Construction begins on Marathon Detroit refinery

June 24, 2008
Marathon Oil Corp. has begun construction of the $1.9 billion heavy oil upgrading project at its Detroit refinery following issuance of an air quality permit by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 24 -- Marathon Oil Corp. has begun construction of the $1.9 billion heavy oil upgrading project at its Detroit refinery following issuance of an air quality permit by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

The project, which will include an additional 80,000 b/d of heavy oil capacity, will increase the refinery's total capacity to 115,000 b/d from 102,000 b/d. The increased refining capacity will supply more than 400,000 gal/day of additional transportation fuels to the marketplace. The project is expected to be completed in late 2010.

Fluor Corp. will provide integrated engineering, procurement, and construction services.

An associated pipeline project in six Monroe Co., Mich., townships and one township in Wayne Co. will require hundreds of temporary construction jobs for the duration of the project.

Construction on the 29-mile segment of pipeline is expected to begin in second-quarter 2009, with completion expected in 2010.