Fire damage shuts LyondellBasell Houston crude unit for 4 weeks

20 May 2010 22:30  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--LyondellBasell's crude distillation unit (CDU) damaged by a 17 May fire at its Houston Refinery will likely remain shut for four weeks while it undergoes repairs, the company said on Thursday.

The unit was capable of processing about half of the refinery’s overall 268,000 bbl/day capacity, LyondellBasell said.

The refinery’s other CDU began its restart on Wednesday and was still on track to be operational by the end of the week, company spokesman David Harpole said. It had been idled for unscheduled maintenance and was not damaged by the fire.

Lyondell said it continued to produce gasoline in the brief absence of both CDUs, but not at full rates. The refinery has conversion units that can produce limited amounts of gasoline and fuel products using other intermediates and feedstocks at the refinery, the company said.

The Houston Refinery is one of North America’s largest refineries processing heavy, high-sulphur crude oil. The refinery turns the crude into heating oil, jet fuel, olefins feedstocks, aromatics, lubricants and petroleum coke, according to LyondellBasell's website.

For more on LyondellBasell visit ICIS company intelligence
To discuss issues facing the chemical industry go to ICIS connect

By: Ben DuBose
+1 713 525 2653

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly