A turnaround is in full swing at Conoco Inc's 138,000 b/d Ponca City, Okla., refinery.
A peak force of about 300 workers has several projects under way. Much of the work focuses on the east plant's No. 2 crude topping unit and No. 3 catalytic reforming unit and the west plant's saturate gas unit.
Dennis Parker, Conoco vice president and Ponca City refinery manager, said the spring turnaround accounts for most of the plant's 1994 maintenance and inspection work, budgeted at about $8 million. The turnaround, which began Feb. 28, was to be complete by Mar. 25,
Work includes doubling capacity of the refinery's No. 4 hydrotreater that produces low sulfur kerosine for diesel and jet fuel. It is rated at 7,000 b/d at present.
Parker said the project is especially important to wholesale and retail customers in the Midcontinent that depend on the Ponca City refinery to provide low sulfur diesel fuel. Such fuel has been in high demand since federal rules went into effect last October requiring that on road vehicles burn only low sulfur diesel.
Much of the work in support of doubling the hydrotreater's capacity is under way while the unit remains in service. The final 3 weeks of modifications on the unit will require it to be taken out of service. That is to occur in mid May.
Copyright 1994 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
