Platts 18Jan12
Syncrude Canada’s Fluid Coker – rates/maint
Market sources attributed the increase in the Syncrude differential
to talk of a possible turnaround of Syncrude Canadas Coker 8-1.
Syncrudes largest shareholder, Canadian Oil Sands, said December
6 that Coker 8-1 was running at reduced rates. The company
added that if higher stable production levels are not achieved by early
2012, a decision to take the unit down for turnaround is likely.
In its 2012 budget, COS said the coker was running at 66% in
early December.
The coker continued at reduced rates, market sources said Tuesday,
and some sources expected a decision soon, possibly later Tuesday,
on whether a coker turnaround would be needed.
COS did not have an update Tuesday on the status of Coker 8-1,
spokeswoman Siren Fisekci said. We are in a quiet period right now
because of earnings reports, Fisekci said.
The three cokers at Syncrude Canadas facility near Fort McMurray,
Alberta, have a combined light, sweet synthetic crude capacity of
350,000 b/d. Coker 8-1 has a capacity of 100,000 b/d and Cokers 8-
2 and 8-3 each have a capacity of 125,000 b/d.
