Japan's Cosmo Oil to complete steps on asphalt leak by March

CHIBA: Japan's Cosmo Oil Co expects to complete measures to prevent a recurrence of an asphalt leak at its 220,000 barrels per day (bpd) Chiba refinery by the end of next March, Cosmo director Hideto Matsumura said on Friday.

The 100,00 bpd No.1 crude distillation unit (CDU) has been shut since May 7 for a maintenance shutdown, and the 120,000 bpd No.2 CDU has been shut since May 3 for a turnaround.

Cosmo had been considering restarting the two CDUs from July, but the restart was been delayed due to an investigation into the asphalt leak from the refinery into the sea in late June.