Repairs are still ongoing at the Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, Texas, where Marathon Petroleum is working to fix a diesel-producing hydrocracker. According to sources familiar with plant operations, the maintenance involves the refinery’s 60,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Ultracracker.
Delay in Restart of Ultracracker
Originally, the Ultracracker was scheduled to restart over the past weekend, but the process has been delayed. The restart date has now been moved to Friday, as repairs on the unit were not completed in time.
Ultracracker’s Role and Process
The Ultracracker is an essential unit at the Galveston Bay Refinery, which is the second-largest refinery in the U.S. by capacity. The unit uses hydrogen combined with a catalyst under high pressure and heat to convert gasoil into diesel.
Marathon’s Response
Marathon Petroleum spokesperson Jamal Kheiry chose not to comment on the ongoing operations at the refinery when contacted by email.
Despite the delay, the refinery remains one of the largest diesel production centers in the United States, and the maintenance is crucial for ensuring its continued operation.
