Refining

Exxon, Aramco, Samref to explore major upgrade of Yanbu refinery

The companies intend to explore capital investments to upgrade and diversify production, including high-quality distillates that result in lower emissions and high-performance chemicals.

Russia and India sign deal to build urea plant in Russia

The joint venture will be based on the supply of ammonia from Russia's Togliattiazot plant, with the Indian companies financing the project until the plant begins commercial operations.

U.S. liquid fuels groups announce progress on E15, small refinery exemption reform

In a letter to President Donald Trump, the organizations urged policymakers to advance legislation in support of a stable, efficient fuels marketplace.

Chinese refiners buy oil from storage, raise output with fresh import quota

Stocks have built up in recent months after the refiners, known as teapots and mostly based in eastern Shandong province, ran out of import quota in October.

AFPM: Revised fuel economy standards would put CAFE back on solid legal footing

ITT introduced a secondary containment system for its ICM metallic magnetic drive process pump

EIA: U.S. crude and fuel inventories climb, refining activity picks up

Crude inventories rose by 574,000 bbl to 427.5 MMbbl in the week ended November 28, the EIA said, compared with analysts' expectations in a poll for an 821,000-bbl draw.

UAE's Brooge Petroleum to perform pre-project planning for Fujairah gasoline plant

The proposed refinery would be the first in the region to upgrade naphtha into Euro 5-grade gasoline, with the first phase projected to produce an initial 15,000 bpd.

Kazakhstan reroutes oil exports after drone attack cuts CPC pipeline capacity

The CPC pipeline, which carries over 80% of Kazakhstan's oil exports and handles more than 1% of global supply, briefly halted operations on Saturday after a mooring at its Black Sea terminal near Russia's Novorossiisk port was damaged.

Valero plans CDU upgrades at Port Arthur, Texas (U.S.) refinery in February

Among the improvements will be upgrades to processing of bottoms - heavy, gunky residual crude oil that is usually sent to the coker or used in asphalt.