Downstream news from the Americas: Late March
California
Flaring was reported at BP’s Carson refinery in Los Angeles. This flare was activated due to planned maintenance being carried out on the facility’s crude distillation, coking and alkylation units.
Canada
Alberta’s provincial government have rejected the proposal to build a first nation’s refinery for processing bitumen. The CAN$ 6.6 billion facility was planned to help produce domestic production and hopefully pull the first nation’s area out of the poverty bracket.
Hawaii
Despite United SteelWorkers union members striking at several Tesoro Corp facilities, workers at the Kapolei facility have signed a new employment contract. It has been reported that workers agreed to renew contracts as Tesoro are planning on selling the Hawaii facility.
Illinois
ExxonMobil Corp’s Joliet refinery has reported flaring. A filing was made with the Illinois Pollution regulators when a flare released sulfur dioxide.
New Jersey
ConocoPhillips Bayway refinery in Lindon has made a filing with state regulators. This is because of flaring above permitted levels occurring at the facility. The flaring went beyond the 3 minute limit.
Washington
After a fire at the BP Cherry Point refinery on February 17th operations are still not back to normal. A spokesman for the facility said that 3000 extra contractors have been hired to help with maintenance work at the facility to get it back up and running. The fire broke out in the plant’s crude vacuum unit.
Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/26032012/us_downstream_news/
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