Rumour Of The Day: ‘Months’ of Whiting Woes for BP

By NO BYLINE

FULL production may not resume at oil giant BP’s Whiting refinery in Indiana for months, according to a BP source, as new operational problems delay repairs.

“It’s not going to be days or weeks,” the source said.

Production at the 420,000 barrel per day refinery has been cut to about 200,000bpd because of operational issues, BP said in a statement yesterday.

BP said earlier in the month a fire at the plant had caused a power cut.

The source said a compressor had been damaged and a crane had brought down a power line, adding to the problems at the plant.

The plant was damaged after an explosion in August, 2004, which closed a processing unit and injured three workers.

Shares in BP closed last night 9p down at 568.5p.

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