Crude oil
China April crude oil imports hit monthly record, refiners stocked up ahead of sanctions
China’s crude oil imports in April unexpectedly surged to a record despite refinery maintenance outages and tepid domestic fuel demand.
Equipment reliability: Critical to protecting margins in a volatile environment
For any hydrocarbon processor, margin is king.
Industry Metrics
A combination of planned and unplanned refinery outages affected US gasoline production, resulting in considerable declines in inventory levels.
Executive Viewpoint: A vision for the refinery of 2030
The refining business needs to change dramatically over the next decade.
Asia: Japanese refining moves towards consolidation and increased efficiency
According to recent statements of leading Japanese analysts in the field of refining and the country’s largest producers, the Japanese refining industry is moving towards consolidation and an increase in efficiency.
Business Trends: How plastics waste recycling could transform the chemical industry
If plastics demand follows its current trajectory, global plastics-waste volumes would grow from 260 MMtpy in 2016 to 460 MMtpy by 2030, taking what is already a serious environmental problem to a new level.
Industry Metrics
In the US, soaring gasoline stocks and poor fuel oil performance were offset by strong heating oil demand and higher product prices caused by weather-related refinery outages.
Europe: Russian petrochemicals industry on the verge of large-scale growth
The Russian government has announced its plan to increase the volume of support for its domestic petrochemicals industry over the next several years, with the aim of doubling its production and boosting exports, according to Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Novak and the press service of the Russian Presidential Administration.
Industry Metrics
US refinery margins saw losses as product stocks rose, pressured by seasonally lower gasoline demand and subdued heating oil requirements.
Business Trends: The state of process safety and operational risk management—Feeling the squeeze
The 2018 edition of Petrotechnics’ process safety management (PSM) and operational risk management report builds on insights gained from the 2017 survey.
- AVTL to develop ammonia terminal in Pipavav, India 6/20
- Chevron seeks buyers for 50% stake in Singapore refinery 6/20
- Asian refiners seek more Mideast oil after spot premiums jump on Israel-Iran conflict 6/20
- Mexican authorities discover clandestine mini-refinery in crackdown of illegal hydrocarbon trade 6/20
- Italy's Eni eyes new unit to manage oil refineries 6/20
- Inatech's Techoil implemented by Flint Hills Resources for a modern, integrated future 6/20
