Click the link to read the article on the Colorado Public Radio website (Sam Brasch). Here’s an excerpt:
Colorado’s only oil and gas refinery is offline and might not resume full operations until March, raising concerns about gas prices and local air quality after a series of recent incidents. In a press release issued yesterday, Suncor Energy announced it closed its Commerce City refinery last Saturday — Christmas Eve — due to “extreme and record-setting weather.” The statement did not mention a pair of recent fires, one of which injured two workers on Christmas Eve. It did acknowledge extensive damage at the facility.
“The inspection and repair of the damaged equipment [are] ongoing. Based on our current assessment, we anticipate a progressive restart of the facility with a return to full operations expected to be completed by late Q1 2023,” the company wrote.
The shutdown will disrupt local gas and diesel resources. Grier Bailey, the executive director of the Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association, said Suncor supplies between 35 to 40 percent of all gasoline sold in Colorado. A company website notes the facility is also a primary source of asphalt and produces about a third of the jet fuel for Denver International Airport.
“I think you’ll see drastic wholesale price increases in the next few weeks. And then depending on how other suppliers in the market can compensate, you’re going to see abnormally high gasoline and diesel prices,” Bailey said.
Bailey added many gas stations could close pumps to conserve supplies for fire departments, hospitals and other essential services.