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Refining

Motiva finds chemical leak to CDU of expanded Port Arthur refinery

HP Editorial Staff: HP News Services

Motiva will again have to shut down a crude distillation unit at its expanded refinery segment in Port Arthur, Texas, that had been restarted after about six months of repairs.

NuStar to sell small San Antonio refinery to Calumet

The 14,500-bpd, soon-to-be-sold refinery produces and sells various products, including jet fuels, ultra-low sulfur diesel, and other highly specialized fuels. The Elmendorf terminal, located about 12 miles away from the refinery, stores the crude oil that is processed at the refinery.

Delta Air to lose money on Trainer refinery in Q4, but future savings expected

The airline attributes the loss during the quarter to Superstorm Sandy, which battered the US East Coast in September. The storm hit just after Delta restarted its 175,000 bpd refinery in Pennsylvania after spending the summer on maintenance work to maximize jet-fuel production.

IEA sees global crude refining volumes on rise

In its monthly report on the oil sector, the IEA said that the projected daily average for refinery runs was up year-on-year by 950,000 bbl, to 75.3 million bbl. Growth is expected to continue into the first quarter of 2013, when refinery throughput is forecast to be 75.8 million bpd.

ExxonMobil sees North America becoming net oil, gas exporter by 2025

The closely watched annual forecast of energy trends, set to be released Tuesday, concludes the growth of US and Canadian oil and gas production has staying power and could lead to more international shipments of oil and gas, said Exxon's vice president of corporate strategic planning, who led the study.

EIA lowers 2012 forecast for US crude oil prices

Spot prices for West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, will average $88.51/bbl in the fourth quarter, according to the December edition of the US Energy Department's Short-Term Energy Outlook. That's down from the $89.50/bbl that was predicted in November's report.

Aramco cyber attack targeted Saudi production

HP Editorial Staff: HP News Services

The oil giant says an August cyber attack on its computer network targeted not just the company but the kingdom's economy as a whole, seeking to stop oil and gas production. The interior ministry joined Aramco's investigation into the attack that affected some 30,000 of the firm's computers.

Enbridge to expand light oil pipeline network from North Dakota, Canada

The program is one of several projects the big Calgary, Alberta company and others have unveiled this year to respond to booming North American energy output, particularly in the continental Midwest, where pipeline constraints have led to bottlenecks and lower prices for the region's crude.

BP plans $350mn expansion for Brazil ethanol plant

Processing capacity will double to 5 million tons of sugarcane, thereby producing 450 million litres/year of ethanol equivalent. The mill will be operating at full capacity by the end of 2014 or early 2015.

US energy sector poised for rising M&A activity

Volume and value levels in oil and gas are close to 2011 levels with an increase in mega deals led by private-equity funds that have increased their investment and exposure to the energy industry. PwC said it expects deal activity to rise in 2013, with ongoing consolidation in shale plays very likely.