Refining
Praxair starts up new hydrogen plant at Valero refinery in Louisiana
Praxair’s steam methane reformer (SMR) in St. Charles, Louisiana, will supply hydrogen and up to 450,000 lb/hour of steam to Valero’s new 60,000 bpd hydrocracker. The hydrocracker produces 1.2 bbl of high-value, low-sulfur products for each barrel of high-sulfur feedstock.
Saudi Aramco, Total set to begin exports at new Jubail refinery venture
Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Co., known as Satorp, has started operations at its 400,000 bpd refinery in Jubail in eastern Saudi Arabia and will export its first cargo this month.
Saudi firm Petro Rabigh halts refinery operations after power, steam outage
Rabigh said it is currently working with RAWEC on the reconnection of power and steam supplies in order to restart production at its refinery, but did not say when operations might resume.
Europe to cap biofuels in transport fuel mix at 6%
The European Parliament passed a bill to limit the amount of transport fuel such as gasoline and diesel that can be obtained from food and energy crops to 6% of total energy consumed for transport by 2020.
CNOOC picks CB&I technologies to expand refinery, petrochemical complex
This award includes the first license in China of CB&I’s recently acquired E-Gas gasification technology. The E-Gas gasification technology can be used to generate clean synthesis gas from coal and petroleum coke for use in power generation, hydrogen and steam for refineries.
Gazprom Neft makes bid to upgrade Dung Quat refinery in Vietnam
Gazprom Neft executives says it has experience in modernizing and expanding refineries not only in Russia but also in other countries. Vietnam supports Gazprom Neft's bid to participate in the Dung Quat project, adding that the company needs to commit to supplying crude oil for the refinery.
Iran agrees to release detained Indian Oil tanker
Iran detained the ship carrying crude oil from Iraq to India on August 13, saying it was polluting Iranian waters. India had denied the allegation, and according to the tanker's owner, state-run Shipping Corp. of India, the vessel wasn't in Iranian waters when it was detained.
Kinder Morgan, Valero launch US Gulf products line
The approximately $250 million pipeline system has an initial capacity of 110,000 bpd with the ability to expand to over 200,000 bpd. The pipeline is now transporting refined petroleum products from refineries in Norco, Louisiana, to an existing petroleum transportation hub in Collins, Mississippi.
Nigeria businessman plans to build new refinery, petrochemical plants
Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote, labeled by Forbes as Africa's richest man, announced plans to build a refinery as well as petrochemical and fertilizer plants worth some $9 billion, promising to cut Nigeria's dependency on imported fuel. The plans were announced by Dangote Industries.
Brazil keeps Manguinhos refinery operational as land expropriation stalls
Late last year, the government rejected a company proposal to allow the refinery to continue operations, opting instead to move forward with a plan to clean up the site and build much needed public housing as part of an urban renewal program ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

- Argentina raises biofuel prices for domestic market 7/14
- Technip Energies' develops low-emission furnace design to reduce the carbon footprint of ethylene production 7/14
- Biofuel demand to soak up more than half of U.S. soyoil production next year, USDA says 7/14
- Russia's June seaborne oil product exports down 3.4% m/m 7/14
- Serbia seeks fifth U.S. sanctions waiver for Russian-owned oil firm NIS 7/14
- EIA: U.S. hydrocarbon production supported by export growth in long-term projections 7/14