Caltex Australia delays full start-up of Lytton refinery

Caltex Australia confirmed that its 105,500 barrel per day (bpd) Lytton refinery in Brisbane will not be fully operational by the end of 2008 due to a problem with a steam cracker unit, Caltex Spokeswoman Georgie Wells said. The news came hours after it was reported that the company stated that the refinery would be fully functional in a day or two. At the time, diesel supplies from the refinery were already running at only 50% of capacity due to a problem with the refinery’s hydrodesulfurization unit. While Caltex Australia worked to progressively bring the refinery back on line, the bump in production flow crimped fuel supply availability in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales. (December 29, 2008)