NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- BP PLC (BP) on Saturday will begin the process to start up an ultracracker unit at its Texas City, Texas, refinery, according to a report filed with state environmental regulators.

Restarting the ultracracker unit, which uses hydrogen to convert heavier oil feedstocks into higher quality products such as gasoline and distillate fuels, is expected to take place Nov. 7-19. Procedures take into account the need to minimize emissions. Most of the purged gases will be directed to the fuel gas system and the rest will be burned off, the filing stated.

The ultracracker was shut Sept. 4 for maintenance and was supposed to be restarted earlier this week, but no details for the delay were disclosed.

BP's Texas City plant is the third-largest refinery in the U.S., with the capacity to process 455,790 barrels of crude oil a day.

-By Naureen S. Malik, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-4210, naureen.malik@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

11-07-09 0207ET