Refining
Shell Midstream Partners to acquire additional assets from Shell
HOUSTON — Shell Midstream Partners, L.P. entered into a purchase and sale agreement to acquire from wholly owned subsidiaries of Shell a 100% interest in five products terminals and partial interest in two Gulf of Mexico corridor pipelines and in two strategic onshore pipelines for $825 MM.
Indian oil refiners issue tanker tenders aimed at boosting domestic shipping
NEW DELHI/SINGAPORE (Reuters) — Two of India's state-owned oil refiners have issued tenders seeking to charter tankers for at least five years while giving preference to Indian companies, tender documents reviewed by Reuters showed, which would boost domestic shipping firms battered by slumping tanker rates.
Refining: What is blending?
Not a day passes without publications, the blogosphere and pundits wringing their hands over the concept of fuel blending. In today’s low-priced crude oil market, the fuel blending business gives blenders a competitive edge that grows every day, attracting new customers and potential new producers intrigued by the possibility of making “easy” money.
Dark oil: Loophole lets Russian refiners dodge duties
(Reuters) — Two Russian refiners are avoiding export duty on fuel oil and vacuum gas oil by renaming them as an oil product that is exempt from the charge, according to a Reuters analysis of customs and refining data, and four industry sources.
Innovations
In the demanding environment of a Claus reaction furnace, flame detection sensors must distinguish whether a flame is still burning against a hot refractory lining background.
Global Project Data
<i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i>’s Construction Boxscore Database is tracking more than 1,700 active downstream projects around the world.
Industry Perspectives: New downstream project announcements drop 14% in 2017
According to Hydrocarbon Processing’s Construction Boxscore Database, more than 770 new projects have been announced over the past 3 yr.
Africa: The rise in Africa’s oil storage infrastructure investments
The drop in crude oil prices, a growing transportation sector and an underperforming crude processing industry have created a strong demand for additional storage facilities in Africa, which is the preferred method of meeting fuel consumption requirements.
Global: Increase in Russian fuel excise tax may hit refinery profitability
The Russian government’s recent decision to raise the excise tax on motor fuel by 1 RUB/l in 2018 may lead to serious losses for the country’s domestic refining industry.
Reliability: Deriving high value from reliability conferences
In August 2017, a publisher-colleague and I attended an important regional reliability conference in Galveston, Texas.
- Borouge reaffirms commitment to local manufacturing with new industry supply agreements 1/10
- Update: Turkey's Izmir refinery now expects to restart crude unit in Feb, IIR says 1/10
- Pertamina unit to produce ISCC-certified SAF in 1Q 1/10
- WTO panel largely backs EU in palm oil case against Indonesia 1/10
- Howard Energy Partners acquires ethylene pipeline from EPIC Midstream Holdings 1/10
- U.S. to impose further sanctions on Russian oil fleet and traders 1/10
