HOUSTON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Motiva Enterprises' two Louisiana refineries are beginning planned overhauls thisweek, said sources familiar with operations at the refineries onTuesday.
The company's 233,500 barrel per day (bpd) Norco, Louisiana,refinery began a planned overhaul on a hydrocracking unit thispast weekend, according to the sources.
The 235,000 bpd Convent, Louisiana, refinery is scheduled tostart a planned overhaul of the refinery's vacuum distillationunit this coming weekend, the sources said.
Motiva has said it began planned work at the Norco refineryon Jan. 25. The company has not identified the units involved.The sources said preparatory work began on Jan. 25.
On Tuesday, a Motiva spokeswoman declined to discuss theplans for specific units at the Convent refinery.
A hydrocracker uses hydrogen under high pressure to increasethe yield of motor fuel from a barrel of crude oil.
A vacuum distillation unit refines residual crude oil in avacuum to boost yield of feedstock for motor fuel from a barrelof oil.
Motiva is joint venture of Royal Dutch Shell Plc and Saudi Aramco. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Bernard Orr)
