Americas
ExxonMobil Chemical wins top AFPM safety award at Baytown complex
Some 1,350 employees and contractors at ExxonMobil's Baytown chemical plant were recognized for safety performance in more than 5 million work hours in 2011 and 2012 with no recordable injuries.
Refinery watch: Planned and unplanned US outages
Motiva Enterprises on June 6 said planned maintenance on a delayed coker unit's gas recovery system at its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery under way since June 3 resulted in flaring. Tesoro on June 2 reported the start-up of a H2SO4 plant at its Golden Eagle Refinery in Martinez, California.
Kentz wins engineering work at Alaska gas cycling, condensate project
Kentz said it has been awarded a contract award in Alaska for the Point Thomson gas cycling and condensate production plant, its largest US contract to date. The precise value was not disclosed.
Petroperu to start Talara refinery upgrade in July
The president of Petroperu said preliminary work on the $2.7 billion project has already started. The government plans to reduce levels of sulfur and allow the aging refinery to refine heavier crude.
Canada crude production likely to double by 2030
In its annual long-term forecast for Canadian crude production, the industry trade group said crude oil production will reach 6.7 million bpd by 2030, up from 3.2 million bpd in 2012. CAPP said its forecast includes oil-sands production of 5.2 million bpd by 2030, up from 1.8 million last year.
US energy group asks Supreme Court to overturn E15 ethanol blends
The API says higher ethanol blends can damage engines and cause vehicles that use it to break down, even on vehicles that EPA has approved to use the fuel, according to Coordinating Research Council testing. Several auto manufacturers have said they will not honor warranties when E15 causes damage.
Kinder Morgan to expand Eagle Ford shale pipeline
Kinder Morgan plans to spend about $107 million to extend its Kinder Morgan Crude & Condensate pipeline system deeper into the Eagle Ford Shale play in Karnes County, Texas.
Foster Wheeler acquires key Mexican engineering company NorthAm
NorthAm is one of the largest Mexican engineering and project management companies, with a track record in upstream, offshore and onshore, downstream and power projects. With its main operations in Monterrey, Mexico City and Poza Rica, the company has approximately 400 employees.
Tesoro formally acquires BP refinery in Carson
With the June 1 completion of the $2.4 billion deal, Tesoro took ownership of the 266,000 bpd Carson refinery near Los Angeles as well as the associated logistics network of pipelines and terminals. BP said the transaction was part of a plan to reshape its US fuels business.
US imposes sanctions on Iran petrochemical firms
The US Treasury Department said it identified eight Iranian petrochemical companies as being under the control of the Tehran government, which subjects them to sanctions from the US. Since last year, the US has brandished sanctions against anyone who buys Iran's oil.
- Allied Biofuels signs PIA with Uzbekistan to advance $6-B biofuels refinery project 4/10
- Nufarm strengthens strategic collaboration to support long term growth in biofuels production 4/10
- Pertamina and CRecTech sign MoU to explore pilot biogas-to-biomethanol facility in SEZ, Indonesia 4/10
- Shell Chemicals and Syensqo partner to deliver low-carbon ethylene oxide solutions 4/10
- HAMR Energy’s nationally significant fuel projects selected for Australian Government’s Investor Front Door Pilot 4/10
- HD Hyundai Heavy Industries builds world's first ammonia-powered vessel 4/10
