IIR Top Refining News Today: May 6th 2020

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North America
Motiva on May 4 began restarting the 80,000-BBL/d Crude VPS 2 at its 600,000-BBL/d Port Arthur, Texas, refinery, after the unit was shut down for undisclosed reasons on April 27. The unit should be fully operational in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Pemex TRI continues running its 177,000-BBL/d Ciudad Madero, Mexico, refinery at lower rates. The refinery is processing 75,000 BBL/d, by having the 40,000-BBL/d Crude Combinada BA U110 running at 50%, and the 137,000-BBL/d Crude Combo 3 at 40% of normal capacity, due to inventory controls related to company finances. Other processing units are being kept at 47% capacity.

Suncor on May 16 will start an 8-week planned maintenance turnaround of the 175,000-BBL/d Delayed Coker 2 (Plant 52) at its upgrader in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Other units included are the 70,000-BBL/d Diluent Recovery Unit 4, 70,000-BBL/d Diluent Recovery Unit 3 and 35,000-BBL/d Vacuum 2. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, new safety procedures and social distancing procedures are now in place at the facility.

International
Formosa Petrochemical Corporation (FPCC) restarted the 80,000-BBL/d ARDS 2 on May 1, while the 180,000-BBL/d CDU 2 is being readied for startup by May 10, after completing planned maintenance work that began on March 11 at its 540,000-BBL/d Mailiao Refinery in Taiwan. Meanwhile, the 84,000-BBL/d RFCC 2 is offline after a 61-day scheduled maintenance, which ended April 25. This unit is expected to restart, and together with a similar-capacity RFCC 1, run at around 60% beginning May 21. The company is closely monitoring the current market situation and will keep its option open to extend reduced runs, if necessary, beyond May 31.

Abadan Oil Refining Company (AORC) has accelerated a 30-day planned turnaround, which began April 30, of the 90,000-BBL/d Crude Distillation Unit 2 at its 450,000-BBL/d Abadan Refinery in Iran. Expectations are to complete repairs and restart the unit by May 29. Separately, the 30-day planned shutdown of the 80,000-BBL/d Crude Distillation Unit 1 and 90,000-BBL/d Visbreaker unit remains on schedule beginning August 1. Expectations are to complete repairs and restart the units by August 30.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) on May 5 shut down the 48,000-BBL/d DHDS, due to a fire in the unit, at its 150,000-BBL/d Mumbai Refinery, India. Expectations are to restart the unit by May 9.

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