Pemex, Mexico’s national oil company, is preparing for the “big block” overhaul at its 312,500-barrel-per-day (bpd) Deer Park, Texas, refinery to begin in early October, people familiar with plant operations said on Friday. The refinery’s 270,000-bpd DU-2 crude distillation unit (CDU), the larger of two at the refinery, will be shut for the planned overhaul that will last about 60 days, the sources said. A Pemex spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
DU-2 breaks down crude oil into feedstocks for most other units at the refinery. While it is shut, the 70,000-bpd fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU), 70,000-bpd diesel-producing hydrocracking unit (HCU) and 92,000-bpd coker will be shut along with other units because of the lack of feedstocks, the sources said.
The 70,000-bpd DU-1 CDU will remain in operation while DU-2 is down for the overhaul.
FCCUs use a catalyst under high heat and pressure to convert gas oil into unfinished gasoline.
HCUs use a catalyst under high heat and pressure in the presence of hydrogen to convert gas oil into gasoline.
Cokers break down gunky, tar-like residual crude oil into either motor fuel feedstocks or petroleum coke, which can substitute for coal.
(Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Paul Simao)