State-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (Adnoc) has restarted a secondary unit at its newly expanded Ruwais refinery and has increased its operating rates to over 80 per cent, industry sources say.

The newly expanded Ruwais refinery with a total capacity of 922,000 barrels per day (bpd) lowered its run rate to just above 70 per cent in August after it unexpectedly shut its residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) – a unit which processes heavy fuel oil into higher valued products such as diesel and gasoline.

The RFCC was restarted about three weeks ago and is currently running at near maximum capacity, one of the sources said.

The refinery was operating at close to 95 percent in the first two weeks of October, before reducing to between 80 and 85 per cent currently, the source adds.

The reason for the reduction in capacity since early October was not immediately clear, but is normal as crude oil intake fluctuates, the source says. Adnoc could not be reached for comment on the matter.