Japanese firm JX Holdings is planning to restart its Sendai oil refinery in Japan, which produces 145,000 barrels of oil a day, by May 2012.
The Sendai refinery is the only facility that has yet to commence operations, as its shipping facilities were extensively damaged by the earthquake and tsunami which hit Japan in March.
On 4 June, the firm restarted the 189,000bpd crude distillation unit (CDU) at its Kashima refinery, but the run rate has been kept low at around 60%, due to the inability to receive from very large crude carriers (VLCC) following severe damage to berthing facilities.
JX Holdings president Mitsunori Takahagi said that though the temporary shutdown of the refineries has disrupted oil supply chains, the firm will stick to its plan to cut refining capacity by 200,000bpd to 1.19 million by March 2014.
VLCCs will be able to dock at the Kashima refinery from October, reports Reuters.
