After years of running flat out, U.S. Gulf Coast refiners are lining up repairs to plants in 2017 – but facing a severe labor shortage that could delay work, drive up costs and raise accident risks. Fuel producers such as Marathon Petroleum Corp ( MPC.N ) and Valero Energy Corp ( VLO.N ) have delayed routine work in the past 24 months amid high margins. Those margins collapsed this year in a global fuel supply glut, providing an incentive for refiners to undertake the shutdowns necessary for maintenance. But refiners are now competing for pipe fitters and ironworkers with a host of billion-dollar energy projects, including Cheniere Energy’s ( LNG.A ) liquefied natural gas export terminals and a new petrochemical unit for Dow Chemical ( DOW.N ). Without undertaking the work they […]