Environment
Digital Feature: How consensus-based standards are shaping the future of oil and natural gas worldwide
With its cross-border projects, interconnected supply chains and technical systems spanning continents, the global oil and natural gas industry is indeed complex. And while managing safety, sustainability, efficiency and reliability across these diverse environments has never been simple, the challenges continue to grow as expectations rise and technologies evolve.
New Mediterranean IMO fuel rule helps bring more Doba crude to Europe
Dutch and German oil refineries have snapped up all four cargoes of Chadian Doba crude in April to profit from soaring demand for cleaner marine fuel in Europe from shipping companies including Maersk. Heavy, sweet Doba grade is particularly suitable for making ultra-low sulfur fuel oil (ULSFO) with a maximum sulfur content of 0.1%.
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. receives recyclability certification for advanced, multi-layer food packaging materials
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation announced that its multi-layer film containing SoarnoL™, a gas barrier resin used in food packaging materials, and Soaresin™, a recycling aid, has received recyclability certification from U.S. recyclability certification organization the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR).
HutanBio's microalgal biofuel production shown to be net-negative in an EcoAct independent lifecycle assessment
HutanBio, a pioneering UK-based climate technology company, has announced that the production process for its proprietary HBx microalgal biofuel achieves net-negative carbon emissions, based on an independent cradle-to-gate lifecycle assessment (LCA) conducted by EcoAct, a leading international sustainability consultancy and a wholly owned subsidiary of Schneider Electric Sustainability Business.
Venezuela restarts Carbon refinery's FCCU after a year out of service
Venezuela's second largest refinery, Cardon, restarted its fluid catalytic cracker which had been out of service for more than a year due to a failure and lack of raw materials
Petrobras doubles processing capacity at UPGN in Boaventura Energy Complex
The second module of the natural gas processing unit of the Boaventura Energy Complex, located in Itaboraí, has begun commercial operations. In addition to the first module, inaugurated last year, the unit's total processing capacity reaches 21 million m³/day.
BASF partners with Plug Power to deploy purification solutions in their advanced hydrogen liquefaction plants
BASF announced the signing of a Cooperation Agreement with Plug Power, positioning BASF’s advanced DeOxo catalysts as an offer within Plug Power’s hydrogen liquefaction plants globally to enhance their market offerings, improving reliability and cost efficiency.
TotalEnergies seeks permit for $16-B green hydrogen/ammonia project in Chile
The project, run by the Chilean subsidiary TEC H2 MAG, is expected to begin operations in 2030 and includes a wind farm, seven electrolysis centers for green hydrogen, a desalination plant, an ammonia plant and maritime infrastructure for shipping.
U.S. sustainable aviation fuel production takes off as new capacity comes online
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production is growing in the U.S. as new capacity comes online. U.S. production of Other Biofuels, the category the U.S. EIA uses to capture SAF, approximately doubled from December 2024 to February 2025.
BASF’s Intermediates division converts European amines portfolio to 100% renewable electricity
The transition starts in May 2025 and will apply to all amines produced at the European production sites in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Antwerp, Belgium.

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- Indonesia urges EU to remove biodiesel import curbs after WTO ruling 8/25
- Canada's Alberta eyes investment in Japan's refining to boost oil exports 8/25
- U.S. EPA approves biofuel waivers for small refiners, stirring concerns over demand 8/25
- Update: Russian oil supplies to Slovakia may resume as soon as today 8/25
- Liquid Sun launches eSAF production pilot with ABB, Finnair, Fortum and Finavia 8/25