BP’s 440,000-barrel-per-day Whiting refinery in Indiana is in the process of restarting after severe flooding disrupted operations earlier this week, Reuters reported on Wednesday, with industry monitor IIR saying it would take several days to fully ramp the plant up, with full capacity expected by early next week.
The outage followed a powerful thunderstorm that caused flooding and led to visible flaring. While IIR provided a projected restart schedule, BP has declined to comment on the refinery’s timeline, Reuters reported.
Located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, the Whiting complex is the largest refinery in the U.S. Midwest, processing 440,000 barrels per day. It supplies gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel across regional markets from Chicago to Detroit.
Midwest refiners are closely watched by traders due to the concentration of capacity and limited pipeline outlets. Unplanned disruptions at Whiting in past years have quickly affected wholesale gasoline prices in Chicago and neighboring hubs, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The timing of this week’s shutdown coincides with Midwest inventories trending below the five-year seasonal average, EIA data show. Analysts noted that the pace of the restart will be critical for regional balance, particularly ahead of the late-summer driving season when fuel demand typically peaks.
IIR said most units at Whiting are undergoing phased reactivation. Regulators are monitoring emissions and safety systems during the ramp-up, with full recovery dependent on inspections and repairs to water-affected equipment.
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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