Norway's StatoilHydro began a two-month planned maintenance shutdown of its Mongstad refinery and oil terminal north of Bergen on the west coast on Tuesday, the company said.
The complete shutdown will last for 16 days, but partial closures will affect all parts of the refinery and quay facilties, StatoilHydro said.
"The goal is to make improvements which ensure stable and safe operations of the plant until the next scheduled shutdown in 2013, and prepare for the connection to the new combined power and heating plant," Mongstad manager Kjell Petter Aanes said in a statement.
Around 400,000 manhours of work will be performed during the 60-day scheduled shutdown, StatoilHydro said, adding that it would be the most extensive onshore maintenance ever carried out in Norway.
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StatoilHydro Began Planned Refinery Shutdown
"The goal is to make improvements which ensure stable and safe operations of the plant until the next scheduled shutdown in 2013..."