The Americas: End of June downstream update

Brazil

Petrobras has announced that it plans to complete upgrades at several of it refining facilities by 2015. There are plans to upgrade three refineries in the country to increase the quality of gasoline products.

California

Early last week, ConocoPhillips stated that a unit start up could have caused the emissions release at its Rodeo facility. According to the filing with California state regulators, approximately 500 lbs of sulfur dioxide were released.

Chevron experienced three separate flaring incidents at the Richmond refinery. Due to an equipment malfunction approximately 945 lbs of sulfur dioxide were flared in three batches that lasted for less than five minutes.

Canada

A subsidiary of Foster Wheeler’s Global Engineering and Construction Group has been awarded a contract by Sasol to perform the technical portion of a feasibility study for a planned gas to liquids facility in Canada, on behalf of the Sasol/Talisman Energy partnership. The technical portion of the feasibility study is expected to be completed during the fourth quarter of 2011.

Louisiana

Praxair has signed a hydrogen supply contract with Motiva Enterprises. Under the contract, Praxair will supply the Norco, St. Charles Parish based refinery with hydrogen as part of the long term agreement. The hydrogen will reach the facility after the Louisiana pipeline has been extended.

Michigan

Work at the Marathon Petroleum Detroit refinery is about it hit its peak employment levels. The facility will have 1300 people working in the equipment upgrade to expand the facility in the, so far, 3 year US$ 2.2 billion project.

Texas

Early last week a power failure at the ExxonMobil owned Baytown refinery caused a hydrocracking unit to be taken offline. Production was barely impacted however; a filing was made with the Texas state regulators.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/28062011/the_americas_end_of_june_downstream_update/