Downstream news from the Americas: Early September

Brazil

Refinaria de Petroleos de Manfuinhos has been allowed to keep its Rio de Janeiro refinery running. At the end of 2012, the Rio state government rejected a proposal to allow the refinery to continue operations after it was ordered to close to allow an area clean up and the construction of housing as part of the urban renewal program that is being implemented to coincide with the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. The closure is now suspended.

Curacao

Parliament has backed the government in efforts to modernise and retain the refinery on the island of Curacao. The authorities are now looking for investors for the work that needs to be done.

Marathon Petroleum Corp.

Marathon Petroleum Corp. has shut equipment at its Michigan refinery. This has followed the idling of equipment at its Detroit plant after 100 lbs of hydrogen sulfuide leaked from a pipeline at the facility. Due to both equipment closures, spot gasoline prices in Chicago have strengthened.

Uruguay

A new desulfursation plant at Uruguay’s only refinery has been inaugurated. The expansion work was a joint venture between YPF of Argentina and ANCAP of Uruaguay. The sulfur collected at the plant is to be sold to Uruguayan fertiliser companies.

West Virginia

The Catalyst Refiners Institute in Kahawha County released 950 lbs of nitric acid on Tuesday 3rd September. County officials fear that the incident was not properly reported to the correct authorities. The plant is owned by a division of Ames Goldsmith Corp. and refines ethylene oxide catalysts.

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/04092013/early_sept_americas_downstream_news/