Oil refinery resumes operation

France’s oil services company Technip officially handed over the Dung Quat Oil Refinery to Binh Son Petrochemical Refinery Company yesterday.

Operations resumed at the Dung Quat Oil Refinery on Saturday after repairs and new equipment was installed to solve teething problems.

Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) General Director Phung Dinh Thuc said Dung Quat Oil Refinery, Viet Nam’s first oil refinery, had been completed after 44 months of construction.

The 148,000 barrel per day refinery started test runs in February 2009 but was shut down with operational problems from August-September and again in December for checks and equipment replacement.

The refinery has already processed more than 4 million tonnes of crude oil from Bach Ho oil field in Vung Tau and produced over 3.2 million tonnes of petrol, 3 million tonnes of which have been sold in the market.

The plant has the capacity to process 6.5 million tonnes of crude oil per year, which is expected to meet over 30 per cent of the country’s petrol and oil needs.

Thuc said that although key project targets had been achieved, there were still challenges ahead. Efforts were being exerted to ensure safety, stability, and oil and petrol quality, he added.

With an estimated annual turnover of more than VND65 trillion (US$34 billion), the refinery will contribute to shifting the economic structure, increasing the State budget and developing industry and services in central Quang Ngai Province. — VNS

Tags: Dung Quat Refinery, PetroVietnam, Vietnam Oil Refinery