Temporary shutdown for equipment work planned at major oil refinery in northwestern Indiana

Temporary shutdown planned at Ind. oil refinery

WHITING, Ind. — Plans are being made to temporarily shut down a major oil refinery along Lake Michigan within the next few months to test and upgrade equipment.

Officials of BP PLC have filed notice with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management of their plans for the work at the Whiting refinery, which is the largest in the Midwest.

Company spokesman Scott Dean says it doesn’t comment on day-to-day operations or future maintenance plans. IDEM spokeswoman Amy Hartsock says the agency is required to keep the details confidential.

Bob Lofton of United Steelworkers District 7 says there usually aren’t layoffs during such projects.

About 1,700 people work at the refinery. It is undergoing a $3.8 billion expansion that is expected to be finished in early 2012.