ExxonMobil Refinery in France Planning Maintenance Turnarounds in 2009-13

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) (Irving, Texas) will perform several planned maintenance turnarounds at the 220,000-barrel-per-day (BBL/d) Gravenchon refinery in France between 2009 and 2013.

The refinery, located in northwestern France in Haute Normandie in the city of Port Jerome de Gravenchon, was built in 1933 and re-established after Exxon Corporation and Mobil Oil merged. The refinery is one of two plants that ExxonMobil leads in France. The other is the 116,000-BBL/d Fos Sur Mer. Gravenchon specializes in lube oil production. It was upgraded from 2001 to 2004 to meet European Auto Oil regulations, which started in January 2005 in order to reduce sulfur in fuel to 50 parts per million. In order to accomplish this goal, Foster Wheeler France (Paris), a subsidiary of Foster Wheeler (NASDAQ:FWLT) (Clinton, New Jersey), has modified the fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) and auxiliary services, as well as the whole sulfur recovery system. In addition, a new heavy hydrocarbon desulfurization unit (Gofiner), selective cat naphtha hydrofining unit and steam cracker were built.

In February 2009, the conversion area of the refinery will undergo a planned shutdown that will last 30 days. The turnaround will affect three units: the FCCU, alkylation unit, and the Gofiner, as well as auxiliary services. In normal conditions, shutdowns are performed every six years; however, the FCCU unit had a planned turnaround in April 2007 that lasted 20 days.

Separately, maintenance shutdowns in the distillation area, which comprises the 137,000-BBL/d Topping 1, 72,400-BBL/d Topping 2, Vacuum 1, Vacuum 2, 1,800-BBL/D Gofiner 1 and Gofiner 2 will be performed between October 2012 and March 2013. In regard to the lubes and bitumen area, maintenance shutdowns are planned in two phases. The first one is set to be completed in March 2012 and will involve the aromatic extraction unit, solvent dewaxing unit and the lube oil hydrotreater. The second phase is scheduled to be performed in March 2013 for the propane deasphalting unit and the furfural extraction unit.

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