Asia/Pacific
Bechtel set to quadruple Queensland LNG output
Bechtel is on track to complete the construction of an additional three LNG production trains on Curtis Island by the end of 2015, quadrupling Queensland’s LNG production.
Wison Engineering touts technology for synthetic gas-to-ethylene glycol
Wison Engineering, Tianjin University and Xinxin Group will give full play to their respective advantages to enhance the development of their proprietary synthetic gas-to-ethylene glycol technology and to promote its commercialization.
Neste, Total to develop bio-solvents, technical fluids for downstream
Total Fluides will market a new line of renewable fluids for numerous applications such as paints and coatings, drilling fluids, solvents for emulsion polymerization, printing ink fluids, emollients for cosmetics and many others industrial and automotive fluids.
Evonik acquires India-based Monarch Catalyst
The company employs approximately 300 employees and will be renamed to Evonik Catalysts India. All of Evonik’s future catalyst activities in India will be operated through the newly-acquired company.
Jacobs to build Singapore VAE plant for Celanese
Celanese will broaden its capabilities throughout the Asia-Pacific region, primarily in the higher-end applications of architectural coatings, building and construction, carpets and paper industries.
Overcoming the challenges of the ‘great crew change’
The hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) is facing a daunting challenge in the near future: In the next five to seven years, approximately 50% of the workforce will retire in what many are calling the ‘great crew change.’ The next generation of engineers, operators, technicians and skilled workers must step up to continue the pursuit of technological innovations and industry growth.
HP Editorial Comment: Convergence of trends supports HPI opportunities
The downstream industry is halfway through 2015 and the second decade of the new millennium. Great changes have occurred over the past 12 months and five years. Change is not necessarily negative; in fact, it can be a welcome event.
HP News
UAE FCC catalyst manufacturing facility completes Phase 1W. R. Grace & Co. and JV partner Al Dahra Agriculture Co. marked the commissioning of a new catalyst logistics silo terminal (pictured) and the..
HP Industry Metrics
US refinery utilization rates have returned to summer operating levels. Crude oil pricing supports higher cracking margins for gasoline in US and European markets. Asian margins fell as increasing sup..
Toyo picks Intergraph solutions to help construct new Malaysia cracker
When completed, RAPID will consist of a 300,000-bpd refinery and petrochemical complex with a combined capacity of producing 7.7 million tpy of various grades of products, including differentiated and specialty chemicals products such as synthetic rubbers and high-grade polymers.

- CNOOC completes construction on $2.9-B, 1.8-MMtpy integrated complex in east China 8/22
- bp's Whiting refinery (U.S.) continues to flare days after severe thunderstorm 8/22
- Bachmann introduces latest version M-Target for Simulink 8/22
- U.S. to rule on biofuel waivers, but big oil refiners may need to wait 8/22
- Chinese independent refiner Hongrun buys Canadian, Brazilian crude 8/22
- Ukrainian attack suspends Russian oil flows to Hungary, Slovakia 8/22