EU Refinery Maintenance Update

The latest update on the European refinery maintenance schedule.

• In Germany, Bayernoil’s Vohburg refinery started maintenance in early October. The 60kbpd CDU Topping 2 halted on 10 October and has not restarted since. Other units restarted according to Bloomberg. The firm halted the 40kbpd hydrocracker at the Neustadt refinery on 6 October and has not restarted it since according to Bloomberg.
• In France, Exxon Mobil’s Fos refinery is planning a major turnaround in early 2024, the Esso SAF CEO said, cited by Bloomberg. Maintenance is scheduled to start on 20 January to last until end March, affecting 131kbpd.
• Total’s Donges refinery restarted production on 28 December according to a community alert.
• TotalEnergies reported the halt of units at its La Mede biofuels plant on 1 January according to a community alert.
• In the UK, Total’s Fina Lindsey refinery is scheduled to undergo planned maintenance starting 16 January until 13 March according to Bloomberg.
• Essar’s Stanlowe refinery is scheduled to start planned maintenance for six weeks on 1 February at a crude and hydrogen tie-in unit according to Bloomberg.
• Valero’s Pembroke refinery shut the 26kbpd visbreaker on 14 December according to WoodMac. The unit remained offline as of 28 December according to Bloomberg.
• Ineo’s Grangemouth refinery’s VDU and hydrocracker remained offline since early April.
• In Belgium, TotalEnergies’ Antwerp refinery saw increased activity at the 74kbpd FCC during the morning of 29 December, but overall activity remained below normal. The unit was shut on 7 August after a fire according to WoodMac. TotalEnergies is looking to postpone planned work on a gasoline producing unit next year at its Antwerp refinery according to Bloomberg sources. The unit is currently undergoing unplanned maintenance. The larger of the two FCCs - offline since August following a fault - is scheduled to have a new reactor installed in October 2024 but that is possibly now moved to 2025 the source said.
• In the Netherlands, the 83kbpd VDU at BP’s Rotterdam refinery remains halted since 11 April to Bloomberg.
• In Italy, Eni’s Agib Taranto refinery is planning works at the residual hydrocracker from 14 February. Works could result in a full halt, people familiar with the operations told Bloomberg.
• In Croatia, the INA Rijeka refinery has planned works until 29 February affecting 90kbpd. The unit halted on 14 December according to Bloomberg.