Three accidents involving spills have pummeled New York area barging operations and probably will result in shutdown of a refinery.
Exxon Corp. indefinitely suspended tanker and barge operations involving its 130,000 b/d Bayway refinery at Linden, N.J., and Bayonne, N.J., terminal Mar. 2. Three product spills into water have occurred near the facilities since Jan. 1.
An Exxon team began an evaluation of marine and terminal operating practices, procedures, and facilities last week, said Exxon Pres. Lee Raymond.
The company planned to shut down individual units at the refinery, which depends on waterborne deliveries for all feedstock, early this week as each depletes inventories. Exxon had planned a 60 day turnaround starting Mar. 22.
The plant, which supplies 150,000 b/d of gasoline and heating oil to New York and surrounding areas, continued to ship product via pipelines, trucks, and tank cars.
Traffic averages one tanker and four barges a day at Bayway and one tanker every 4 days and five barges a day at Bayonne.
Meanwhile, a Cibro Petroleum Corp. barge that had taken on 150,000 gal of No. 2 fuel oil at Citgo Petroleum Corp.'s Linden terminal exploded Mar. 6, and a waterway serving New York Harbor was closed as a precaution. The terminal was not damaged.
Causes of the incidents were under investigation.
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