Refining
Oil via Russia's Druzhba pipeline halted by technical problems
Russian and Kazakh oil flows to Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Germany via the Druzhba pipeline have stopped since Thursday due to technical problems at a Russian pumping station.
Verde Clean Fuels receives $50-MM investment from Cottonmouth Ventures for the potential development of GTG plants in the Permian Basin (U.S.)
Proceeds from the investment are expected to be used to further the development and construction of potential natural gas-to-gasoline production plants in the Permian Basin (U.S.). The proposed plants would produce fully-refined gasoline utilizing Verde’s patented STG+® process from associated natural gas feedstock supplied from Diamondback's operations in the Permian Basin.
India to surpass China as the top source of global oil consumption growth in 2024 and 2025
India has emerged as the leading source of growth in global oil consumption in 2024 and 2025, overtaking China this year, according to the U.S. EIA's December Short-Term Energy Outlook.
Neste to supply SAF to Air New Zealand marking the airline’s largest purchase of SAF to date
Neste and Air New Zealand have signed an agreement for the supply of 23,000 tons (30 million liters) of neat, i.e. unblended Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel. It is the airline's largest purchase of SAF to date. The SAF will be used by Air New Zealand at Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO) international airports through to February 2026.
NextChem awarded licensing contract for 60,000-tpy SAF plant in Indonesia
NextChem (Sustainable Technology Solutions) has been awarded the licensing and the Process Design Package for a 60,000-tpy sustainable aviation fuel plant located in Sei Mangkei, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. This will be the first plant that will produce SAF with high efficiency, mainly from palm oil mill effluent (POME), enabling the full valorization of this feedstock in the country.
HIF Global begins installation of first direct air capture unit in Chile
HIF Global, a leading e-Fuels company, has announced the arrival of the first direct air capture (DAC) unit in Chile, an innovative technology that allows the extraction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the atmosphere.
Sinopec: China's oil consumption to peak by 2027
China's oil consumption is set to peak by 2027, state refining giant Sinopec said on Thursday, as diesel and gasoline demand weaken in the world's biggest oil importer, a slowdown that has rattled global oil markets this year.
Emirates Biotech selects Sulzer Technology to build polylactic acid production facility
Sulzer’s technology has been selected by Emirates Biotech for its upcoming polylactic acid (PLA) production plant in the United Arab Emirates. The facility will be constructed in two phases, each with an annual capacity of 80,000 tons, resulting in a total production capacity of 160,000 tpy.
Russia's December idle oil refining capacity revised up 35%
Russia plans to take 1.48 MM tonnes (t) of refining capacity offline in December, up by 35% from a previous estimate but still below the 2.4 MMt in November.
EIA: U.S. crude stocks fell last week as exports jumped
U.S. crude and distillate inventories fell in the week ending December 13 as exports surged, while gasoline stockpiles rose.

- Transition Industries signs agreements for the Pacifico Mexinol Project, an ultra-low carbon chemical production facility 7/3
- Bangkok Airways introduces SAF on commercial flights 7/3
- EcoCeres secures SAF contract with British Airways to help reduce carbon emissions 7/3
- Air Liquide to invest up to $200 MM in Louisiana, U.S. to support industrial growth 7/3
- MOL completes the acquisition of LBC Tank Terminals 7/3
- BHP awards charter contracts for two ammonia dual-fueled vessels 7/3