Cardon Refinery Moves Maintenance Turnaround Forward

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Authorities from Petroleos de Venezuela S.A.'s Cardon Refinery have decided to start the maintenance turnaround on the 75,000-barrel-per-day (BBL/d) Crude 2 distillation unit one month ahead of schedule.

The turnaround, which is scheduled to last 30 days, was previously planned to be performed on August 1. However, because the quality of products has started to decrease and all of the elements necessary to perform the maintenance work have been procured, the shutdown will take place on July 4. The unit is scheduled to be back online by August 4. The 3,800-BBL/d Kerosene Treatment 1 unit, in the lubes and distillation area of the refinery will also undergo a maintenance turnaround with the Crude 2 unit.

The 10,000-ton-per-day delayed coker, which is currently processing at a 50% capacity because of repairs performed in May, will undergo a 45-day turnaround in March 2009. General maintenance work will be carried out during this shutdown. On May 3, the unit had a fissure in a welding and drum seal that eventually led to a small fire in the middle distillation unit. The F101 drum has been isolated until repairs are complete. The fire broke out in the GA1018 pump and was immediately controlled. The unit has been able to process 500 tons per day with the help of its two other pumps. For more details, view related May 8, 2008, news article - Cardon Refinery Lowers Rates after Small Fire.

View Plant Profile - 1050749
View Turnaround Report - 25937 25936

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is a marketing information service specializing in industrial process, energy and financial related markets with products and services ranging from industry news, analytics, forecasting, plant and project databases, as well as multimedia services.