Damage assessment remains under way at the Shell Chemical LP-Motiva Enterprises LLC integrated refining and petrochemical complex at Norco, La., following a mid-November fire at the site.
The fire, which occurred on Nov. 13 at one of the complex’s furnaces, resulted in the shutdown of the unit as well as flaring at the plant, according to a notice from Louisiana’s St. Charles Parish Emergency Operations Center.
Except for the area of the complex impacted by the fire, operations at the site otherwise remain normal, a spokesman from Royal Dutch Shell PLC told OGJ via e-mail on Nov. 17.
An assessment of damage caused by the fire remains ongoing, according to Shell, who did not identify which portion of the complex was impacted by the incident.
On Nov. 14, Motiva and Shell said the complex was in the process of starting up “a unit that was shut down [on Nov. 13] following an operational upset,” according to a posting to the complex’s Facebook page.
In addition to a crude processing capacity of 235,000 b/d at refining arm of the complex, the site’s petrochemical plant produces about 1.4 million-tonnes/year of ethylene.
