Suncor begins maintenance at Commerce City refinery | Oil & Gas Journal

Suncor Energy Inc., Calgary, has started planned maintenance at its 98,000-b/d Commerce City, Colo., refinery near Denver.

The scheduled work is part of Suncor’s continuing, regularly planned maintenance program designed to support safe, reliable operations, according to the company.

While maintenance activities will last about 3 weeks, Suncor does not expect any supply interruptions to the refinery’s customers, Suncor said.

More in Operations

AFPM seeks court review of EPA’s year-round E15 authorization

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers asked a federal appeals court to review the US Environmental Protection Agency’s authorization for gasoline with 15% ethanol (E15) to be sold year-round in the US. AFPM submitted its petition June 11 to US Appeals Court for the District of Columbia.

Petrobras advances downstream divestment plans

Petrobras has signed a commitment agreement with Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense consolidating an understanding between the parties on the operator’s previously announced plan to divest its Brazilian refining assets.

EPA final rule will permit year-round E15 fuel sales

A final rule signed May 31 by US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew R. Wheeler that waives summertime Reid Vapor Pressure limits and allows year-round sales of gasoline with a 15% ethanol blend was met with disappointment by refiners and with delight by corn ethanol producers.

Petronor begins turnaround at Bilbao refinery

Petroleos del Norte SA (Petronor) has started planned maintenance on the largest of two crude distillation units at its 240,000-b/d refinery at Muskiz near Bilbao, Spain. The more-than 140,000-b/d Refining Unit 1 was taken offline on May 27 for a scheduled turnaround that will run through the first half of July, Petronor said.

Total’s Leuna refinery operating at reduced rates

Total SA subsidiary Total Raffinerie Mitteldeutschland GMBH has halted operations of some units at its 241,000-b/d Leuna refinery in Germany following contamination issues resulting from supplies of Russian crude oil volumes.

Content Dam Ogj Online Articles 2019 05 190516 Ihsmarkit Cotc Graph Final

IHS Markit: COTC process seen doubling profits

Crude oil-to-chemicals (COTC), a new chemical process technology, could more than double the profitability derived from a barrel of crude oil, according to IHS Markit. Based on its analysis, global, integrated refining and petrochemical companies currently earn about $8.50/bbl of refined crude oil. By leveraging the COTC process technology in a world-scale refining and chemical facility, owners could increase their plant net margins to $17/bbl.

Thai refiner to shut down hydrocracker for planned maintenance

Bangchak Corp. Public Co. Ltd. (BCPCL), formerly Bangchak Petroleum Public Co. Ltd., has scheduled a shutdown of the hydrocracking unit for a month of planned maintenance at its 120,000-b/d refinery in Bangkok, Thailand.

MRPL partially shutters units at Mangalore refining complex

Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals, a subsidiary of Oil & Natural Gas Corp., has implemented a partial shutdown of process units as part of a force majeure at its 300,000-b/d integrated complex in Mangalore, India.

Official: Normal Druzhba flow due mid-May

The Druzhba oil pipeline between Russia and Europe will resume normal operations in mid-May after a month-long curtailment responding to contamination, according to Russian Energy Minister Aleksandr Novak in a report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Thai operator wraps revamp of idled Louisiana ethane cracker

Indorama Ventures Olefins, an indirect subsidiary of Thailand’s Indorama Ventures, has achieved mechanical completion of its previously announced project to renovate and restart a dormant ethane cracker in Westlake, La., just west of Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish.

Chevron closes deal for Petrobras’s Pasadena refinery, assets

Chevron USA has completed its purchase from Petrobras America of all outstanding shares and equity interests of Pasadena Refining System Inc., which includes the refinery in Pasadena, Tex., and PRSI Trading LLC for $350 million, excluding working capital.

Fire hits Malaysia’s integrated refining, petchem complex development

A fire broke out on Apr. 12 at the jointly held Saudi Aramco-Petronas $27-28 billion Pengerang Integrated Complex in southeastern Johor, Malaysia. The fire occurred about 1:25 a.m. local time at the atmospheric residue desulfurization unit, which is currently in its commissioning phase, Petronas said. The situation is now under control, and there are no health-related risks as a result of the incident.

HPCL due heavy equipment for Visakh refinery revamp

Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (HPCL) will receive major heavy equipment ahead of schedule that is to be installed as part of its previously announced program to expand and modernize its 166,700-b/d Vishakhapatnam (Visakh) refinery in Andhra Pradesh on India’s southeastern coast.

1apr Prl Karachi

PRL advances upgrade of Karachi refinery

Pakistan Refinery Ltd. (PRL) is moving forward with its previously announced plan to upgrade and expand its 55,000-b/d hydroskimming refinery along the coastal belt of Karachi, Pakistan