UPDATE 1-Exxon restarts FCCU at Beaumont, Texas, refinery, sources say

(Adds company no reply, details) By Erwin Seba HOUSTON, Oct 10 (Reuters) – Exxon Mobil restarted the gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic cracking unit on Thursday at its 612,000-barrel-per-day Beaumont, Texas, refinery, people familiar with plant operations said. The 120,000-bpd FCCU was shut on Tuesday night by a malfunction, according to a notice the company filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. An Exxon spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment on Friday. The FCCU shut down following the malfunction shortly after 9:30 p.m. CDT on Tuesday (0230 GMT Wednesday). The TCEQ notice said Exxon expected flaring to continue for about 24 hours after the malfunction. Refineries use their safety flare systems to burn off hydrocarbons that cannot be processed normally. FCCUs use a fine powder catalyst under high heat and pressure to convert gas oil into unfinished gasoline. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Mark Porter and Chris Reese)

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