<div>Essar Oil has reduced its gasoline output due to a technical problem at a continuous catalytic reformer (CCR), a company spokesman said.<br /> <br />"Yes, there is a technical problem with our CCR. It will take about a fortnight to fix it," he said. "Because of this, our gasoline production will be impacted."<br /><br />The problem at the reformer would not affect the crude runs at the plant, the spokesman said.<br /> <br />Essar operates a 900,000 tonne-per-year CCR at its 400,000 barrels-per-day Vadinar plant in Western India. A CCR converts naphtha into superior grade gasoline.<br /><br />Operations at the CCR were hit earlier this week and Essar would have to shut the reformer completely in the next few days for maintenance, said two trade sources.<br /> <br />The refiner has deferred shipment of a 55,000-60,000 tonne 95-octane gasoline cargo that has been sold to BP by "weeks", the sources said.<br /><br />(Reuters)</div>
