Mobil Corp. refining operations set numerous records last year despite volatile markets for oil and petroleum products.
In the U.S., where Mobil has a total of 838,000 b/d of refining capacity in five plants, Mobil surpassed its 1990 crude run record by 4% with a new high average of 744,000 b/d of crude oil.
The company's U.S. capacity utilization rate climbed to 91% in 1991 from 87% in 1989 and 1990. Mobil's 1991 U.S. gasoline production rose by more than 5% to a new high of 442,000 b/d. The company also set production records for distillates and lubricants.
Mobil's largest U.S. refinery, at Beaumont, Tex., logged a record throughput of nearly 95,000 b/d in its fluid catalytic cracker. The plant is well along with a major expansion.
Mobil's Chalmette, La., refinery hit a new high in processing heavy, sour crude with an increase of 15% to nearly 80,000 b/d.
At Joliet, Ill., input of heavy Canadian crude rose to 50%, the highest achieved by the 180,000 b/d capacity plant.
Mobil's 123,000 b/d Torrance, Calif., refinery had the best operational year in its history, boosting crude oil runs by 20% and raising its previous high for production of gasoline and distillates by more than 25% to more than 100,000 b/d.
At the Paulsboro, N.J., refinery, performance of the coker exceeded the previous record rate by more than 20% with a throughput average of more than 20,000 b/d.
OUTSIDE THE U.S.
Refineries operated by Mobil affiliates set a number of company production records outside the U.S.
The Woerth, Germany, plant hit record levels for throughput of crude oil, averaging 101,000 b/d, as well as record throughput of 22,000 b/d in its fluid catalytic cracker.
Mobil's refinery at Coryton, U.K., hit a new peak in throughput in its fluid catalytic cracker amounting to 55,000 b/d, 7% above the former high.
Mobil Oil Australia's Adelaide refinery set two plant records, one for crude throughput of 64,000 b/d and another for production of gasoline and distillates amounting to 38,000 b/d. This refinery also won the government's "Best Practices" award. The refinery at Altona, near Melbourne, achieved a record of 99% in its "onstream factor," which measures performance outside planned turnarounds or supply related shutdowns.
The 1991 average on-stream factor for Mobil's non-U.S. refineries-wholly owned and joint ventures-was 98.2%, better than it was in 1990.
Copyright 1992 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
