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Refining news: The Americas 12 January 2015

Hydrocarbon Engineering,


Costa Rica

Back in 2013, plans to build a refinery in Costa Rica with help from China’s National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) were scrapped. This happened as relations between the oil company and feasibility study company broke down and concerns were raised by the Comptroller. In a recent visit by the Costa Rican President to China, RECOPE has agreed to start a new feasibility study in to a refinery in Limon funded by CNPC. The US$1.5 billion project will now include biofuels and green fuels.

USA

It has been reported that production at the Dakota Prairie refining facility is due to commence in the second quarter of this year. The facility is a joint venture between MDU Resources and Calumet Specialty Products and is costing the companies US$400 million. The plant was due to begin commercial operations earlier but it suffered due to severe weather and electrical system revisions.

Over the weekend, an explosion at the Husky Lima refinery blew out windows at homes in Lima and could reportedly be felt 10 miles away. The explosion, which happened in a crude processing unit started a fire that burnt into the afternoon of Saturday 10 January and sent black smoke into the air. No casualties were reported as a result of the fire or the explosion. Husky Energy has not yet commented on how the fire will impact operations at the facility.

Also on the weekend, an operational problem at the Girard Point refinery in Philadelphia resulted in flaring and heavy smoke. The incident was brought under control by refinery workers and the Philadelphia Fire Department. No environmental damage was reportedly caused by the release and no one was injured. An investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the flaring.

In order to build a hydrogen plant which will help support the production of ultra low sulfur fuel, PBF Energy is currently seeking the required permits. The US$100 million facility would ideally be in operation by November 2016. The company have already posted the Coastal Zone Application and it has been declared by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control on their website.

At the end of last week BP was preparing to restart operations at a 90 000 bpd CDU at its Whiting refinery in Indiana. Operations at the hunt were halted earlier in the week due to cold weather.


Sources: Seeking Alpha, Costa Rican Times, Tico Times, The News Journal, The News Tribune, My Fox Philly, Yahoo.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/refining/12012015/refining-news-from-americas/

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