Fire closes Taiwan refinery
Source: Agencies |
July 27, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FORMOSA Petrochemicals Corp's 540,000 barrels per day refinery in Taiwan has been closed after a fire, and one-third of the capacity could be out for an extended period, the company said yesterday.
Company spokesman Lin Ke Yan said one crude distillation unit could be shut for a long period, without giving a time frame. Another two could restart within two days.
The blaze, which started at an 80,000-bpd residual desulphuriser on Sunday night, is still flaring but is under control, the company said.
"The fire started at the RDS and is not directly connected to the three distillation units. But for safety reasons, we decided to shut the entire refinery temporarily," Lin said.
The fire broke out around 8pm at the residue desulphurising unit in the Mailiao refinery and petrochemical complex, Asia's fifth biggest.
It was still being dealt with yesterday, the company said, adding there were no deaths or injuries.
Officials from the county where the refinery is based said yesterday they would meet to discuss any action after the fire.
"Three fires in just half a year we find hard to believe and think the company needs to conduct a review," an official from southwestern Taiwan's Yunlin County said.
Formosa was also forced to shut one of its two 84,000-bpd gasoline-making residue fluid catalytic cracker at the complex on July 13 due to mechanical problems.
The unit failed to restart on schedule last Friday due to technical issues. It was not immediately known if the RFCC had come back online at the weekend as planned.
An explosion at Formosa's 700,000 ton-per-year No. 1 naphtha cracker on July 7 also forced the company to shut the unit, which is located at a different site at Mailiao. The naphtha cracker is expected to resume late September or early October.
Company spokesman Lin Ke Yan said one crude distillation unit could be shut for a long period, without giving a time frame. Another two could restart within two days.
The blaze, which started at an 80,000-bpd residual desulphuriser on Sunday night, is still flaring but is under control, the company said.
"The fire started at the RDS and is not directly connected to the three distillation units. But for safety reasons, we decided to shut the entire refinery temporarily," Lin said.
The fire broke out around 8pm at the residue desulphurising unit in the Mailiao refinery and petrochemical complex, Asia's fifth biggest.
It was still being dealt with yesterday, the company said, adding there were no deaths or injuries.
Officials from the county where the refinery is based said yesterday they would meet to discuss any action after the fire.
"Three fires in just half a year we find hard to believe and think the company needs to conduct a review," an official from southwestern Taiwan's Yunlin County said.
Formosa was also forced to shut one of its two 84,000-bpd gasoline-making residue fluid catalytic cracker at the complex on July 13 due to mechanical problems.
The unit failed to restart on schedule last Friday due to technical issues. It was not immediately known if the RFCC had come back online at the weekend as planned.
An explosion at Formosa's 700,000 ton-per-year No. 1 naphtha cracker on July 7 also forced the company to shut the unit, which is located at a different site at Mailiao. The naphtha cracker is expected to resume late September or early October.
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