North American refining news: November 26 2014

Eagles Ledge Energy has voiced plans to construct a 20 000 bpd refinery near Devils Lake. The US$ 200 million investment was presented to residents around the area so they could discuss details. The clean fuels oil refinery would process feedstock from the Bakken in North Dakota and bring approximately 100 direct jobs and 400 indirect jobs to the area. The American Dakota Refinery, as it is to be called is expected to be online in 2017.

A minor leak occurred at the Co-op Refinery Complex on Wednesday last week. The leak was found by workers from a flange in the coker unit. No workers were injured by the leak and an internal investigation is now in process to determine its cause. Plant operations were no impacted by the incident.

Pemex has said that it anticipates that its refineries will process 4% less crude in 2015 compared to this year. The drop in capacity is expected to be due to a planned maintenance period between April and August next year. These are expected to be the lowest anticipated runs since 2011 and Pemex is going to have to import gasoline and diesel to meet domestic demand. 23 units are expected to be taken offline during the extensive maintenance period.

Late last week a fire was reported at the facility that used house Barrett Refining. The fire is thought to have been caused by workers dismantling an oil tank at Dirtworks. The smoke was reportedly visible across the whole of Vicksburg.

WBI Energy Inc., a subsidiary of MDU Resources Group has announced that it is considering constructing a new refinery in the Minot area, very near to the Dickinson refinery that is currently under construction. The new plant would have a processing capacity of 20 000 bpd, the same as the Dakota Prairie Refining LLC refinery in Dickinson. The Dickinson refinery has been developed with Calumet Specialty Products Partners LP.

Repairs at the Husky Lima Refinery have led to a small leak of trace substances into the Ottawa River. The wastewater treatment system was undergoing repairs due to a malfunction which was allowing oil which is usually pulled from wastewater and stored in a tank to filter back into the refinery system and the retention pond.

Ash Kalra a San Jose City councilman has voiced his opposition to the Phillips 66 Company Rail Spur Extension Project. The project would bring 250 unit trains a year with over 80 tank cars plus other units to a new crude oil unloading facility in Santa Maria. These comments follow the release of an environmental report on the project.

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/refining/26112014/north-american-refining-news-26-nov/