Refining
BP finishes crude unit upgrade at Whiting refinery
The Whiting facility is BP's largest US refinery. Work at the plant has been ongoing since 2008 and is now 95% done, the company said. Projects included a reconfiguration of the 250,000-bpd crude distillation unit. The project also included the addition of new coking capacity and processing units.
Refinery watch: Planned and unplanned US outages (3)
Citgo Petroleum said June 27 that its Lemont, Ill., refinery has resolved "support system disruptions" it experienced during storms, with no production impact. Valero reported unplanned flaring at its Wilmington, Calif., refinery June 26 due to an issue with the third-party hydrogen plant that supplies it.
Aramco, Sinopec to start operations at new Saudi refinery by late 2014
Aramco and Sinopec Group signed the deal to develop the 400,000-bpd refinery, known as Yasref, in January last year. Sinopec holds a 37.5% stake in the project, while Saudi Aramco owns 62.5%. The proposed commence date is slightly behind schedule, which was slated for September 2014.
Refinery closures hurt Europe's energy security
Some of Europe's largest economies face a growing risk of fuel-supply disruptions, as issues that drove many of the region's refineries out of business are set to intensify.
Sasol, Total pick Fluor as contractor in South Africa clean fuels project
Natref, the only inland crude refinery in South Africa, is a joint venture between Sasol and Total. The undisclosed contract value will be booked in Fluor’s second quarter of 2013, the company said. This award follows the successful completion of a feasibility study and conceptual engineering by Fluor.
Rosneft chooses Honeywell to supply automation for Tuapse refinery
Honeywell will deliver a comprehensive set of services to equip the Tuapse refinery with a single integrated control system. With Experion PKS, the refinery will be able to improve both the efficiency and profitability. Honeywell will also provide assistance during the design and commissioning stages.
Haldor Topsøe, Phillips 66, others produce gasoline from woody biomass
In the future, biomass may be a significant feedstock source and Haldor Topsøe expects that the combination of technologies used will be part of the solution to future fuel supply. The integrated pilot plant consists of Andritz Carbona gasification and Andritz Carbona/Haldor Topsøe catalytic reforming.
Refinery watch: Planned and unplanned US outages (2)
ExxonMobil shut down the crude-distillation unit at its refinery in Torrance, Calif., for unplanned maintenance, the company said June 20. Exxon didn't say how long maintenance was expected to last. Motiva Enterprises shut down a production unit at its refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, on June 14.
US Supreme Court rejects challenges to E15
The court is refusing to consider legal challenges by several industry trade groups against an Environmental Protection Agency move to expand ethanol use in the US.
Shell mulls Philippines floating LNG import terminal near Batangas refinery
If the company goes ahead with the project, the terminal will be a floating facility near Shell's refinery in Batangas, a province just south of Manila, a Shell executive said. He didn't provide details of the feasibility study or the investment required for the project, with a decision to be made in the next year.
- thyssenkrupp Uhde completes pre-FEED for HAMR Energy’s renewable fuels project in Australia 8/21
- Europe distillates-diesel profit margins firm 8/21
- U.S.: Indiana's bp refinery restarts after severe flooding 8/21
- Berlin weighs trusteeship extension for Rosneft's German assets 8/21
- Trump administration to rule on biofuel exemption requests, delay reallocation decision 8/21
- TotalEnergies' Donges refinery fire extinguished 8/21
