Environment & Safety
Praxair to collaborate on environmental research with top China university
Industrial gases major Praxair has entered into a long-term environmental research collaboration with the State Key Lab of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse Study at Tongji University in Shanghai.
Gulf oil, natural gas platforms shut in production as Tropical Storm Don targets Texas
Several oil and natural gas producers in the Gulf of Mexico began shutting in production and evacuating platforms on Thursday as Tropical Storm Don moves toward the lower Texas coast. Overall, the Gulf of Mexico accounts for 29% of US oil production and 13% of natural gas, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Rare earths sales likely to triple by 2015 - study
World demand for rare earths is forecast to expand by 7.1%/year to 180,000 metric tons by 2015, according to a new study from US industry market research firm The Freedonia Group. In dollar terms, sales are expected to more than triple from $3.0 billion in 2010 to $9.2 billion in 2015.
DuPont buys US solar technology firm Innovalight
US-based chemicals major DuPont has acquired Innovalight, a company specializing in advanced silicon inks and process technologies that increase the efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cells.
QSolar doubles photovoltaic panel output in China
QSolar Ltd. has added a second production line for solar photovoltaic (PV) panels in its manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China. The addition of the second line doubles the production capacity from the 20MW/year (about $30 million/year) to 40MW/year (about $60 million/year).
Corning to expand China clean air products plant
The board of directors for glass maker Corning approved a capital expenditure plan of $170 million to further increase capacity at its clean air products plant in Shanghai, China.
Safety progress in Gulf of Mexico drilling should lead to more US permits - API
The US oil and natural gas industry has significantly improved offshore safety, according to Erik Milito, group director of upstream and industry operations at the American Petroleum Institute (API), in testimony delivered this week to the US Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard.
Morgan Thermal Ceramics to supply heat insulation modules for Jubail refinery JV
Morgan Thermal Ceramics, a firm that designs and manufactures advanced heat insulation products, has been awarded a contract to supply modules for a refinery being constructed by SATORP, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Total.
BP unveils new Gulf deepwater drilling standards
The exploration and production operations of BP (BPXP) are poised to implement a new set of deepwater oil and gas drilling standards for Gulf of Mexico operations, which they say are based on lessons learned from the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010.
American Chemistry Council chief seeks overhaul of EPA risk assessment system
In testimony this week before the US House Subcommittee on Investigations, American Chemistry Council CEO Cal Dooley called for an overhaul of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS).
- 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
