UPDATE 1-Motiva plans to begin Texas FCC overhaul by Jan 21, sources say

Updates with company not responding, other work, background

HOUSTON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Motiva Enterprises plans to begin an overhaul of the gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic cracker (FCC) by Jan. 21 at its 626,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Port Arthur, Texas, refinery, people familiar with plant operations said on Friday.

The 81,000-bpd FCC3 is scheduled to be shut for nearly two months with restart planned for March 14, the three sources said.

A Motiva spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment.

Along with the FCC, Motiva plans to shut by Jan. 21 for overhaul of the 18,000-bpd alkylation unit, which produces octane-boosting components for gasoline, the sources said.

The 50,000-bpd cat feed hydrotreater that removes sulfur from feed going into the FCC is currently scheduled to shut about two weeks after the FCC is taken down, according to the sources.

The FCC uses a fine powder catalyst under high heat and pressure to convert gas oil into unfinished gasoline.

Motiva’s Port Arthur refinery is the second largest by crude oil processing capacity in the United States

(Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Leslie Adler)

((erwin.seba@thomsonreuters.com; +1 832 746 4269; Reuters Messaging: erwin.seba.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))