Motiva's 255,000 b/d Convent refinery in Louisiana and Shell's chemical plant in Geismar, Louisiana, are shutting down all process units ahead of the approach of Hurricane Isaac, Shell said Tuesday afternoon.
The 250,000 b/d Motiva Norco refinery in St. Charles, Louisiana, and Shell's chemical plant in Mobile, Alabama, continue to operate at reduced rates, Shell said in a statement posted to its website. Motiva is a 50:50 joint venture between Shell and Saudi Aramco.
"Manufacturing facilities at Norco, LA and Mobile, AL continue to operate at reduced rates while Convent and Geismar, LA have begun a safe and orderly shutdown of process units consistent with pre-established hurricane preparation plans. All four facilities will maintain essential personnel on site to ensure around-the-clock safety and security as well as to provide assessments of the storm's impact," Shell said.
In addition, Shell said that it had shut Monday evening the stretch of its Houma to Houston (Ho-Ho) pipeline system from Houma to DOE Junction; that it also closed the St. James terminal Monday in Louisiana; and that its offshore Gulf of Mexico pipeline network has been shut since Monday afternoon.
"Operations will resume as weather conditions allow," the Shell statement said.
Shell reiterated that the Capline crude pipeline, which originates in St. James, has been shut since Sunday evening.
The center of Hurricane Isaac should hit the coast of southeastern Louisiana as early as Tuesday evening, the US National Hurricane Center said in a 1 p.m. CDT (1800 GMT) advisory.
