North America: Early June downstream update

BP

An upset in a compressor unit at the BP owned Cherry Point refinery in Washington caused a release of sulfur dioxide from the plant’s flare stack. A filing was made to the National Response Centre.

ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil Corp have confirmed plans to move the refining and marketing headquarters from Fairfax, Virginia to new offices near Houston, Texas. This move will take place in 2014.

ExxonMobil are also looking in to expanding its petrochemical facility just outside Houston. The expansion project will involve adding a new ethane cracker. Startup is expected to start up in 2016.

Phillips 66

Phillips 66 has announced that they may take the Louisiana refinery off the market and it keep it in their refinery portfolio. The facility was put up for sale in December 2011.

Tesoro Corp.

The only refinery in North Dakota will be taken offline for two weeks this month to bring online the latest phase of the expansion project. The expansion cost Tesoro US$ 35 million and will increase production at the plant to 68 000 bpd.

Workers at the Martinez refinery in California have accepted the latest contract offered. This means that the threat of a strike has now gone. The United Steelworkers union accepted the new contract after Tesoro agreed not to make substantial changes in workers’ benefits for the entire 3 year contract duration.

Strange but true

Workers at the BP Whiting refinery in Indiana found the remains of two small monkeys in a shipment of valves from India. The crate contained valves that are being used for the US$ 4.4 billion upgrade currently underway at the refinery. The shipment arrived at the facility in June 2011.

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/11062012/north_america_early_june_downstream_update/