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Asia/Pacific

Industry Metrics

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

Refinery margins weakened in the US due to lower winter demand.

Italy’s Eni slashes 2016 investment plans after reporting heavy losses

Eni posted a net loss in the quarter of 8.46 billion euros ($9.4 bln) on Friday after booking charges on its stake in oil service company Saipem and chemical unit Versalis.

India boosts purchases of West African crude as new refinery starts up

Traders said the startup of the 300,000-bpd Paradip refinery, which started processing oil early in February, encouraged more bookings from West Africa to India.

BASF braces for lower operating profit as Chinese chemical sales slump

Slight profit gains in farming pesticides, and specialty chemicals and plastics, will be overshadowed by considerable declines at its basic petrochemical businesses and at its Wintershall oil and gas division.

China seeks urban ban on high-sulfur diesel sales

The tighter fuel standards are an attempt to tackle air pollution. Emissions from automobiles, especially from diesel-burning trucks, are one of the main contributors to the choking smog in China.

China’s emergence as diesel exporter dampens Asian refining margins

The surge in Chinese shipments has been felt the most in the diesel market, where benchmark Asian margins recently slumped to 6-year lows following an almost 80% jump in Chinese exports.

Woodside’s CEO remains wary on timing, extent of any oil market recovery

The uncertain outlook is deterring Australia's top oil and gas producer from going ahead with its biggest growth project, Browse floating LNG, or from chasing acquisitions.

Asian refiners to cut back on naphtha imports

While the reduced volume has lifted spot prices, a weak gasoline market and cracker maintenance in North Asia in March are capping price gains, traders said.

KBR licenses new alkylation technology in China

K-SAAT is a new technology to produce alkylate, which is an ultra-clean gasoline blendstock. Under the terms of the deal, KBR will deliver the licensing package for this first-of-a-kind project.

Indian refiner Reliance to resume using Iranian oil

The Indian refining conglomerate, controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, stopped Iranian oil imports in 2010 because it was worried about the threat of US sanctions.