Overhaul Planned at Ipiranga Refinery in Brazil

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--On January 7, 2008, a planned overhaul was scheduled for the Ipiranga refinery (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) that is to last 11 mechanical days. Maintenance work in the 12,500-barrel-per-day (BPD) atmospheric distillation U-200 was scheduled, along with the biological treatment, refinery gas, gasoline distillation Merox (U-9000) and amine DEA units. The planned turnaround in the 3,800-BPD atmoshperic distillation U-100 is set to begin on January 11, 2007.

The Ipiranga refinery and the Manguinhos refinery in Rio de Janeiro were the only private refineries in Brazil; however, Ultra, Braskem and Petrobras acquired the refinery in March 2007 for $ 4 billion. For details, view related April 3, 2007, article - Petrobras, Braskem and Ultrapar Acquire Ipiranga, Brazil's Second Largest Refining Company. The Ipiranga refinery, which was inaugurated in 1937, is currently producing 16,000 BPD.

The fluid catalytic cracker unit (FCCU) and the vacuum, sour water treatment, gasoline FCCU Merox (U-8000), gasoline stabilizer, gas treatment and gas compressor units will be down because of feed stock programming. Since distillation units will not be able to feed other units, they will not be running. Maintenance work has been performed on these units since October 31, 2007. An explosion occurred in the refinery on November 19, 2007, preventing the turnaround to finish as scheduled. For details, view related December 11, 2007, article - Brazilian Refinery Maintenance Shutdowns Rescheduled Because of November Explosion.

Between January 10, 2008, and January 14, 2008, the flare line will be shut down. Maintenance shutdowns are being performed by Ipiranga employees and will last until January 18, 2008.

View Plant Profile - 1063110

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading marketing information services company for the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy-related markets throughout the world. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, IIR provides accurate and timely intelligence featuring plant and project information databases, focused market databases, industry forecasting, key industry contacts, industry and territorial map products, direct marketing services and applications, and daily industry news.