PBF, Valero do not plan to shut Louisiana refineries ahead of storm
PBF Energy and Valero Energy Corp do not plan to idle their refineries in Chalmette and Meraux, Louisiana, respectively ahead of a developing tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico, sources said.
Phillips 66 announced on Wednesday night it would temporarily shut its 253,600 barrel-per-day Alliance, Louisiana, refinery ahead of the storm. The Alliance refinery faces a greater flooding threat and is outside the flood protection levee system along the Mississippi River.
Company spokeswoman Lillian Riojas said Valero is “closely monitoring the storm, following our hurricane preparedness plan, as well as coordinating with appropriate local agencies.”
PBF spokesman Michael Karalovich declined to discuss operations at the refinery.
The 190,000 bpd PBF Chalmette refinery and the 125,000 bpd Valero Meraux refinery are located 1.6 miles (2.5 km) from each other in the eastern suburbs of New Orleans and about 17 miles north from the Alliance refinery.
Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Marguerita Choy
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