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Refining

Valero’s profit falls on lower US refining margins

Net income attributable to Valero's stockholders fell to $298 million, or 62 cents/share, for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31, from $1.16 billion, or $2.22/share, a year earlier.

Asian fuel oil market challenged as refiners switch to crude as feedstock

The economic slowdown will add to an expected plunge in fuel oil demand as the majority of China's independent refiners, known as teapots, turn to crude oil instead of fuel oil as their primary feedstock for making fuels such as gasoline and diesel.

Pakistan to pay rising cost for gasoline imports

The offers for the 87-octane grade gasoline were at least 24% higher than Pakistan State Oil paid for a total of 450,000 tons of gasoline for December to January delivery.

California counties oppose Phillips 66’s oil-by-rail project to local refinery

It is one of several rail projects on the US West Coast that have undergone lengthy environmental reviews while facing heated opposition in light of fiery crude train crashes since mid-2013.

BASF warns of lower-than-expected earnings

Low oil prices, normally a boon to chemical companies, hurt BASF's oil and gas business Wintershall, which accounted for 20% of its 2014 sales.

Gasoline cargoes sail to Iran, but oil exports lag

Iran is a gasoline importer despite being the third largest producer within the OPEC group, as its outdated refining industry cannot meet rising petrol needs in the country.

Chinese fuel glut to worsen as refiners raise rates

Smaller independent refiners, known in the industry as teapots, will account for the majority of the increase in refining this year as the country's bigger state-owned processors reduce production, CNPC said. Most of the teapots are clustered around the eastern Chinese province of Shandong.

China grants four additional crude-import licenses to non-major refiners

The four firms are Shandong Huifeng Petrochemical Group, Tianhong Chemical, and Shandong Chambroad Petrochemicals Co., Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co., the ministry said.

India’s state refiners agree to jointly build new world-scale refinery

Indian Oil Corp., the nation’s biggest refiner, will build a 60 MMtpy (1.2 MMbpd) oil refinery in Maharashtra together with Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum and Engineers India.

China’s diesel use falls as gas, gasoline post gains

The 3.7% decline in diesel demand in 2015 is greater than the 1.5% drop in diesel usage in 2014. Meanwhile, gasoline and natural gas consumption rose by 7% and 5.7%, respectively.