The shutdown is carried out every three years to ensure the ongoing reliability and safety of the refinery. It ushers in 19 days of maintenance which will see the workforce increase by around 500 staff, the company said.
The shutdown and maintenance program involves shutting the 30,000 barrel per day Hydrocracking Unit and the 42,000 barrel per day Crude Distillation Unit along with support units. The extensive maintenance work carried out will allow these units to operate safely and reliably for the next
four years.
The maintenance program also includes replacing catalyst in the Hydrocracking Unit, and a slightly revised feedstock ‘slate’ being processed by the refinery with the processing units remaining on line. In addition, the program will include critical maintenance work carried out continuously on a twenty four hour basis resulting in increased traffic to and from the refinery at peak times.
Jack Ariel, refining manager of NZRC, said: “We have budgeted $17m for this shutdown, with the majority going back to the local economy through materials and equipment, additional staff and hours and use of specialist expertise.
“Scheduling the shutdown into NZRC’s product supply plans and agreements with the oil companies helps ensure that product availability in New Zealand isn’t affected. We anticipate that reduced production at the Refinery will be replaced by imported product.”
