Refining
US lawmakers scrutinize role of ethanol credits in gasoline price spike
The price of credits used by refiners to meet federal ethanol blending requirements has risen more than 1,000% in recent weeks. The heightened volatility in this normally sleepy market has raised concerns that it is a factor in the recent rise in the price of gasoline.
Update on US refinery production outages
Unplanned and planned production outages at US refineries, as reported by Dow Jones Newswires.
TAIF awards engineering deal to Toyo for Russian refinery modernization
The modernization project at Nizhnekamsk will be completed in 2016. The upgraded complex will convert the following oil refinery heavy residues: 2,700,000 tpy of vacuum residue and 1 million tpy of vacuum gas oil with a high ratio of conversion to more high-quality oil products.
CHS to hike McPherson refinery capacity in Kansas
The multi-faceted project, which will begin this spring, will boost refining capacity to 100,000 bpd from the facility's current 85,000 bpd. Completion will take place in phases during the second half of calendar 2015 and the first months of 2016, with production coming on line in early 2016.
Shell licenses gasification technology to Aramco for Jazan power project
The Jazan integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) agreement includes the licensing of Shell gasification and acid gas removal technologies as well as engineering services. Shell’s CRI/Criterion catalysts and a sulphur recovery unit will also treat the off gases from the acid gas removal unit.
Valero to export Texas crude oil to Quebec refinery
"It's flooding the Gulf coast," CEO Bill Klesse said of light, sweet crude produced at shale formations in the US. Though the infrastructure to transport that crude to coastal refineries has lagged, Mr. Klesse said pipelines are coming online and rail is closing the gap in the mean time.
ZeaChem begins commercial-grade production at Oregon cellulosic biorefinery
Among the first operational cellulosic biorefineries in the world, this demonstration facility showcases the scalability of ZeaChem’s biorefining process and serves as a key stepping stone toward large-scale commercial production. The plant is employing its ZeaChem's C2 (two-carbon atom) platform.
Saudi Aramco leases Fujairah fuel storage facility
The unit, known as Aramco Trading, inked the agreement with Vopak Horizon Fujairah, "Aramco Trading will use the fuel storage facility to optimize its trading portfolio as parent Saudi Aramco's downstream investment portfolio expands in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and overseas," it said.
FedEx truck fleets to shift to natural gas from diesel
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, CEO Frederick W. Smith said he expects between 5% and 30% of US long-distance trucking to be fueled by compressed or liquefied natural gas over 10 years, as the cost of the trucks declines and fueling stations become more common.
India's HPCL plans new refining complex in Barmer
The state-run company's board approved an investment of 370 billion rupees ($6.7 billion) to set up a 9-million tpy refinery and petrochemical complex in the northwest town of Barmer. India's demand for hydrocarbons is growing at a rapid pace, driven by industrialization and the automobiles market.
- NAPCOR releases 2024 PET recycling report highlighting system efficiency gains and continued strength of PET circularity 12/12
- OQ courts other partners for petrochemical complex in Oman as SABIC drops out 12/12
- Brazil's BNDES approves $71 MM for carbon storage project 12/12
- Cuba on edge as U.S. seizure of oil tanker puts supply at risk 12/12
- China oil demand to plateau between 2025 and 2030 12/12
- Germany's PCK refinery says no impact from pipeline leak 12/12
