Asia/Pacific
China teapot oil refiners improve run rates but demand woes, sanctions weigh
Run rates for China's struggling independent oil refiners have nudged up recently, but still face near-term pressure over tepid domestic fuel demand and supply risks from U.S. sanctions and tariffs.
Update: India's fuel demand hits 10-month high in March
India's fuel demand in March hit a 10-month high, rising 9.3% from the previous month to 20.91 MM tonnes (t).
China's Wanhua Chemical starts operation at new east China cracker
China's Wanhua Chemical Group has successfully started up its 1.2-MMtpy mixed-feed cracker in east China's Shandong province and achieved on-spec production of ethylene.
Japan to curb gasoline prices from June to cushion U.S. tariff blow
Japan's ruling coalition agreed to curb gasoline prices to help cushion households against wider economic pain stemming from U.S. tariffs
DB Schenker to use Neste's renewable diesel to decarbonize logistics in Asia
Neste and DB Schenker, one of the world’s leading logistics service providers, have collaborated to work towards expanding DB Schenker’s adoption of Neste MY Renewable Diesel in Asia-Pacific. This partnership underscores the shared commitment of both companies to progress towards lower-emission logistics.
Quaker Houghton completes its acquisition of Dipsol Chemicals and announces its acquisition of Natech
Quaker Houghton, a global industrial process fluids company, has completed its previously announced acquisition of Dipsol Chemicals, a supplier of surface treatment and plating solutions and services primarily for the automotive and other industrial applications, for ~$153 MM.
Shell completes Singapore refinery sale to Chandra Asri-Glencore JV
Shell has completed the sale of its Singapore refinery and refining assets to a Chandra Asri-Glencore JV, and trade sources said the new owners had already started purchasing feedstock.
Japan's Maruzen Petrochemical to shut ethylene unit in Chiba
Japan's Maruzen Petrochemical, a unit of Cosmo Energy Holdings, will shut its ethylene unit in Chiba in the 2026/27 financial year and consolidate production at Keiyo Ethylene, its joint venture with Sumitomo Chemical, the companies said.
BASF starts up its first plant for recycled polyamide 6
BASF announced the start-up of the world’s first commercial loopamid® plant. The production facility at the Caojing site in Shanghai, China, has an annual capacity of 500 metric tons and marks an important step in the supply of sustainable products for the textile industry.
China's Rongsheng Petchem opens Canada office, buys crude from Suncor
China's Rongsheng Petrochemical, China's largest independent refiner with capacity of 40 MMtpy or 800,000 bpd, has opened an office in Canada to buy Canadian crude and made its first purchase from local producer Suncor Energy.
- HIF Global and German eFuel One GmbH sign HoA for e-methanol offtake 2/20
- Venezuela's refineries boost processing to 35% of capacity 2/20
- New Trinidad gas projects could provide necessary feedstock for country's petchem and LNG sectors 2/20
- MK-Polymer delivers ethylene-propylene rubber to JSC Kazenergokabel 2/20
- Mexican authorities shut down 22-m long tunnel used in illegal smuggling of fuel supplies 2/20
- Digital Feature: First-stage ejector nozzle retrofit achieves meaningful performance improvement 2/20

