Americas
Toyo lands utilities work at Brazil refinery project
A consortium led by Toyo Engineering Corp. has been awarded a contract from Petrobras for utilities construction to be installed in the Comperj refinery project in Itaborai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2014.
Dresser-Rand acquires parts supplier Synchrony
Rotating equipment and solutions supplier Dresser-Rand has closed on its previously-announced acquisition of Synchrony. Synchrony is a technology development company with a portfolio of technologies and products including active magnetic bearings (AMB), high speed motors and generators, and power electronics for rotating machinery.
Republicans pressure Obama for Keystone XL pipeline decision
Republicans are tightening the screws on US President Barack Obama, seeking to force a decision regarding the controversial oil pipeline.
Sinopec paying $2.2bn for Devon US shale acreage
Devon Energy reached a deal with Sinopec in which the Chinese oil major will pay $2.2 billion for a one-third interest in five alternative US shale plays. The deal includes positions across five shale regions: the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale, the Niobrara, the Mississippian, Ohio Utica Shale and the Michigan Basin.
Total enters US shale venture with Chesapeake
Paris-based energy group Total entered a joint venture with Chesapeake Energy to develop energy from shale formations in Ohio. Total will take 25% of the two companies' chunk of the Utica shale formation located in 10 counties in eastern Ohio.
BP asks Halliburton to pay full costs of '10 Gulf spill
BP is asking Halliburton to pay all costs tied to the cleanup of the disastrous spring 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, media reports say. BP previously estimated the cleanup expense at $42 billion.
Celanese finalizes deal to acquire polyvinyl acetate lines from Ashland
US-based specialty materials producer Celanese completed its acquisition of certain polyvinyl acetate assets from Ashland. The deal was first announced in November, and financial terms were not disclosed.
Enterprise to build ethane pipeline from Appalachia to US Gulf
Enterprise plans to move ahead with a planned 1,230-mile pipeline to deliver growing ethane production from the Marcellus and Utica shale regions to the US Gulf coast. The pipeline will begin in Pennsylvania with 595 miles of new pipeline extending to Missouri, where Enterprise plans to reverse an existing pipeline and place it in ethane service.
Venezuela seen getting off 'lightly' in $908 million ExxonMobil settlement
An international arbitration panel awarded US oil major ExxonMobil $908 million in a verdict over oil assets nationalized by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in 2007. The payout is substantially lower than the $7 billion that Exxon was seeking in restitution.
Overcome challenges in treating shale gases
Manipulating process plant parameters helps meet pipeline specifications

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- Technip Energies' develops low-emission furnace design to reduce the carbon footprint of ethylene production 7/14
- Biofuel demand to soak up more than half of U.S. soyoil production next year, USDA says 7/14
- Russia's June seaborne oil product exports down 3.4% m/m 7/14
- Serbia seeks fifth U.S. sanctions waiver for Russian-owned oil firm NIS 7/14
- EIA: U.S. hydrocarbon production supported by export growth in long-term projections 7/14