Typhoon Roke Makes Landfall in Japan, Trouble for Refiners and Fukushima Daiichi

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources East Asia (Kofu-shi, Japan)--At 2:00 p.m. local time today, September 21, Typhoon Roke made landfall at Hamamatsu, Shizuoka. The typhoon has caused numerous berthing operation shutdowns at many Japanese refineries. Japan has 27 refineries throughout the country, though most are concentrated in the western portion of the country.

Western Japan has only recently recovered from the previous weather system, Typhoon Talas, which moved through the western side of Japan last month. The current typhoon, Roke, is classified as very strong and has already caused massive flooding in the Nagoya area. Other than refining, worries over Typhoon Roke's effects on Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station's water situation are also on the rise.

So far, at least 17 refineries have halted berthing operations due to torrential rains, strong winds and rough seas. Overland shipments and refinery production have remained unaffected so far with refiners expecting little to no change in rates. Several of these refineries are also currently undergoing maintenance turnarounds. Some, particularly those in western Japan, are aiming to restart berthing operations this evening, while others, such as those in the Kanto and Tohoku regions, are planning to restart tomorrow evening.

Fukushima Daiichi poses another problem. None of its planned housing covers have been completed yet. Unit 1's cover, which began construction in August, is only 70% complete, while construction on the covers for units 2 and 3 has yet to commence. The covers are primarily designed to keep the units safer from the elements, but Tokyo Electric Power Company Incorporated (TYO:9501) (TEPCO) (Tokyo) was not fast enough to construct these by typhoon season.

Another issue concerning Fukushima Daiichi is the extensive cracking throughout the units' basements that allows between 100 and 500 tons of ground water to flow into each of the units' basements each day. This adds to the standing irradiated water problem first brought about by reactor cooling efforts and water injection. Rains from Typhoon Roke have the potential to raise irradiated water levels and cause the basements to overflow into the surrounding water table.

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