Mid May: Downstream news from the Americas

Arkansas

Runs at the Delek US Holdings Inc. owned El Dorado refinery are currently at 69%. The runs were cut after the pipeline that supplies the facility was shut on 28^th April. The plant’s total processing capacity is 80 000 bpd.

Aruba

It has been reported that PetroChina Co is in talks with Valero Energy to buy its Aruba refinery, which is currently offline. Valero made a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission indicating that a non-binding bid worth US$ 350 million had been made for the facility. The final agreement is likely to include the refinery docks, storage tanks and other assets as well as the plant itself.

Texas

On Sunday 13^th May there was a fire at Motiva Enterprises Port Arthur refinery. The fire affected the lubricants hydrocracker and a filing was made with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the National Response Centre. The isolated incident lasted just under 3 hours and was caused by a leak in a heater, which led to a flaring of gases.

Flaring was reported at the Corpus Christi refinery according to a notice filed with the Corpus Christi Local Emergency Planning Committee. The flaring was due to a malfunction at the East Plant.

Wyoming

The Sinclair Oil Corp Wyoming refinery is working at normal rates after a fire last week. The flash fire at the 80 000 bpd facility injured four workers who had to be hospitalised. The fire caused very little damage to the refinery.

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/14052012/mid_may_americas_news/