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Refining

Nigeria throws doubt on planned $1.7bn refinery

In a statement, Niger Delta Refinery said it has found investors willing to spend $1.7 billion building a refinery in Nigeria. But Nigeria's regulator for petroleum resources said the project still requires government approval, undermining claims that the project was just awaiting completion of "formalities."

Phillips 66 chooses west Houston site to build new global headquarters

Phillips 66 is working on a design and intends to begin construction when plans are finalized and permitting is in place. The campus will include office space, conference and training facilities, along with wellness and dining options. Once ground is broken, construction should take between 24-36 months.

IEA sees high refinery activity boosting fuel supply

The Paris-based energy watchdog, which represents major oil-consumer nations, expects refiners to process around 75.7 million bpd of crude in the third and fourth quarters, 1.3 million bpdmore than in the last quarter of 2011. Behind the output rise is unexpectedly high production in developed economies.

Investigation into Chevron refinery fire in California finds thinned pipe wall

An inspection of a 4-foot segment of a pipe leading from the refinery's crude distillation unit showed its walls were 1/16 of an inch thick, down from its normal 5/16 of an inch, said Daniel Horowitz, spokesman for the Chemical Safety Board, an independent agency that probes refinery accidents.

Total, Lukoil select Foster Wheeler for Netherlands hydrocracker upgrade work

The objective of the project is to maximize the throughput of the distillate hydrocracker by debottlenecking the unit’s reaction and fractionation sections of the distillate hydrocracker, the companies said. Foster Wheeler’s scope of work is expected to be completed by June 2014.

Sasol eyes growth in North America, exit from Iran

Sasol's CEO said the company has a “huge strategy” in North America. In Louisiana, it is looking at building an $8 billion to $9 billion gas-to-liquids plant that would produce 96,000 bpd of mostly diesel. It is also looking at a 48,000 bpd plant in Alberta, Canada that would cost about $8 billion.

Carlyle, Sunoco finalize joint venture to operate Philadelphia refinery

Under the terms of the agreement, Carlyle holds the controlling interest and will oversee day-to-day operations of the joint venture and the refinery. In exchange for contributing its refinery assets to the joint venture, Sunoco retained a 33% non-operating minority interest.

Texas biofuels group Terrabon files for bankruptcy

The company has the licenses on technologies from Texas A&M University System, where they were developed and where it was formed to bring the products to market. However, it couldn't obtain the additional financing necessary to finish developing a commercial plant.

SK Energy, Kuwait agree to build Indonesia refinery, petrochemical complex

The refinery will have a capacity to produce between 200,000 and 300,000 bpd of Kuwaiti crude oil and will be located inside the petrochemical complex, which will be built in Balongan, West Java, according to KUNA.

Uganda seeks advisor to develop planned refinery

The Energy and Minerals Development Ministry said the advisor is expected to help on structuring the project, which is to be built in a phased manner - starting with capacity of 20,000 bpd - over the next three years. It will be upgraded to 60,000, then to 120,000 and later to 180,000 bpd.