IRPC delays phase-2 upgrade to next year

IRPC Public Company Limited (formerly Thai Petrochemical Industry Public Company Limited) has postponed the second phase of its refinery upgrade to next year, as the government has pushed out implementation of the Euro IV standard by a year to 2012. The upgrade was kicked off this year and the second phase was originally planned for later in the year, with completion slated in two years. At a cost of US$1.1 billion to US$1.3 billion, the upgrade will increase the refinery’s production capacity from 215,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 260,000 bpd, CEO Piti Yimprasert said. It is now operating at 190,000 bpd. Improvements are expected to cost about US$60 million. (May 11, 2007)