Exxon Beaumont refinery may restart hydrocracker this week

HOUSTON: ExxonMobil Corp may restart the hydrocracking unit (HCU) at its 362,300 barrel-per-day (bpd) Beaumont, Texas, refinery this week, sources familiar with plant operations said on Monday.

Exxon spokeswoman Charlotte Huffaker declined to discuss operations at the Beaumont refinery, but said it continues to meet its contractual commitments.

The 65,000 bpd hydrocracker was knocked out of production on Saturday by a malfunction, the sources said.

The 110,000 bpd crude distillation unit, the smaller of the two, remains shut at the refinery following a Nov. 28 fire. Sources have said the unit may be shut for repairs until late January.