Morocco will import 90,000 tons of gasoil to compensate for the fire that damaged the Samir refinery in the city of Mahmadeya. Two distilling units of the refinery were not affected by the fire and will resume production in 15 days. The other units will require eight to 12 months for repairs, reported MAP.
Heavy rains in the region last week raised the refinery’s waste oil and brought it in contact with the refinery’s heated pipes, causing a huge blaze and killing two. Economic losses have been estimated at $142 million.
Morocco’s refineries will be able to meet 70 percent of local demand of products once the Mahmadeya refinery comes back at 60 percent operational capacity. Some 120,000 to 130,000 tons of monthly gasoil deficit will be compensated by imports.
Morocco has two oil refineries. The country’s two refining companies, Samir and SCP, agreed in late 1998 to merge in the first quarter of 1999. The two, which are owned largely by joint Swedish-Saudi venture Corral Petroleum Holding, have a combined refining capacity of around 156,000 barrels per day. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
