Daily status report on energy industry recovery efforts in the US Gulf

 

-- Valero Energy Sep 12 said its 260,000 b/d St. Charles, Louisiana, refinery had returned to full rates over the weekend.

-- Tanker offloading at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) is close to normal Sep 12, although capacity remains restricted, the Louisiana Department of Transportation said. LOOP handles 35-40 ships/month. Its maximum capacity is 80,000 bbl/hour or 1.92-mil b/d.

-- Newfield Exploration said 90% of its operated Gulf of Mexico production had been restored, leaving about 60,000 Mcfe/d still down. Since output in the area was halted Aug 27 before Katrina, Newfield has had about 2.6 Bcfe of its Gulf net output shut in.

-- Hurricane Katrina and subsequent high oil prices will hit world growth in the third quarter, G10 central bankers said Monday, but the global economy is "quite dynamic" and should rebound in the fourth quarter, ECB chief Jean-Claude Trichet said in Basel, Switzerland.

-- Valero Energy, the largest US refiner, said Friday it would delay where it can any upcoming maintenance at its refineries to avoid adding to production shortfalls in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

-- Port of New Orleans President and CEO Gary LaGrange said Friday commercial operations should resume at the port by Sep 14 at about 10% to 15% capacity. "We're looking to be 100% within six months," he told Platts.

-- The California Air Resources Board Friday relaxed the state's gasoline volatility standard in September and October in response to anticipated gasoline supply shortfalls attributable to Hurricane Katrina.

-- Shell Sep 9 said its Motiva joint venture has begun to restart its 240,000 Norco refinery in Louisiana that had been idled for almost two weeks due to Hurricane Katrina. The plant will be gradually brought up to full production "over the next couple of days," Shell said in a statement. The company also said Motiva's 225,000 b/d Convent refinery in Louisiana is currently operating at 90% of capacity.

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