NZ Refining hydrocracker upgrade gains lag estimate
By Suze Metherell
June 17 (BusinessDesk) - New Zealand Refining, the Marsden Point oil refinery controlled by its major customers, says
upgrades to its hydrocracker have boosted efficiency even as it misses its original forecast margin.
New Zealand's only oil refiner refitted its mild vacuum column as part of an efficiency drive to bolster margins and
increase diesel production. It had forecast the refit, which boosts separation efficiency, would result in a 13 US cents
per barrel margin, but said the "current weak margin environment" meant the step-up was closer to 11 US cents.
"This is just one component stream in our processing, it is an important first contribution to the series of initiatives
aimed at lifting the performance on the hydrocracker which taken together, are expected to add 66 US cents per barrel to
Refining NZ's gross refining margin," chief executive Sjoerd Post said in a statement.
The company, which is majority-owned by BP New Zealand, Mobil Oil NZ, Z Energy and Chevron New Zealand, said it is
working closely with customers on supply planning and monitoring stock levels during the shutdown as they manage fuel
stocks via a combination of products from Marsden Point and scheduled imports. NZ Refining supplies about 80 percent of
New Zealand’s refined fuels.
The shares rose 1.8 percent to $1.72 and have declined 18 percent this year.
(BusinessDesk)