EMEA News
South Africa's Largest Refinery Restarts After Temporary Shutdown
Friday July 23, 2021
South Africa's largest refinery has restarted after civil unrest prompted a temporary shutdown earlier this month.
The Sapref refinery near Durban, run jointly by Shell and BP, began to restart production on July 21, according to news agency Reuters. The process is expected to take seven to ten days.
The 180,000 b/d plant was shut down over safety and logistical concerns last week. The refinery takes up about 35% of the country's refining capacity, according to Reuters.
South African bunker supply capacity has already been significantly curtailed by two other refineries in the country having been shut on a longer-term basis since last year after fires.
