(adds details from a person familiar with the operations at the refinery.)
NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- BP PLC (BP) has delayed the Thursday restart of an ultracracker unit at its Texas City, Texas, oil refinery according to a report filed with Texas state environmental regulators.
The filing did not indicate when the unit, which, like a hydrocracking unit, uses hydrogen to converts heavier oil feedstocks into high quality lighter products such as gasoline, naphtha, jet, kerosene and diesel fuels, will be restarted, or the reason for the delay.
A person familiar with operations at the plant said the restart would take place in a few days.
A seperate filing on Wednesday said that the unit would be gradually restarted on Thursday after shutting down for maintenance on September 4.
The Texas City refinery has the capacity to process 455,790 barrels of crude oil a day, making it the third largest refinery in the U.S.
By Rose Marton-Vitale, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2146, rose.marton@dowjones.com