Refining
Canada pledges to toughen oil tanker safety rules
Resources Minister Joe Oliver and Transport Minister Denis Lebel were in Vancouver, British Columbia this week to unveil the latest proposals, which include establishing a panel tasked with recommending further changes to create a so-called "world-class" tanker safety system.
US fuel makers use rail lines to tap Canadian oil
As the fight over the Keystone XL pipeline drags on, US refiners are turning to railroads to bring crude from Canada's oil sands to many refineries along the Gulf of Mexico.
EIA projects rising US domestic oil production
Projected crude production is expected to average 7.3 million bpd in 2013 and 7.9 million bpd in 2014. EIA expects total consumption to rise slightly over the next two years to an average of 18.7 million bpd.
US lawmakers scrutinize role of ethanol credits in gasoline price spike
The price of credits used by refiners to meet federal ethanol blending requirements has risen more than 1,000% in recent weeks. The heightened volatility in this normally sleepy market has raised concerns that it is a factor in the recent rise in the price of gasoline.
Update on US refinery production outages
Unplanned and planned production outages at US refineries, as reported by Dow Jones Newswires.
TAIF awards engineering deal to Toyo for Russian refinery modernization
The modernization project at Nizhnekamsk will be completed in 2016. The upgraded complex will convert the following oil refinery heavy residues: 2,700,000 tpy of vacuum residue and 1 million tpy of vacuum gas oil with a high ratio of conversion to more high-quality oil products.
CHS to hike McPherson refinery capacity in Kansas
The multi-faceted project, which will begin this spring, will boost refining capacity to 100,000 bpd from the facility's current 85,000 bpd. Completion will take place in phases during the second half of calendar 2015 and the first months of 2016, with production coming on line in early 2016.
Shell licenses gasification technology to Aramco for Jazan power project
The Jazan integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) agreement includes the licensing of Shell gasification and acid gas removal technologies as well as engineering services. Shell’s CRI/Criterion catalysts and a sulphur recovery unit will also treat the off gases from the acid gas removal unit.
Valero to export Texas crude oil to Quebec refinery
"It's flooding the Gulf coast," CEO Bill Klesse said of light, sweet crude produced at shale formations in the US. Though the infrastructure to transport that crude to coastal refineries has lagged, Mr. Klesse said pipelines are coming online and rail is closing the gap in the mean time.
ZeaChem begins commercial-grade production at Oregon cellulosic biorefinery
Among the first operational cellulosic biorefineries in the world, this demonstration facility showcases the scalability of ZeaChem’s biorefining process and serves as a key stepping stone toward large-scale commercial production. The plant is employing its ZeaChem's C2 (two-carbon atom) platform.
- CTCI awarded $417-MM EPC contract to build ethylene storage in Qatar 11/15
- Russian refineries cut oil runs due to losses, closures loom 11/15
- Spain's Moeve swings to quarterly loss on weak refining margins 11/15
- Asia naphtha supply expected to remain tight over next two years 11/15
- Countries, companies lag in response to tackle methane emissions, U.N. says 11/15
- U.S. energy draws up a wish list for new Trump administration 11/15
