Americas
BP names new head of safety, operational risk
Bob Fryar, who is executive vice president for production in BP's upstream business, will take up his new position from Feb. 15. The role includes oversight for security. He will take over from Mark Bly, who has headed BP's safety functions since March 2008 and who plans to retire from BP in the summer.
Idemitsu partners with AltaGas to export LNG, LPG from Canada to Japan
Under the 50:50 plan by oil refiner Idemitsu and gas pipeline operator AltaGas, the two may build an LNG export terminal near Kitimat in British Columbia, possibly starting LNG exports mainly to Japan as early as 2017. The venture also plans to develop a liquefied petroleum gas export business.
Repsol likely to sell global LNG assets to Shell
Repsol was initially looking to raise some €3 billion via the sale, but the final figure could be much lower, in the ballpark of €2 billion. The LNG assets are located in Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada and Spain.
Valero exploring use of rail to move Canadian crude oil to US Gulf refineries
Valero already has expanded greatly how much oil from Texas and North Dakota its Gulf Coast refineries use. The San Antonio, Texas, company, the world's largest independent refiner, now is looking into using rail cars to bring Western Canadian oil to the Gulf Coast, home to about two-thirds of its refining capacity.
Hess to sell terminals, close New Jersey refinery
Hess no longer considers the terminal network -- which includes 19 terminals along the East Coast and which had been a main outlet for production for its Hovensa joint venture with PdVSA -- as central to its operations. Hess's St. Lucia terminal in the Caribbean also will be in the group offered for sale.
Shell, Kinder Morgan announce plans to export LNG from Georgia terminal
The move, which comes in the wake of a recent report commissioned by the US Department of Energy that came out in favor of LNG exports, is the latest among major energy companies seeking to capitalize on North America's the newly found abundance of natural gas from shale.
US chemical group retracts stated support for natural gas exports
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has retracted a week-old statement on its website in support of US natural gas exports, officials with the trade group confirmed.
KBR named engineering partner by CRI for catalytic thermochemical technology
Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide basic engineering services for broad, full scale commercial deployment of IH2 units. IH2 technology is a cost-effective catalytic thermo-chemical process to produce liquid transportation fuels from renewable resources.
M&G picks Sinopec to build Texas PET, PTA plants
The completion of construction of the plants, including the time required to obtain necessary permits, is expected to occur within 36 months. M&G's engineering arms will provide critical equipment and services on a subcontracting basis to turnkey contractor Sinopec Engineering.
US appeals court overturns key portion of EPA's renewable fuels mandate
The decision means the EPA will have to be more cautious in setting future requirements for buying advanced renewable fuels, including a mandate for this year that is still pending. In previous years, developers relied on the EPA's mandate to show investors there will be a market for their product.
- 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

