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Refining

French unions block fuel depots in protest against labor reforms

PARIS (Reuters) — French trade unionists blocked access on Monday to several fuel depots in protest against an overhaul of employment laws, seeking to test the government's will to reform the economy.

India's refining capacity expansions lags growth in fuel demand

SINGAPORE (Reuters) — India may export fewer fuels in the next four years as growth in the demand for oil products is rising faster than new refining to produce them is being added, an Essar Oil company executive said on Monday.

Sri Lanka in talks with two Chinese firms for $3 B refinery

COLOMBO (Reuters) — Sri Lanka is in talks with two Chinese companies about investing up to $3 B to build in a new refinery at its Chinese-controlled port, a top government official said on Friday.

Japan's Idemitsu shuts Chiba naphtha cracker

TOKYO (Reuters) — Japan's Idemitsu Kosan shut the 414,000 tpy Chiba naphtha cracker on Friday to increase its capacity to process propane, an industry source familiar with the matter said.

Secretary of Energy announces integrated biorefinery optimization projects

WASHINGTON, D.C. — US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has selected eight projects to negotiate for up to $15 MM in total DOE funding to optimize integrated biorefineries.

ExxonMobil Baytown, Beaumont refineries begin fuels production

IRVING, Texas — ExxonMobil said that its Baytown and Beaumont refineries have begun producing fuels at reduced rates and that crude oil and refined product pipelines in the Gulf and other regions of Texas have restarted as recovery continues from Hurricane Harvey.

Phillips 66 to sell assets to MLP in $2.4-B deal

(Reuters) — Phillips 66 Partners LP, the master limited partnership (MLP) of Phillips 66, said it would buy assets from the refiner in a deal valued at $2.4 B, including debt, in its biggest acquisition ever.

Stormy weather exposes shortcomings of world's oil refineries

BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) — Hurricane Harvey's crippling impact on US oil refinery operations this month and the challenge buyers faced in filling the gap in gasoline supplies has exposed a shortage of spare refining capacity around the globe.

EIA: Changing quality mix affecting crude oil price differentials, refining decisions

Growth in global liquid fuels supply since March 2017 has been driven by increases in the production of historically higher-priced light crude oils. This growth has more than offset recent declines in the production of medium and heavy crude oils. As these production trends continue, price differences between certain crude oils are narrowing, and refinery operation decisions are changing.

Energy contract lawsuits expected to jump in Harvey's wake

HOUSTON (Reuters) — Lawyers expect a spate of force majeure contract lawsuits after Hurricane Harvey tore through Southeast Texas and parts of Louisiana last month, paralyzing a fifth of US fuel output and pushing some oil production offline.