Manama: State-run Bahrain Petroleum Co (Bapco) has unexpectedly shut a secondary unit at its 267,000 barrels per day (bpd) Sitra refinery after a leak, industry sources said yesterday.
The 60,000-70,000 bpd hydrocracker unit is expected to be back online by early next week, one of the sources familiar with the matter said. A hydrocracker converts heavy gasoil into cleaner fuels such as jet fuel, gasoline and diesel. The shutdown could boost Asian gasoil premiums as it comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is expected to sustain high diesel imports for August. Bapco could not immediately be reached for comment on the matter.
Diesel output has been curbed as a result of the shutdown, with a few cargoes having been delayed, the source added Reuters
