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Asia/Pacific

China firm seeks state financing for $5.5-B Caribbean oil project

Commodity trader Guangdong Zhenrong Energy Co. is in talks to secure funding for a $5.5-B plan to upgrade a Caribbean oil refinery and build a natural gas terminal, giving China a foothold in a strategic oil hub.

Idemitsu says still unable to talk to founding family on Showa Shell takeover

Japanese refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co. said it was still unable to talk to its founding family which is opposed to the firm's plans for a takeover of smaller rival Showa Shell Sekiyu.

Shell-CNOOC JV to assume ownership of new petrochemical complex

Shell Nanhai B.V. and China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s 50:50 JV has officially assumed ownership of CNOOC’s ongoing project to build an ethylene cracker and several derivatives units, after receiving all the necessary government approvals.

DuPont MECS DynaWave scrubbers to be used in Petronas’ RAPID refinery

DuPont MECS DynaWave technology has been selected for the installation of three custom-engineered scrubbing systems for sulfur dioxide removal at Petronas’ RAPID Project refinery in Pengerang, Southern Johor, Malaysia.

Use a mixed-solvent process to boost lube base oil yields and profitability

Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (HPCL): Rao, G. S.  |  Kumar Dhar, P.  |  Valavarasu, G.  |  Rao, P. V. C.  |  Choudary, N. V.  |  Pawar, G.  |  Dhamelia, R.  |  Sriganesh, K.

Through research and development (R&D), the commercial application of a mixed-solvent (MS) approach using a mixture of different co-solvents resulted in higher lube raffinate yields without affecting the lube oil quality.

Industry Metrics

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

US margins fell due to the slowing of domestic gasoline demand, as the driving season ended amid high inventories.

Chevron Wheatstone LNG cost blowout to $34 B hits Woodside

Woodside Petroleum faces an 8% rise in its expected costs on the Wheatstone LNG project in Australia, after operator Chevron Corp. flagged total costs would jump to $34 B.

China refineries gobble up Angolan oil in rush to year end

China's loadings of West African crude are set to hit their highest in more than two years in November as the nation's refineries race to stock up and offset falling domestic oil production.

S.Korea's SK Innovation sees firm refining margins on tighter market

SK Innovation Co., which owns South Korea's largest refiner, expects refining margins to remain firm in 4Q due to low oil product inventories and seasonal demand.

China’s Jilin Connell to use Honeywell UOP’s technology to make plastic from coal

China’s Jilin Connell Chemical Industry Co. has selected Honeywell UOP’s Advanced methanol-to-olefins process to tap domestic coal resources to produce ethylene and propylene.