Several units shut as Motiva loses power at Port Arthur plant: filing

Motiva reported several process units at its 607,000 b/d Port Arthur, Texas, refinery shut down unexpectedly due to loss of power, the company said in its filing with state regulators.

"On August 22, 2021 at approximately 13:08 hours, the Port Arthur Manufacturing Complex (PAMC) experienced an unexpected shutdown of several process units at its Motiva Refinery ... due to a loss of electrical power supply," said the filing released Aug. 22 by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Motiva's operators "took immediate actions to stabilize the units and reduce flaring," according to the filing which showed the shutdown lasted for 20 hours until 9:08 am CDT Aug. 23.

Among the units shut down were a catalytic reforming unit, a delayed coker, a vacuum pipestill, and a fluid catalytic cracking unit, the filing said.

A company representative was not immediately available for comment.

Motiva's Port Arthur refinery is the largest refinery in the US.