Formosa to switch to low-sulfur crude

Formosa Petrochemical Corp will switch some of its crude oil to low-sulfur types, pending the repair of a residue desulfurization unit (RDS) unit damaged in a fire at its Mailiao refinery in Taiwan, a spokesman said. The No. 2 RDS unit at the plant would take at least six months to repair following the July fire, the spokesman said, adding that the company would use low-sulfur crude from October to maintain output. The company said a design fault may have contributed to the fire, one of a series at the refinery this year. The 540,000 barrel-per-day Mailiao plant is Asia’s fifth-largest refinery. (September 10, 2010)