Americas
BP sells Texas City refinery to Marathon for $2.5bn
Subject to regulatory and other approvals, Marathon Petroleum will purchase the 475,000 bpd Texas City refinery, associated natural gas liquids pipelines and four marketing terminals in the southeast US.
Innospec makes takeover bid for US petrochemical company TPC Group
The TPC Group board of directors said it determined in good faith, after consultation with independent legal and financial advisors, that this offer could lead to a superior proposal. As such, the board said it will carefully consider and evaluate the non-binding proposal from Innospec in coming weeks.
Valero suspends spot gasoline sales in California
Valero, the largest US refiner, took the unusual step after a series of shutdowns at Richmond and other refineries. Valero said it will meet its current contracts to supply gasoline, but won't sell into the spot market. Spokesman Bill Day said resumption of spot sales "will depend on markets and inventories."
Energy group proceeds with $45bn Alaska pipeline to export LNG to Asia
In a letter to Alaska Governor Sean Parnell, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, BP and TransCanada said this week that they have agreed on a plan to combine what were once two competing natural gas pipeline projects destined for the continental US into one project aiming at overseas markets.
Sunoco completes US merger with Energy Transfer
Energy Transfer gains 7,900 miles of crude oil and refined fuel pipelines from Sunoco Logistics Partners master limited partnership and give it a toe-hold in the Marcellus and Utica shale regions, increasingly productive sources of oil and natural gas. Sunoco now becomes a subsidiary of Energy Transfer.
ExxonMobil Baytown fire caused by hole in reactor
ExxonMobil said this week's fire at its massive Texas refinery will result in some impacts to production, but it still expects to meet contractual agreements. All remaining refining operations are normal.
Lubrizol to build resin, compounding plant in Texas
The additional capacity will serve Lubrizol building and construction customers on a global basis. Lubrizol says it projects continued strong global growth in its chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) business, with particularly strong demand in India and other developing economies.
Braskem Idesa awards engineering deal on Mexico Ethylene XXI project
The EPC contract was awarded to a joint venture made up of Odebrecht (40%), Technip (40%) and ICA Fluor (20%). The new petrochemical complex will include a 1.05 million tpy ethylene cracker and several integrated polyethylene (PE) plants. Ethylene XXI should begin operations in June 2015.
Alliance receives regulatory approval for proposed Bakken gas pipeline
The Tioga pipeline should be running by mid-2013. Although new drilling technology has greatly boosted hydrocarbon production in the Bakken, in North Dakota's Williston Basin, a lack of pipelines has led oil producers to resort to rail cars to move product and gas producers have had to burn excess product.
Westlake to expand Kentucky ethylene plant, convert to ethane feed
With the expansion, Westlake is looking to take advantage of increased site production to provide additional PVC resin amid growing demand from global customers.
- INNIO Group, Gföllner Group establish JV, offering power solutions to the U.S. market 7/9
- Brazil's Petrobras to invest $4.8 B in integration between Reduc refinery and Boaventura complex 7/8
- Braskem completes first sale of circular polyethylene in South America 7/8
- bp's 440,000-bpd refinery in Whiting, Indiana (U.S.), reported flaring due to operational conditions 7/8
- UK's insolvent Lindsey oil refinery secures some crude supply to keep running for now 7/8
- Brazil's energy minister hints at possible fuel price cuts 7/8
