HOUSTON: Oil refiners are permanently closing processing plants in Asia and North America and facilities in Europe could be next as uncertain prospects for a recovery in fuel demand after the coronavirus pandemic triggered losses.

The pandemic initially cut fuel demand 30 per cent and refiners temporarily idled plants. But consumption has not returned to pre-pandemic levels and lower travel may be here to stay, leading to tough decisions for permanent shutdowns.

Royal Dutch Shell will permanently shut its 110,000 barrels per day (bpd) Tabangao facility in Philippines’ Batangas province, one of only two oil refineries in the country. Shell blamed a pandemic-led slump in margins for turning the plant into an import terminal.

There have been no permanent plant closures in Europe due to the virus. However, Gunvor Group said in June it was considering mothballing its 110,000 bpd refinery in Antwerp as Covid-19 hurt the plant’s economic viability.

Marathon Petroleum, the largest US refiner by volume, plans to permanently halt processing at refineries in Martinez, California, and Gallup, New Mexico. The larger plant in California will become an oil-storage facility and may convert to produce renewable diesel, a fuel made from industry waste and used cooking oil.

Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2020