Three of the 11 refineries and chemical plants affected by the nationwide refinery workers’ strike have reported upsets and unplanned maintenance activity since the walkouts began Feb. 1, Bloomberg reports. It is not yet known, however, if the upsets are directly related to work stoppages. Turner Mason & Co. Executive Vice President John Auers tells Bloomberg it’s “too early to tell” what the issues mean, though he acknowledges that learning-curve challenges can appear during the early stages of a strike.
The upsets reported are as follows:
- Marathon Petroleum’s Galveston Bay refinery reported a small diesel leak at an ultracracker Feb. 4.
- Shell’s Deer Park, Texas, facility reported an equipment failure at an FCCU Feb. 8. It was taken out of service.
- Tesoro’s Carson, Calif., refinery performed repairs after a unit breakdown.
SEE ALSO: Operationally Induced Events: How to know who is damaging your assets
