Mid February: Downstream news from the Americas

Brazil

Petrobras has given PDVSA until February 28^th to make a down payment on the US$ 8.3 billion that is has said it will invest in a new refinery to be built in the north east of the country. It has been reported that unless PDVSA make a payment of at least US$ 1.5 billion, Petrobras will call an end to the partnership.

California

The Tesoro Corp Golden Eagle refinery was restarted last week after a shutdown which commenced on 2^nd February. The shutdown was initiated to replace equipment at the facility.

BP carried out planned flaring on 14^th February at the Carson refinery. The filing made with the South Coast Air Quality Management District allowed the facility to carryout flaring until Sunday 17^th February.

Kansas

After an oil spill in 2007 at the Coffeyville refinery in 2007, Coffeyville Resources Refining and Marketing have agreed to pay federal penalties. The penalties total US$ 2 million and include US$ 556 244 to settle violations of the Clean Water Act.

Louisiana

After a release at Valero Energy Corp’s Meraux refinery on 10^th February, sulfur dioxide levels in the surrounding parish spiked. Refinery readings hit as high as 180 parts per billion when the EPA hourly standard rate is only a maximum of 75 parts per billion.

Texas

Following a brief power outage at the Valero Energy owned Corpus Christi refinery in the middle of last week, the facility is running as normal. The 12 000 bpd hydrocracker unit was affected by the incident.

Motiva Enterprises LLC started a period of planned maintenance at the Port Arthur refinery on weekend of 16^th February. Work will be carried out on the coker unit, a crude distillation unit and one of the sulfur plants

Venezuela

On the weekend of 16^th February an electrical fault caused problems at the PDVSA owned El Palito refinery. Process units were affected by the mishap and the conversion plants at the refinery are yet to come back online.

Adapted from various sources by Claira Lloyd.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/18022013/mid_feb_americas_update-321/