Crude oil
US refiners may profit from Petroplus closures in Europe
Analysts say refiners could see new opportunities as Europe's largest independent refiner and wholesaler of petroleum products shuts down three of its five refineries.
Repsol shuts FCC unit at Petronor refinery in Spain amid poor margins
Repsol has shut the FCC unit at its 220,000 bpd Petronor refinery in Spain because of dismal refining margins in Europe, Petronor said in a statement. Repsol's Petronor refinery is in the Somorrostro valley, 20 kilometers from Bilbao in northern Spain.
Calumet buys US synthetic lubes unit from Ashland
Calumet Specialty Products completed its previously-announced purchase of the Hercules aviation and refrigerant lubricants business, the polyol/ester-based synlubes subsidiary of Ashland. The Hercules business was previously in Ashland’s water technologies segment.
HollyFrontier plans 45% expansion for Utah refinery
US-based refiner HollyFrontier says it will expand capacity by 45% at its 31,000 bpd refinery in Woods Cross, Utah, raising capacity to 45,000 bpd by the expected completion in late 2014. The company expects incremental yields from the expansion project to be approximately 60% gasoline and 40% diesel, with expansion costs approximately $225 million.
KBR awarded construction deal on ExxonMobil lube base stock plant in Texas
KBR said Thursday it was awarded a construction contract for ExxonMobil’s new synthetics lubricant base stock facility to be built at ExxonMobil’s refinery and chemical plant complex in Baytown, Texas. The award came from Technip USA, the prime contractor responsible for EPC on the project.
Enterprise, Genesis team up for new Gulf pipeline
Enterprise Products Partners and Genesis Energy plan to build a crude oil gathering pipeline in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico for a consortium of six producers. Enterprise will serve as construction manager and operator of the new pipeline, earning fees for both services.
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.
EU agrees in principle to oil embargo on Iran
European Union member states agreed in principle to press ahead with an oil embargo on Iran over its nuclear program, diplomats said Wednesday, in a move that pushed oil prices higher. An oil embargo would be the latest step in international efforts to isolate Tehran economically over concerns Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons.
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.

- Chiyoda, AVEVA forge strategic partnership to power plantOS with AVEVA CONNECT 6/27
- SABIC announces closure of Olefins 6 facility in Teesside, UK 6/27
- LyondellBasell's polyolefin technologies selected by SHCCIG Yulin for petrochemicals complex in China 6/27
- Damaged unit of Iran's South Pars refinery back operating 6/27
- hte conducts research for JGC to advance decarbonization by identifying suitable catalysts for ammonia cracking 6/26
- TES and CPC Finland to develop 500-MW e-NG project in Finland 6/26