Leakage Causes Unplanned Shutdown at Cressier Refinery in Swizerland

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Petroplus Holdings AG's (VTX:PPHN) (Zug, Switzerland) 68,000-barrel-per-day (BBL/d) Cressier Refinery (Switzerland) was forced to shut down several processing units due to leakage in the pipeline that feeds the refinery.

On August 7, a crude oil leakage was detected at the Fos-SurMer pipeline near Marceille. This pipeline supplies several refineries in France, Germany and Switzerland. At first, the Cressier Refinery was forced to reduce production rates, until it was shut down completely on August 13. The turnaround involved the refinery's main units, such as the 68,000-BBL/d Distillation Unit, the Vacuum Unit, the Isomerization Unit, the Reformer, the Visbreaker and three hydrotreaters. The plant finally resumed operations on August 27.

Petroplus expects to have the Cressier Refinery running at normal conditions until its next overhaul, which is scheduled to start April 5, 2010, and with completion date set for May 27. The shutdown will entail mainly routine inspection, cleaning and maintenance.

The refinery is located in the city of Cressier in the Canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, and specializes in light and mid-distillates, such as blended diesel, gasoline and jet fuel.

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