Environment & Safety Gas Processing/LNG Maintenance & Reliability Petrochemicals Process Control Process Optimization Project Management Refining

Refining

Norway bomb blast targeted oil ministry - reports

The bombing that rocked Oslo, Norway, on Friday appeared to target the nation’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, according to local media reports. The explosion blew out the windows of a large government office building and damaged several others, including one that holds the prime minister’s office, according to the Washington Post.

Safety progress in Gulf of Mexico drilling should lead to more US permits - API

The US oil and natural gas industry has significantly improved offshore safety, according to Erik Milito, group director of upstream and industry operations at the American Petroleum Institute (API), in testimony delivered this week to the US Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard.

China's CNOOC to buy Canadian oil sands firm Opti

Chinese oil giant CNOOC has agreed to acquire Canadian oil sands producer Opti Canada for about $2.1 billion. The transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Morgan Thermal Ceramics to supply heat insulation modules for Jubail refinery JV

Morgan Thermal Ceramics, a firm that designs and manufactures advanced heat insulation products, has been awarded a contract to supply modules for a refinery being constructed by SATORP, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Total.

Dow Chemical, Mitsui form biopolymers JV in Brazil

US-based Dow Chemical and Japan-based Mitsui & Co. have formed a new joint venture aimed at providing sustainable product solutions to the global high-performance flexible packaging, hygiene and medical markets. This represents the world’s largest biopolymers play and is Dow’s largest investment in Brazil, a country in which Dow has operated successfully for more than 50 years, officials said.

NuStar, Koch reactivate Texas pipeline to transport Eagle Ford shale to Corpus

As part of an agreement with Koch Pipeline Co., NuStar Logistics has reactivated its Pettus South Pipeline to transport Eagle Ford Shale crude oil to Corpus Christi, Texas.

Oil, natural gas drilling in US increased in Q2 - API

US oil and natural gas well drilling activity increased in the 2011 second quarter, according to a quarterly analysis released by the American Petroleum Institute (API). An estimated 10,939 oil wells, natural gas wells and dry holes were completed, up 14% from 2010’s second quarter and up 46% from 2009’s second quarter.

Apache CEO lauds hydraulic fracturing disclosure law in Texas, asks others to follow

A new hydraulic fracturing disclosure law in the state of Texas - signed by Gov. Rick Perry late on Friday - demonstrates that states and oil and gas producers can work together to increase public confidence in the industry while developing abundant and cleaner-burning natural gas resources, according to Apache Corp. CEO G. Steven Farris.

BP unveils new Gulf deepwater drilling standards

The exploration and production operations of BP (BPXP) are poised to implement a new set of deepwater oil and gas drilling standards for Gulf of Mexico operations, which they say are based on lessons learned from the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.

Foster Wheeler, SOCAR form JV to build Azerbaijan oil, petchem complex

Foster Wheeler has agreed to form a jointly-owned company with the State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) in the Republic of Azerbaijan. SOCAR is a state-owned company engaged in the fields of oil and gas exploration, production, transportation and marketing. It intends to build an oil, gas processing and petrochemical complex in Garadag, Republic of Azerbaijan.