The Phillips 66 refinery in Linden, N.J., reported the upset to state regulators after a brutal cold snap swept through the Northeast. According to a filing with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Bayway Refinery experienced an instrumentation freeze-up that forced personnel to open an acid gas valve. The incident occurred as the National Weather Service issued warnings for northern New Jersey, where single-digit temperatures were exacerbated by high winds.

Operational Challenges in Extreme Cold

The facility, which has a processing capacity of 272,135 b/d, is a critical component of the regional energy infrastructure. As one of the primary refineries serving the New York Harbor—the designated delivery point for NYMEX product futures—any disruption at Bayway is closely monitored by energy markets. The site operates a complex array of processing units essential for fuel production:

• Crude distilling and naphtha reforming
• Fluid catalytic cracking and solvent de-asphalting
• Hydrodesulfurization and alkylation units

While the filing confirmed the equipment upset was a direct result of the weather on Sunday, Phillips 66 has not specified the total impact on production volumes. The event underscores the operational risks facing Atlantic seaboard infrastructure during severe winter weather events.