Page 8 - NorthAmOil Week 35 2022

NorthAmOil PROJECTS & COMPANIES NorthAmOil

Cheniere outlines further expansion

plans for Corpus Christi LNG

TEXAS CHENIERE Energy intends to add further Newly proposed work would also include
capacity to its Corpus Christi LNG export ter- construction of a 220,000 cubic metre stor-
minal in Texas, beyond the 10mn tonne per year age tank, which would be added to the three
(tpy) expansion that is currently under construc- existing 160,000 cubic metre storage tanks
tion at the plant. that are already in operation at Corpus Christi
The company has requested that the US Fed- LNG. In the prefiling request, Cheniere also
eral Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proposed increasing the loading rate at Cor-
begin its National Environmental Policy Act pus Christi’s two berths from 12,500 cubic
(NEPA) prefiling review for two additional metres per hour to 22,500 cubic metres per
midscale trains at Corpus Christi. These would hour, which would allow for simultaneous
follow the seven-train midscale Stage III expan- loading at both jetties. It proposed increasing
sion on which Cheniere took a final investment the maximum single-jetty rate to 14,000 cubic
decision (FID) earlier this year, adding a further metres per hour.
1.64mn tpy of capacity. Cheniere has described Corpus Christi LNG consists of three large-
the two additional trains, 8 and 9, as “near repli- scale trains, each with a capacity of 5mn tpy, as
cates” of those currently under construction for well as the midscale expansion that is now under
Corpus Christi Stage III. construction. In recent weeks the company has
The company intends to submit a formal announced new sale and purchase agreements
application to the FERC for trains 8 and 9 in (SPAs) that it has said are in part contingent
February, and, if approvals are received on time, on expanding Corpus Christi beyond the sev-
launch construction in August 2024. The trains en-train Stage III project. It is now advancing
would then enter service in 2031. plans for that expansion.™

BP brings Whiting refinery

production units back online

INDIANA BP is reported to be restarting production units August 24 occurred in a single electrical line,
at its Whiting refinery that went offline last week which in turn knocked out the facility’s cool-
following a fire. Citing two sources familiar with ing water system, idling units that had not
the matter, Reuters reported on August 31 that gone offline as a result of the loss of the elec-
the super-major was aiming to restore motor fuel trical system. The outage prompted fears over
production from the refinery to least partial lev- fuel shortages and led to certain regulations
els by September 4. being waived in order to lessen the impact of
According to the sources, BP began the a potential shortage.
restart by bringing up crude distillation units For example, the US Environmental Protec-
(CDUs), though it was not immediately clear in tion Agency (EPA) waived rules for selling win-
what sequence the three CDUs were restarting. ter-grade gasoline during the summer months,
After this, the company planned to bring up fuel up to mid-September, in an effort to boost fuel
production units including at least one of two supplies to Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wis-
gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic crackers consin. And the US Department of Transpor-
(FCCs), the sources added. tation (DoT) waived rules limiting the number
Plans to have all units at the 435,000 barrel of hours truck drivers could haul motor fuels to
per day (bpd) refinery restarted by September 4 those states.
could be derailed, however, if problems that were Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also
not previously apparent arise during the restart waived certain regulations in her state in an
process, the sources warned. effort to minimise disruptions to fuel supplies.
The Whiting refinery is the largest in the Gasoline prices in the region spiked following
US Midwest. The fire that hit the plant on the outage.™

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 35 01•September•2022