Americas
EU extends import duties on US biodiesel to 2020
The EU first set the duties in 2009 on several US producers of biodiesel, including Archer Daniels Midland and Cargill. In making the decision, the European Commission came to the conclusion that the US tax credit of $1/gal of biodiesel was harming European producers.
Amec Foster Wheeler chosen as engineer for YCI’s Louisiana methanol project
Under the contract, the value of which has not been disclosed, Amec Foster Wheeler will be providing engineering, project management, procurement and early construction services. The intention is to extend this into a full scope EPC contract during 2016 on mutually agreed terms.
BP plans layoffs at Texas City petrochemical plant
A BP spokesman said the Texas City complex is shutting a paraxylene (PX) unit that has been idle for over a year due to market conditions and to make better use of resources.
Olin shareholders approve $5B chlor-alkali, vinyls merger with Dow Chemical
Olin said on Tuesday that its shareholders overwhelmingly approved the necessary stock measures to complete the pending merger with Dow Chemical's US chlor-alkali and vinyl, global chlorinated organics and global epoxy businesses. The deal should be complete in October.
Audubon Engineering plans Colorado expansion
The new office space is located in the Durango Tech Center in Colorado and will provide the necessary capacity to support growing market penetration for engineering services, sales and leadership functions.
GE creates new digital business for industrial internet, software solutions
GE Digital will integrate GE’s Software Center, the expertise of GE’s global IT and commercial software teams, and the industrial security strength of Wurldtech, according to company officials. This new model will be led by Bill Ruh, chief digital officer.
KBC wins consulting contracts to improve margins at Middle East refineries
KBC was awarded a three-year, $8.5-million consulting contract to assist a major Middle Eastern client with margin improvement and workforce capability development across three refineries.
API: Study shows US ethanol mandates in RFS as safety risk
The statutory biofuel mandates in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are infeasible to achieve in 2015 and beyond and may harm US consumers, according to the API study.
Flint Hills contracts Wood Group for engineering of Corpus refinery upgrade
Wood Group Mustang completed the conceptual and front-end engineering design phases of the project and is now providing detail engineering, procurement services, module fabrication oversight and construction engineering support services. Work is being done in Houston and Bogota, Colombia.
Total limits Texas refinery operations after worker dies in bulldozer accident
Thomas Courts, a 66-year-old contractor from Denton, Texas, drowned in the large pit beneath the coker after the bulldozer he was driving flipped over early on Saturday.

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