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Total Petrochemicals USA has started up its 233,000 barrels-per-day refinery in Port Arthur after the facility was shut down ahead of Hurrican Gustav.

In a filing with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the company said "The refinery will be started-up in an orderly fashion, utilizing flare gas recovery unless safety prohibitive."

Total Petrochemicals uses fuel oil from its Texas refinery to supply marine fuels in Port Arthur and Beaumont. The company - formerly known as Fina Oil and Chemical Company - acquired the refining facility in 1973 when its capacity was 54,000 barrels per day.

As well as producing transportation fuels, the refinery also produces asphalt and base chemicals. In a joint venture with BASF, Total Petrochemicals built the world’s largest single train naphtha steam cracker adjacent to the refinery.

The refinery was expanded in 2004 to include a new crude oil dock and gasoline hydrotreater.