Refining
BP may sell stake in Russian crude venture TNK-BP
BP said Friday that it had received unsolicited indications of interest regarding the potential acquisition of its 50% stake in Russian crude oil venture TNK-BP. The company was formed in 2003 as the result of the merger of BP’s Russian oil and gas assets and the assets of Alfa Access Renova.
Gunvor to buy idled Petroplus refinery in Germany
The trader says its purchase of the 100,000 bpd Ingolstadt refinery is in line with an infrastructure investment program and a company strategy to become vertically integrated.
Motiva inaugurates major Texas refinery expansion
Executives of the companies that jointly own Motiva - Peter Voser, CEO of Shell, and Khalid Al-Falih, CEO of Saudi Aramco - turned the ceremonial valve commemorating the start of oil flowing through new processing units at the complex. The expanded refinery can process a wider variety of crude oils.
Shell to expand Athabasca oil sands as CEO sees Canada output growing
Shell will expand its Athabasca oil sands project by a third by the end of the decade, and Canada will make up a larger share of Shell's energy production over that period, CEO Peter Voser said. That would bring the project, in which Shell owns 60%, to at least 335,000 bpd of production.
Petroplus refinery in UK poised to shut down after no buyer found
The permanent closure of Petroplus’ Coryton refinery in England has become more likely after the plant's administrator said Monday it has been unable to sell or refinance it, but the UK government said any closure was unlikely to result in fuel shortages. The refinery will be idled in a matter of days.
T. Boone Pickens finds flaws in US energy plans of Obama, Romney
The energy titan didn't endorse either presidential candidate, saying Obama's "all of the above" energy plan needed to be more specific and Romney's plan is "not total".
Gevo starts up commercial bio-based isobutanol plant in Minnesota
Next-generation biofuels company Gevo has successfully started up what it says is the world’s first commercial bio-based isobutanol production plant, located in Luverne, Minnesota. Gevo said it expects to reach full-capacity run rates by year-end 2013 after a run rate of 1 million gal/ month by late 2012.
EPA could double fraudulent US biofuel claims
Republicans say they have evidence the EPA may double the number of US biodiesel credits it has deemed fraudulent, raising the specter of more financial penalties for refiners.
Memorial Day holiday travel projected higher in US, may raise gasoline demand
The American Automobile Association (AAA) group projects 34.8 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, an increase of 1.2% from a year ago. The survey found 53% said recent increases in gasoline prices would not impact their plans.
Aramco, Sumitomo approve second phase of Saudi petrochemicals expansion
Sumitomo Chemical and Saudi Aramco are moving ahead with phase two of their Petro Rabigh integrated refinery and petrochemicals expansion in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia. Each new plant will be brought on stream as it becomes available for operation, beginning the first half of 2016, the companies said.
- Sinopec, Aramco start building $10-B petchem complex in China's Fujian 11/18
- Clariant EnviCat N2O-S catalyst to cut CO2eq by 690,000 tpy at Hengli’s nitric acid plant in China 11/18
- Russia's Ilsky refinery has asked for gov't help over high rates, modernization 11/18
- North Dakota (U.S.) approves Summit Carbon pipeline permit 11/18
- China's oil refinery output falls from a year ago for a seventh month 11/18
- European oil giants step back from renewables path 11/18
