a couple of storage containers got burned but was there damage to anything that’s hard to replace? repairing piping or replacing tanks is one thing, but replacing pumps or automation or patching up fractionating tower is entirely different deal
The article claims that one of the refining units was damaged, but unfortunately doesn’t give information about which parts of it were hit. Could be pipes, could be a fractioning tower.
damaged piping might be a couple of weeks long maybe partial shutdown but with damaged fractionator we’re talking about complete shutdown for months, maybe half year. some components are hard to replace or are complex and subcontracted like catalytic reforming unit, or sanctioned
the most immediate impact would be that lots of people see refinery burning -> hoard fuel -> fuel shortages get worse
https://lemmy.world/post/48575659
So probably damage to the fractionators then
Refinery is a lot of moving parts, and that might be some combination of big catalytic units (hydrotreater, hydrocracker, catalytic reformer), main or vacuum fractionator, delayed coker, pumps that feed it all, furnaces that heat it all, and loss of storage probably is a factor too because all these intermediates have to be stored somewhere before shipping. Fractionators are big distinct towers visible from far away so if it was hit, maybe there would be video
