Vertex Energy's highly anticipated renewable diesel production unit at its refinery in Mobile, Alabama, has hit a snag. The unit, which was scheduled to begin production this month, has been delayed due to a failure in the feedstock pumping system. However, the company is confident that production will resume during the second half of May.
The renewable diesel project was discussed during a first quarter earnings call, where James Rhame, Vertex's chief operating officer, revealed that the unit had achieved mechanical completion on March 31. Unfortunately, during the startup sequencing process, a failure occurred in the feedstock pumping system, which is responsible for providing feedstock to the renewable diesel hydrocracker.
Rhame stressed that the incident is limited to the feed system and has had no known impact on the reactor or any other processing equipment. The renewable diesel unit is safely parked while the company investigates the root cause of the failure, and repairs are expected to be completed before the end of May.
Once the system is repaired, Vertex plans to resume the startup sequence of the renewable diesel unit. Phase I of the project is expected to produce 8,000 barrels per day, with Phase II projected to boost production to 14,000 barrels per day by installing additional hydrogen capacity.
Despite the delay, Vertex Energy remains committed to its renewable diesel project and is optimistic about its future success. The company's focus on sustainability and its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint through renewable energy projects such as this one will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the environment and the world at large.
