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Refining

Valero venture to construct Texas marine terminal

Valero's marine terminal will receive crude tankers of up to Suezmax class, and will be able to operate without the daylight restrictions imposed on other terminals in the upper Sabine-Neches waterway. The crude dock is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Motiva shuts leaky CDU at expanded Texas refinery

The Motiva refinery is jointly owned by Shell and Saudi Arabian Oil Co. The new crude unit is the culmination of a $10 billion expansion project that added 325,000 bpd of capacity and made the refinery one of the largest in the world. The unit, first commissioned in May, has experienced several setbacks.

Enbridge plans pipeline expansions in Canada, US

The Canadian pipeline company, which in November announced it would go ahead with a C$1.8 billion expansion of the system in the oil-rich province of Alberta, said the latest expansion will add 230,000 bpd of capacity. Enbridge said the expansion will involve increased pumping horsepower.

Saudi Arabia secures diesel imports for this year amid rising fuel needs

Saudi Aramco has bought diesel under term contracts for 2013 from multiple suppliers including BP, Shell, and Phillips 66, Singapore-based traders say. The country used to be a key exporter of oil products but is increasingly importing more oil products due to strong domestic demand.

US votes to reinstate biodiesel tax incentive

HP Editorial Staff: HP News

The $1/gal incentive was first implemented in 2005, though Congress has allowed it to lapse twice. It will be reinstated retroactively to Jan. 1, 2012, and to the end of 2013.

Calumet completes acquisition of NuStar refinery, terminal near San Antonio

The acquired assets include a refinery in San Antonio, Texas with crude oil throughput capacity of approximately 14,500 bpd. The refinery produces ultra-low sulfur diesel, jet fuel, specialty solvents, reformates, naphtha and vacuum gas oil. The aggregate deal price was $115 million.

Refiners now have a new biofuel option

Butamax Advanced Biofuels: Schubert, A.

Biobutanol is coming to market as a gasoline blendstock and can be efficiently made by a range of renewable feedstocks.

Evaluate pressure relief system forces in existing installations

Smith & Burgess LLC: D. Smith  |  White, J.
Frenk Water Technologies LLC: Frenk, B.

The purpose of this study is to limit the number of relief valves that require rigorous engineering calculations to determine the adequacy of the installation.

Improve your plantwide steam network

Merrick & Co.: Pelham, R. O.

When optimizing an existing steam network, design and process engineers need a complete understanding of all aspects of the existing system. Accurate energy and material balances must be established.

HP Brief

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

Uncertainty looms in EU economyEuropean chemicals output contracted by 2% in 2012 compared with 2011, according to European chemicals group Cefic. By lowering its forecast released in September, the c..