Brazilian Refinery Maintenance Shutdowns Rescheduled Because of November Explosion

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Maintenance shutdowns at the Ipiranga refinery in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul were rescheduled after the November 19, 2007, explosion at the refinery. The explosion has instead pushed forward an overhaul.

The explosion caused the top of the chimney at the fluid catalytic cracking (FCCU) and gasoline stabilizer units to fall. The explosion likely was caused by a leak in gas accumulated inside the FCCU furnace. The unit was not online because it was being prepared for its planned maintenance shutdown. The chimney fell in an industrial yard. No injuries or damage from the chimney were reported. The fire was quickly controlled, and the refinery was operating normally by the afternoon.

The ongoing maintenance shutdowns, which began on October 31, 2007, at the FCCU, gasoline stabilizer, vacuum distillation, sour water treatment and gasoline FCCU Merox (U-8000), were scheduled to end on November 5, 2007; however, they were postponed and are now scheduled to end on January 16, 2008. Also, because of the incident and crude costs, they had to move a plant overhaul to January 7, 2008, which will end on January 16, 2008. Maintenance shutdowns will be performed at Crude 1 (U-100), Crude 2 (U-200), biological treatment, refinery gas, gasoline distillation Merox (U-9000) and amine DEA units. Main work will be performed at crude units.

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