U.S. refiners are deferring a significant share of planned fall maintenance work into next year as strong operating margins encourage operators to keep processing units running rather than take them offline, according to Industrial Info Resources. Planned crude oil unit outages for fall 2026 now stand 144,000 barrels per day lower than refiners expected before the Middle East conflict disrupted energy markets earlier this year.

The shift traces back to a comparison of turnaround schedules from February against updated plans tracked as of September 9. Spring 2027 maintenance volume also declined, falling 9,000 barrels per day from earlier estimates. Fall 2027, by contrast, is now projected 283,000 barrels per day higher than originally scheduled, as deferred work gets pushed further down the calendar.

Ten crude units across seven refineries have had planned turnarounds moved from fall 2026 to fall 2027, with some schedule changes confirmed as recently as August 4. September through November is typically the peak season for refinery turnarounds, making this year's deferrals a notable departure from the usual maintenance cycle.

Elevated crude and refined product prices tied to regional conflict have widened refining margins, giving operators a financial incentive to keep units running through the fall rather than take capacity offline for scheduled upkeep. The trend carries direct implications for fuel supply and pricing heading into winter.

Source: Industrial Info Resources - https://www.industrialinfo.com/news/article/some-us-refiners-deferring-maintenance-from-2026-to-2027--362613