By ROSE MARTON-VITALE

Routine maintenance at an alkylation unit is ongoing at BP’s oil refinery in Texas City, Texas, a person familiar with operations at the plant said on Monday.

The work got under way earlier this month, according to traders doing business with BP, but it isn't clear when the unit will be returned to service.

The alkylation process transforms low-molecular-weight alkenes such as propene and butene, and iso-paraffin molecules, into alkylate, which is a clean-burning premium gasoline blending stock with exceptional antiknock properties.

The company doesn't comment on day-to-day refining operations.

BP's Texas City refinery is able to process up to 406,570 bpd of crude oil.

Dow Jones Newswires