More refining capacity than usual will shut for maintenance in Europe this au- tumn, in part because of the pressing weight of high product stocks. Refiners are crowding some turnarounds into lower-demand autumn months after postponing them earlier this year. Lockdown measures prevented some contractors from crossing borders in the spring, while strict health and safety pre- cautions simply proved unworkable for some plants. Private equity firm Klesch’s 100,000 b/d Heide refinery in northern Germany will carry out maintenance work on three units in September, having pushed back the programme from May. Nor- way’s Equinor could carry out work on a crude unit at its 200,000 b/d Mongstad refinery, also postponed from the spring.
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