high oil prices and unfavourable economics. If a buyer for the plant can be found before conversion works begin then site could return to its function as a refinery.

Louisiana

Maintenance workers are currently looking over the Valero Energy refineries shut down in Louisiana whilst Isaac took its course. The 125 000 bpd Meraux refinery and 205 000 bpd Norco refinery are still offline and a restart timetable is yet to be established.

Mexico

Four refinery workers have been hurt in a fire at the Pemex refinery in the North Eastern city of Ciudad Madero. The fire started at the facility at 3:30pm on Sunday when the workers were installing a line.

Ohio

Strikes at the Husky Energy Inc. refinery in northern Ohio have hit 100 days. The employees on strike are part of the United Steel union and commenced action on 25^th May due to issues over safety and working conditions at the facility.

South Dakota

The legal battles over the construction of the Hyperion refinery in South Dakota are still ongoing. The continuing struggle for construction of the US$ 10 billion plant to begin is going to mean that Hyperion will have to apply to the state for more time in which to begin construction. The deadline currently stands as March 2013.

Adapted from press release by Claira Lloyd.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/04092012/americas_downstream_news_early_september/