Natural Gas
Industry Metrics
Refinery margins came under added pressure, affected by the downturn in product consumption inflicted by COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
Business Trends
Rovuma LNG, a JV comprised of ExxonMobil, Eni and China National Petroleum Corp., will likely delay its final investment decision (FID) on the group’s $30-B Mozambique LNG project.
Octane enhancement avoiding both high reformer severity and alkylation
An innovative refinery process arrangementa converts butane-rich, light paraffinic streams—preferably containing a high proportion of isobutane—into butylene by dehydrogenation.
Variable capacity control technology facilitates efficient operation for reciprocating compressors
Reciprocating compressors are used extensively in refinery and petrochemical operations to keep feedstocks and products moving through miles of piping.
Improving plant operations with control valve simulations
In today’s business climate, where project budgets and schedules are under cost and time pressures (and where installed valve applications must perform reliably under increasingly severe conditions), valve simulations are enabling new capabilities.
Design of very-high-flow coefficient centrifugal compressor stages
Centrifugal compressors are widely used in the oil and gas and petrochemical industries, with more than 15,000 operating in the U.S. alone.
Industry Metrics
High product inventory levels and weak heating oil demand continued to weigh on U.S. refining economics. European product markets, except gasoil, exhibited positive performance backed by firm exports and heavy turnarounds in the Middle East.
Construction
Nigeria LNG (NLNG), a consortium comprised of Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC), Shell, Total and Eni, has greenlighted the expansion of the Bonny Island LNG terminal.
Global Project Data
<i>Hydrocarbon Processing's</i> Construction Boxscore Database is tracking more than 1,430 projects around the world.
Business Trends: Global LNG projects to compete with pipeline gas
Expanding LNG supply worldwide will continue to dominate the changing landscape of the natural gas industry and gas trade. By 2040, LNG is expected to account for more than 15% of global gas consumption, after overtaking interregional pipeline deliveries in the late 2020s.
- Indian Oil buys first Colombian oil under Ecopetrol contract 12/31
- Ukrainian drone attack sparks fire, damages equipment at Tuapse refinery 12/31
- Chile's $2.5-B Volta green ammonia project wins environmental permit 12/31
- China begins issuing second batch of 2026 crude import quotas to refiners 12/31
- EIA: U.S. crude, fuel inventories rose in the week ended December 19 12/30
- Ghana's Tema oil refinery restarts after 9-yr shutdown 12/30

