-Shell shut down an FCCU at its Sarnia, Ontario, refinery for a week of maintenance, Reuters reports. Shell is replacing the exchanger in the unit and will restart it by the end of the week.
-Meanwhile, Shell’s bid to resume drilling in the Arctic has hit yet another snag. The company returned its icebreaker vessel Fennica to Alaska’s Dutch Harbor after a small breach was discovered in the ship’s hull. The federal government authorized Shell to resume drilling in the Chukchi Sea in May but has since placed restrictions on the firm’s activity there due to concerns over wildlife.
-Marathon Petroleum is challenging citations and a fine from OSHA related to alleged reporting violations at its Galveston Bay Refinery. Via Reuters, citations from OSHA claim Marathon did not report injuries to five workers in 2014 and also did not report changes in the hearing of five employees in 2014 and 2015. Marathon is seeking a settlement with the agency.
-A recent report that Delta Airlines’ refining unit is planning to buy 5 million barrels of discounted Nigerian crude instead of domestic crude may fuel opponents of the longstanding U.S. ban on crude oil exports. Via FuelFix, foreign oil from Nigeria and other countries may become a better bargain for domestic refiners as the spread between WTI and Brent crude narrows. A pair of House committees will hold hearings on crude exports this week.
-The Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) sent a letter to President Obama today in support of lifting the ban. IPAA President and CEO Barry Russell said doing so would lead to lower gasoline prices in the U.S. and less volatility in the global crude oil market.
