HOUSTON, April 12 (Reuters) - Tesoro Corp said on Monday it would halt crude oil processing at its 120,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Anacortes, Washington, refinery for a temporary, but indefinite period of time, due to loss of hydroprocessing equipment following a deadly April 2 fire.
Sources familiar with refinery operations said the refinery would be effectively shut while repairs are made to hydrotreating equipment, which was the site of fire that has claimed the lives of five workers.
'Tesoro is committed to our employees, the community, and our customers,' said Bruce Smith, Tesoro's chairman, president and chief executive. 'We will fulfill our commitments to them during this difficult time.'
Tesoro said the shutdown was necessary because the refinery cannot make finished refined products until repairs are complete.
'All available options are being considered,' the company said of the refinery's future. 'Tesoro cannot predict when operations could resume; however, progress on the various investigations of the incident and the completion of unit repairs are both necessary for a restart.'
Two other workers burned in the early morning fire remain in a Seattle hospital.
Tesoro said all of the refinery's employees would remain on payroll while the refinery is shut.
Shares of Tesoro edged down slightly after the close of regular trading on news of the refinery shutdown.
'The temporary reduction of the Anacortes refinery operations is not expected to have a material impact on the company's financial performance,' Tesoro said.
(Reporting by Erwin Seba; +1 713 210 8508; Reuters Messaging: erwin.seba.reuters.com@reuters.net) Keywords: REFINERY OPERATIONS/TESORO ANACORTES
COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Sources familiar with refinery operations said the refinery would be effectively shut while repairs are made to hydrotreating equipment, which was the site of fire that has claimed the lives of five workers.
'Tesoro is committed to our employees, the community, and our customers,' said Bruce Smith, Tesoro's chairman, president and chief executive. 'We will fulfill our commitments to them during this difficult time.'
Tesoro said the shutdown was necessary because the refinery cannot make finished refined products until repairs are complete.
'All available options are being considered,' the company said of the refinery's future. 'Tesoro cannot predict when operations could resume; however, progress on the various investigations of the incident and the completion of unit repairs are both necessary for a restart.'
Two other workers burned in the early morning fire remain in a Seattle hospital.
Tesoro said all of the refinery's employees would remain on payroll while the refinery is shut.
Shares of Tesoro edged down slightly after the close of regular trading on news of the refinery shutdown.
'The temporary reduction of the Anacortes refinery operations is not expected to have a material impact on the company's financial performance,' Tesoro said.
(Reporting by Erwin Seba; +1 713 210 8508; Reuters Messaging: erwin.seba.reuters.com@reuters.net) Keywords: REFINERY OPERATIONS/TESORO ANACORTES
COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.