A Sunoco official yesterday confirmed that the company has received unsolicited inquiries into acquiring its Tulsa, Okla., refinery, which includes a 9,500 barrels per day API Group I base oil plant.
Weve had a number of unsolicited inquiries, Sunoco spokesman Gerald Davis told Lube Report. Were looking at the interests of others also to see what the value might be to them. Tulsa has been a good contributor to Sunoco, particularly over the past several years, of refining strength.
He said Sunocos focus remains on operating the 375-employee facility to the highest professional standards, safely and reliably, in an environmentally sound manner. The refinery can process up to 85,000 b/d of crude oil into fuels. It primarily produces fuel products, like most other such plants – but its operations have focused on producing lubes, historically, he added.
According to Davis, Sunoco is in the early stages of engineering a clean fuels upgrade at the refinery, at an estimated capital cost of $400 million. It will convert high sulfur distillate into low sulfur diesel. That would involve installing a new 24,000 b/d hydrotreating unit, he said.