Only Two Units Remain Offline at Valero's Refinery in Aruba after Fire

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Only two units remain offline at Valero Energy Corporation's (NYSE: VLO) (San Antonio, Texas) San Nicolas refinery, which experienced a fire at the end of January 2008. The units are the D3 and Vacuum 3 (V3) of the middle conversion area. Plant personnel assessed the damage to V3, and authorities determined that the unit will remain offline for the next two months for repairs. View related February 1, 2008, article - Fire in Vacuum Unit Halts Valero's Aruba Refinery.

The San Nicolas refinery in Aruba mainly produces kerosene, gas oil, diesel fuel and jet fuel. The refinery's maximum capacity is 275,000 barrels per day (BBL/d); however, it usually produces 230,000 BBL/d. Partial furnace maintenance is being performed in C7; therefore, the unit is de-rated, and the refinery is processing 140,000 BBL/d. This unit will process at lower rates until late April 2008. C5 and C6 will run at maximum capacity to compensate for C7. Hydrogen 3's maintenance work, which lasted 10 days, has been completed, and the unit went into its start-up process on March 18, 2008. Repairs in V3 have been progressing without problems, and the unit is expected to be restarted by the third week of April. D3, which remains offline because of the lack of feed, will be restart after V3 is restarted. The refinery's other processing units are online and running without problems.

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