Attock Refinery restarts operations at main distillation unit

Attock Refinery Limited (ATRL), a subsidiary of the Attock Oil Company Limited, said on Monday that it has commenced operations at its main distillation unit, which was shut down on a temporary basis amid low demand for Furnace Fuel Oil (FFO).

In its notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), ATRL said: “We wish to inform you that refinery’s main distillation unit which was previously shut down has been re-started and working satisfactorily.

“The ullage constraint resulting from low demand of furnace fuel oil is being monitored closely,” it added.

Earlier this month, ATRL became the second major refinery in the country to either shut or limit its operations.

“Due to ullage constraints resulting from low demand for FFO, ATRL is temporarily shutting down its main distillation unit for approximately eight days,” the refinery said in its notice to the PSX back then.

“Consequently, as a result of this shut down refinery will be operating at a capacity of 35%.”

Last month, Business Recorder reported that ATRL was likely to stop operations due to higher stocks of Furnace Fuel Oil (FFO) as the refinery was operating on 60% capacity, which may also hit supply of J-1 to Islamabad Airport and JP-8 to Pakistan Air Force.

The main reason for the higher stocks of furnace oil is that the country’s electricity requirement is about 12,000-MW due to which the government is not allowing operations of furnace oil-fired power plants, the report said.

Incorporated in Pakistan on November 8, 1978 as a private limited company, ATRL was later converted into a public company on June 26, 1979.

ATRL is principally engaged in the refining of crude oil. The company is subsidiary of the Attock Oil Company Limited, England and its ultimate parent is Coral Holding Limited (a private limited company incorporated in Malta).