HOUSTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Independent refiner Valero Energy Corp said Friday crude oil processing rates at its 325,000 barrels per day (bpd) Port Arthur, Texas, refinery were 185,000 bpd -- 60 percent of capacity -- and were set to increase over the next few days.

The refinery suffered a Thursday morning power failure that shut units on the plants's north side and led to a fire that damaged a diesel hydrotreater.


The hydrotreater remains offline. Valero said a second hydrotreater was operating at higher than normal rates to curb the loss in diesel output.

About the fire-damaged hydrotreater Valero said it cannot "speculate at this time how long this outage will last."

On Thursday, sources familiar with refinery operations said a heater in the hydrotreater, where the fire was located, was heavily damaged and could take between two and four weeks to repair.