HOUSTON: Exxon Mobil Corp plans to shut the large gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic cracker (FCC) at its 560,500 barrel-per-day (bpd) Baytown, Texas, refinery in early January, sources familiar with plant operations said on Thursday.

The 125,000-bpd FCC 3 will be shut because of low demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sources said. FCC 3 is expected to be shut more than a month.

Exxon spokesman Jeremy Eikenberry declined comment.

The 90,000-bpd FCC 2 will remain in operation while FCC 3 is shut, the sources said.