Japan's JX shuts Kashima condensate splitter, reformer after fire
(Reuters) Japan's top refiner, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp., said it shut the 63-Mbpd condensate splitter and the 21-Mbpd No. 3 reformer at its Kashima refinery in eastern Japan Thursday, after a fire at the reformer.
The fire broke out around 0250 GMT, just as an earthquake hit the area, and the company is investigating the cause, a company spokesman said, adding that there had been no injuries and the fire was put out by 0615 GMT.
The 189 Mbpd crude distillation unit at the plant continued operations, he said.
Both marine and lorry truck product shipments have been suspended following the quake, and there was no schedule yet for the restart of halted units or shipments, he added.
Traders expect condensate markets to weaken should the splitter remain shut for an extended period as the Japanese refiner could end up with excess supplies of condensate that will affect future demand.
"There is no impact on condensate prices today, but we will see it over the next few days," said a trader based in Singapore.
A splitter breaks down condensate, a light oil typically produced in association with natural gas, into oil products such as naphtha and diesel. A reformer processes the naphtha into gasoline feedstocks.
Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori and Mark Tay; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Christian Schmollinger
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