Flooded Kansas Refinery May Restart This Month

Monday, August 13th 2007, 1:08 pm

By: News On 6

COFFEYVILLE, Kan. (AP) -- The Coffeyville oil refinery just north of the Oklahoma state line in Kansas is opening weeks ahead of schedule. Coffeyville Resources says efforts to repair the refinery after devastating floods last month are moving faster than expected. Instead of mid-September company officials say they expect to restart operations by the end of this month.

The refinery shut down as the Verdigris River flooded on June 30th and July 1st. Thousands of gallons of oil leaked from the refinery into the floodwaters, coating houses and lawns.

The refinery faces a class action lawsuit and the company is offering to buy 300 homes damaged by the oil.

The closing of the 108,000-barrels-a-day refinery has contributed to higher fuel prices across the Midwest.

For more information about Coffeyville Resources, click here.

Related stories:

7/3/2007 - Analyst: Coffeyville Refinery Closure To Raise Gas Prices

7/12/2007 - Flooding Dampens Economy

7/20/2007 - Refinery Announces Plan To Purchase Flooded Homes

7/29/2007 - Open Valve Led To Oil Spill At Coffeyville Refinery, Officials Say