Dung Quat halts operation due to breakdown, fuel shortage

The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor Technip has suspended the operation of Vietnam’s first oil refinery, Dung Quat, since August 18 due to breakdowns and a shortage of input material, the Saigon Liberation newspaper reported. Since the trial run in April 2008 through August 15, 2009, the plant has produced a combined 437,000 tons of petroleum products. So far, the state-run Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) has provided a total of 880,000 tons of crude oil sourced from the Bach Ho oilfield to feed the refinery. (August 26, 2009)