Par Pacific Holdings is shutting its 93,500 barrel per day (bpd) Kapolei, Hawaii, refinery due to the threat posed by approaching Hurricane Lane, said Joseph Israel, president of Par Pacific Petroleum, a subsidiary of Par Pacific Holdings.
Israel said if current forecast models are correct, the company could begin restarting the refinery over the weekend, if the plant sustains no damage.
Island Energy Services’ 54,000 bpd Honolulu refinery continued to operate on Thursday as the company monitored the progress of the category 4 Hurricane Lane in the eastern Pacific Ocean, spokeswoman Carina Tagupa said.
Current forecast models predict Lane will turn before making landfall on the island of Oahu where the two refineries are located.
Israel said the company was not going to bet the safety of its employees or neighbors on the forecast.
“You don’t want to be a victim of a bad model,” he said.