Refining
Asian refined product market pressured by weaker demand, excess supply
Asia's light distillates market is weighed down by excess supply, with naphtha differentials under pressure although demand fundamentals remain largely stable. Gasoline demand, however, tapered off following a seasonal increase during the festival month of Ramadan.
Thailand's PTT begins feasibility study on potential mega refinery in Vietnam
The refinery, with a capacity of 660,000 bpd and a price tag of between $25 billion and $30 billion, would be built in the central coastal province of Binh Dinh. PTT has chosen McKinsey, Foster Wheeler and IHS as advisors for the project, it said, adding that the refinery would be operational from 2020.
Iran detains Indian Oil tanker in Persian Gulf
The Shipping Corp. of India, the ship's owner, said Iranian authorities have detained the vessel since Tuesday afternoon and had alleged the Suezmax crude-oil tanker was polluting Iranian waters, though the company denies the allegation. Suezmax tankers are medium-sized oil tankers.
Uganda sees first oil refinery on stream by 2018
The refinery, located in Hoima district, some 130 miles west of the capital Kampala, will supply refined petroleum products to the domestic market, as the country seeks to slash its imports bill and become self-sufficient in fuel products. The refining project is expected to cost $2 billion.
Calumet buys Murphy Oil crude logistics hub in US
With the acquisition of the loading facilities, all of which are connected at junction points along Enbridge's North Dakota pipeline system, Calumet says it will be positioned to source increased volumes of crude oil directly from local producers in North Dakota and Montana.
Iran expands tanker fleet in bid to maintain exports
Iran has added seven new Very Large Crude Carriers to its fleet since the beginning of the year, including four in the last four months. National Iranian Tanker Co.'s fleet now numbers 37 VLCCs, with a total capacity of 64 million bbl, and 14 smaller tankers, with a capacity of 12.5 million bbl.
EIA: China set to top US as world’s biggest oil importer
China is set to the the largest world import of crude oil in October and will hold that ranking in 2014, forecasters at the federal Energy Information Administartion said Friday
Taiwan sees rising crude oil imports, falling LNG
The country's two refiners, government-owned CPC Corp. and privately run Formosa Petrochemical, refined a combined 3.76 million kiloliters of crude oil, up 4.26% from a year earlier, the bureau said in a monthly report. Refinery utilization fell to 62.54% in June from 66.08% in the previous month, it said.
ConocoPhillips to sell Clyden oil sands in Canada
ConocoPhillips will sell its 100% interest in the Clyden oil sands leasehold to Imperial Oil and ExxonMobil Canada for approximately $720 million (C$751 million) before customary adjustments.
Study: Keystone XL pipeline would not impact US greenhouse gas emissions
According to the new IHS study, the proposed Keystone XL pipeline would have “no material impact” on US GHG emissions. In the absence of the pipeline, alternate transportation routes would result in oil sands production growth being more or less unchanged, the study says.

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- 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