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Middle East

thyssenkrupp to build two major polymer plants in Turkey

thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions’ subsidiary Uhde Inventa-Fischer has signed a contract to build two new world-scale polymer plants for SASA Polyester Sanayi A.Ş in Adana, Turkey. One plant is planned to produce 380,000 tpy of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for low-viscosity applications.

OPEC agrees oil cut extension to end of 2018

VIENNA (Reuters) — OPEC and non-OPEC producers led by Russia agreed on Thursday to extend oil output cuts until the end of 2018 as they try to finish clearing a global glut of crude while signaling a possible early exit from the deal if the market overheats.

Grace licenses polypropylene process technology to KIPIC, Sinochem

COLUMBIA, MD. — W. R. Grace & Co., a supplier of polyolefin catalyst technology and polypropylene (PP) process technology, has contracted to license its UNIPOL PP process technology to Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) for the integrated petrochemical complex at its Al-Zour refinery and Sinochem Quanzhou Petrochemical Co., Ltd. for a 1-MMtpy ethylene cracker and refinery expansion project at its facility in Quanzhou, Fujian province, China.

Saudi Aramco, SABIC to develop crude oil to chemicals complex

Saudi Aramco and SABIC have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a fully integrated crude oil to chemicals (COTC) complex in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which governs the execution of the front-end engineering design (FEED) before a final investment decision is made.

Iraq to divert most Kirkuk oilfield output to Iraqi refineries, says official

BAGHDAD (Reuters) — Iraq is preparing to divert most future output from Kirkuk oilfield to local refineries as a conflict with Kurdish regional authorities over the use of an export pipeline to Turkey continues, an Iraqi official said on Monday.

Iran pushes to retain Asia oil buyers as possible US sanctions loom

SINGAPORE (Reuters) — Iran is pushing to retain customers for its oil in Asia, hoping that price reductions will boost the appeal of its crude compared with other Middle Eastern supply even as the potential threat of further US sanctions on the country looms.

US crude extends rally to $58, first time since 2015

LONDON (Reuters) — Oil extended gains on Wednesday, with US crude hitting $58/bbl for the first time since July 2015 as a major pipeline cut Canadian crude flows to the United States, where inventories are expected to have fallen further.

Iran has exported 4.26 MMbbl of oil from South Pars since March

BEIRUT (Reuters) — Iran has exported about 4.26 MMbbl of oil from South Pars to international destinations since the beginning of the Iranian calendar year, which began in late March, Fardin Asadi, the manager for development of oil layers at South Pars, said on Sunday, according to the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA).

Oil climbs, but still set for first weekly fall in six

LONDON (Reuters) — Oil prices climbed on Friday but were still heading for their first week of losses in six, weighed down by Russian hesitation for extending a global pact to cut output and curb oversupply.

Middle East, US crude oil curbs Indian appetite for African supplies

NEW DELHI (Reuters) — India's imports of African crude oil in October plunged to their lowest in over four years, with the world's No.3 oil consumer increasingly turning to cheaper supplies from the United States and heavier Middle Eastern grades, ship tracking data showed.