Refining
US Senate votes to let Navy keep buying biofuels
In its vote, the Senate rejected a measure introduced earlier this year by Sen. James Inhofe (R., Okla.) that would have banned the military from buying any fuel that costs more than traditional fuel. That measure would have prevented the Pentagon from buying small batches of pricey biofuels.
Sinopec plans Hong Kong IPO for new downstream engineering business
Beijing-based Sinopec Engineering Co., which was set up in September with a registered capital of 3.1 billion yuan ($500 million), is hoping that a Hong Kong listeing could raise its profile in the international market, as it strives to secure more overseas engineering and construction projects, a source said.
Motiva to restart expanded Port Arthur refinery
Motiva, a joint venture of Shell and Saudi Aramco, opened the $10bn expansion in May, making the combined 600,000-bpd refinery the largest in the US before a chemical accident forced its main crude distillation unit to close.
Jacobs licenses sulfur recovery technology to VKG for Estonia shale oil refinery
Services are being provided from Jacobs’ Leiden office in The Netherlands. Under the terms of the contract, Jacobs is licensing its proprietary EUROCLAUS technology to VKG; and is also providing the basic design package, training, start up and commissioning assistance services.
Oil industry seeks repeal of US ethanol standard
A fight is brewing over a federal law requiring ethanol in gasoline, and the battle intensified Tuesday when the API said it will request that Congress repeal the statute. The law requires refiners to blend billions of gallons of ethanol into gasoline, with the goal of using 36 billion gallons by 2022.
Petrobras enlists Citigroup to sell Houston refinery
Petrobras has enlisted Citigroup to shop its 100,000 bpd Houston-area refinery, sources said, as the Brazilian state-run oil company continues to shed assets to help fund offshore drilling back home. A sale of the 100,000-barrel-a-day refinery will likely result in a loss for the company.
PTT to study petrochemical, refining proposals in Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar
Indonesia and Myanmar show potential, the company's CEO said. Meanwhile, a $28.7 billion, 660,000-bpd refinery and petrochemical complex at the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone in coastal Binh Dinh province is the subject of a completed feasibility study submitted to the Vietnamese government for approval.
Essar Energy sees improving UK refining margins
Essar is now processing 11 crude grades at Stanlow, enabling it to take advantage of lower cost opportunities, and it said a new natural-gas supply, to fuel the plant's boilers, will allow more flexibility in the choice of crude oils it processes. Gross refining margins were $8.03/bbl in the period.
Enbridge forms US venture to ship Bakken crudes
The Enbridge joint venture with Canopy will be the largest unit-train facility able to receive crudes from North Dakota, where production is booming, directly into Philadelphia-area refineries. By early next year, its Bakken expansion program will add 200,000 bpd of export pipeline capacity.
AFPM files petition for 2013 biodiesel volumes
The rule increased the volume of biomass-based diesel from 1 billion to 1.28 billion gallons.
- 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
