Environment & Safety Gas Processing/LNG Maintenance & Reliability Petrochemicals Process Control Process Optimization Project Management Refining

Refining

Williams to supply pipeline, gas processing for US Gulf development of Hess, Chevron

US natural gas infrastructure company Williams has signed agreements with Hess and Chevron to provide production handling, export pipeline, oil and gas gathering and gas processing services in the Tubular Bells field development located in the eastern deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

GE buys majority stake in US fuel-storage terminals

GE is expanding into petroleum product terminals by investing $85 million to become a majority owner of Lightfoot Capital Partners, the company said on Monday. Lightfoot Capital is the majority-owner of Arc Terminals, which operates petroleum product terminals in eight US states.

Algenol begins construction on Florida bio-refinery

Algenol Biofuels has broken ground on construction of its pilot-scale integrated bio-refinery, which will include the first large-scale deployment of Algenol's patented Direct To Ethanol technology to produce ethanol directly from carbon dioxide, sunlight and salt water using blue-green algae in patented photobioreactors (PBRs).

CB&I to design, engineer sulfuric acid alkylation unit in China

CB&I subsidiary Lummus Technology has been awarded a contract by Ningbo Haiyue New Material Co. for the license and engineering design of a grassroots sulfuric acid alkylation unit to be built near Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, China.

US September oil demand up 2.5% from 2010 - API

At 19.9 million bpd, total US petroleum deliveries (a measure of demand) rose 2.5% in September compared with September a year ago, according to figures released on Friday from the American Petroleum Institute (API). While motor gasoline demand was up only slightly by 0.3%, distillate demand reached a record for the month, the trade group said.

Hydrocarbon Processing forecasts 2012 global HPI spending to rise to $222 billion

Spending for the hydrocarbon processing industry is expected to exceed $222 billion next year, up 1.1% over 2011 spending, according to information released on Friday at Hydrocarbon Processing magazine's 38th annual HPI Forecast and Breakfast.

Pacific Ethanol to provide operations, maintenance support for ZeaChem US biorefinery

US-based renewable fuels company Pacific Ethanol has agreed to provide operations, maintenance and accounting services for ZeaChem's 250,000 gal/year cellulosic integrated biorefinery in Boardman, Oregon.

LANXESS, BioAmber to partner on bioplasticizers

European specialty chemicals producer LANXESS and sustainable chemicals firm BioAmber have partnered to develop succinic acid-based plasticizers that are both renewable and phthalate-free, the companies announced on Thursday.

US oil drilling increased 16% in third quarter - API

US oil well drilling activity continued to increase in the third quarter of 2011, according to the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) quarterly well completion report for the 2011 third quarter. The report estimates that 6,379 oil wells were completed in third quarter 2011, a 16% increase from year-ago levels.

Petroplus mulls base oil closure at France refinery

Petroplus says it intends to suspend next year’s planned turnaround of the base oil complex at the Petit Couronne refinery in France, and is considering a reconfiguration of the refinery which would include a shutdown of the base oil complex.