BP Restarts Aromatics Recovery Unit at Texas City Refinery

By Christian Schmollinger

Sept. 29 (Bloomberg) -- BP Plc, Europe's second-largest oil producer, restarted an aromatics recovery unit at its Texas City, Texas, refinery after Hurricane Ike passed through the region Sept. 13.

The start-up of the plant began at 6 a.m. local time on Sept. 27 and will last until Oct. 11, the London-based company said in a filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The refinery can process 475,000 barrels of crude oil a day, according to the U.S. Energy Department. An aromatics recovery unit splits off benzene, toluene and other chemicals from the refinery process that can be sold separately or blended into gasoline.

To contact the reporter on this story: Christian Schmollinger in Singapore at christian.s@bloomberg.net.