Bolivia's YPFB Preparing for Maintenance at Gualberto Villarroel Refinery

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) (La Paz, Bolivia), owner and operator of the 27,500-barrel-per-day (BBL/d) Gualberto Villarroel refinery, which is in the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia, is undergoing final preparations for its 2010 maintenance schedule.

On March 6, the 8,170-BBL/d Reformer unit will undergo a planned shutdown to regenerate its catalyst. The unit will be offline for 14 days: 10 mechanical days, plus four additional days for the cooling down and start up.

Separately, the Vacuum 1, Vacuum 2, Hydrofinishing, Dewaxing and Furfural units will have planned turnarounds for 45 non-production days in June.

In September, the 27,500-BBL/d Crude Unit, the 2,137-BBL/d Tail Gas Treatment Unit and the reformer will shut down for maintenance. The reformer will undergo inspection and maintenance of the reactors, heat exchangers, main fractionation tower, catalyst beds, and the retube sections of heaters.

State-owned YPFB regained control of Gualberto Villarroel refinery on May 1, 2006, when the government decided to shift the state policy on hydrocarbons, and renationalize the productive cycle of the chain of hydrocarbons.

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