Clyde. Shell closes early

Heavy refining losses have prompted Shell to bring forward the planned closure of the Clyde refinery in Sydney to late September this year. Shell has 275 employees which is to be converted to a fuel terminal, employing 30 to 50 workers. Shell says the facility provides about 50 per cent of New South Wales's petrol supply and is the longest operating oil refinery in Australia. Caltex is reviewing the future of the Kurnell refinery. A decision is due as soon as next month.

Clyde. Shell's conversion plans

Shell’s proposal for the conversion of the Clyde Refinery would comprise conversion of Shell's Clyde Refinery site into a finished fuel import and converting crude oil tanks and feedstock product tanks into intermediate and finished product tanks in the eastern parts of the site, decommissioning, demolishing and removing existing crude oil processing and blending facilities and other tankage and other redundant infrastructure in the western part of the site, receiving finished product by pipeline from Shell's Gore Bay Terminal site; and distributing finished product by pipeline to Sydney Airport, to other company's terminals in Newcastle and Silverwater and to Shell's Parramatta Terminal for distribution via road.

Clyde. Shell to be audited

Prompted by the Orica chemical leak, the government will launch the biggest environmental audit in NSW history, targeting more than 40 potentially toxic industrial sites in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Among the sites in Sydney to face immediate audits and spot checks is the Shell Refinery at Clyde.

Parramatta. Concern over Shell closure

The Parramatta Chamber of Commerce hopes that all levels of government become involved in discussions with Shell to head the proposal for the possible closure of its refinery at Clyde. The Western Sydney economy and its employment opportunities rely heavily on manufacturing and the Camellia area is home to other manufacturers. The area is a vital part of the Parramatta business community and an important employment hub, the chamber said. Shell employs 310 people at the refinery.

Parramatta. Shell closure 'in weeks'

The boards of Shell Australia and Shell Refining Australia are expected to make a call on whether to close the Clyde refinery ''in weeks not months''. If the decision is to close Clyde, the facility would become an import terminal., with a likely reduction in the workforce from 310 to 30 to 50 employees. The company said it would try to redeploy other workers in either its upstream business or at the Geelong refinery. Shell says it will replace output from the Clyde refinery, which supplies about 40 per cent of the fuel needs in NSW. with imports from Asia. Shell says the refinery requires significant investment, including a maintenance turnaround scheduled for mid-2013. If the proposal is approved, the turnaround will not go ahead and the refinery will be converted into a fuel import terminal by mid-2013. The refinery has been owned by Shell since 1928.

Parramatta. Call for rail usage

A coalition of rail unions, transport and motoring groups wants each state and territory to introduce a uniform amendment to their dangerous goods acts that would require hazardous materials, such as petrol and other chemicals, to be transported to and from the nearest available rail hub, following a spate of fatal accidents over Christmas and the new year. Late last year, the NRMA's chief executive, Tony Stuart, expressed his concern that Shell had decided to stop using rail to transport petrol from its Sydney refinery, at Clyde. to regional NSW, citing ''efficiency'' reasons. ''Whilst the decision Shell has taken has been based on financial considerations, clearly the wider economic and safety concerns have been ignored or at best overlooked,'' he said.

Parramatta. Increase in petrol tankers by road

A Shell spokesperson said the State Government's abolition of the 1.2 cents a litre subsidy, was not the driving force behind the switch from rail to road tankers. The decision was made on the basis of efficiency. Following the abolition of the subsidy, Shell has cancelled several freight rail journeys, adding 11 petrol tanker journeys from its Clyde refinery daily to the state's highways.

Clyde. Shell refinery back in business

Production has resumed at the Shell Clyde Refinery after it was shut down in November for maintenance following a series of outages which had disrupted operations throughout the previous 12 months. During the shutdown all fuel supplies were imported. The refinery, which supplies about 40 per cent of Sydney’s fuel requirements and 50 per cent across NSW, has the capacity of 85,000 barrels a day.

Shell's $150m uprgrade nearing completion

Engineering work on the $150 million upgrade at Shell Australia’s Clyde Refinery is expected to be completed in June, said company chairman, Russell Caplan. He also said the supply of Shell’s V-Power, Unleaded 95 and Premium Unleaded fuels has resumed following a key piece of machinery broke down in January.