Blast halts some output at Imperial Oil refinery

CALGARY, Alberta – Imperial Oil Ltd. said on Thursday an early morning explosion has halted production at one of its hydrocracking units at the 121,000 barrel a day refinery in Sarnia, Ontario.

The unit, part of its refining and chemical complex in the Ontario city on the southern tip of Lake Huron, upgrades about 18,000 barrels of gas oil per day.

Imperial said other production at the complex will continue. The refinery comprises two crude oil processing units, a coker and three hydrorefiners.

The fire at the refinery helped boost ultra-low sulfur prices in Chicago. Supplies of the fuel in U.S. Upper Midwest markets are already tight due to high demand and low supply because of extended refinery maintenance.

Reuters