Vertex plans Mobile refinery turnaround in March

Specialty refiner Vertex Energy is planning a turnaround at its 88,000 b/d Mobile, Alabama, refinery in March as it prepares to run at full rates during the driving season.

The turnaround includes a catalyst change for the plant's catalytic reforming unit and maintenance on its crude distillation unit (CDU), the company said on an earnings call today.

Vertex did not give a time line for the work but said it aims to run the refinery at full rates by peak summer demand season, which starts on Memorial Day weekend in late May.

The company plans to run throughputs of 60,000-63,000 b/d at the Mobile plant's conventional fuel refining operations in the first quarter and run its renewable diesel units at 3,000-5,000 b/d.

Vertex processed 71,000 b/d at the Mobile refinery in the first quarter of 2023, prior to starting the plant's renewable feedstock units.

By Nathan Risser