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Refining

Shell shuts down large Singapore refinery after fire

Shell is in the process of shutting down its 500,000 bpd refinery in Pulau Bukom, Singapore, following the recent fire at the facility, company officials said on Thursday. The fire, which began on Wednesday and may have been started during maintenance work, has been extinguished. However, there are still traces of fuel vapor, according to Shell officials.

API seeks delay of US EPA refinery emissions rules

The American Petroleum Institute (API) is asking the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for additional time to make comments on EPA's proposed rules for emissions from the production of oil and natural gas. API also asked for the EPA to delay its proposed rule for refinery emissions to allow adequate time for EPA to review emissions data submitted by industrial facilities this month, it said.

Amyris, Michelin to develop renewable isoprene

US renewable chemicals and fuels firm Amyris has agreed to work with tire company Michelin on the development and commercialization of renewable isoprene, the chemical building block in rubber tires and other products that use synthetic and natural rubbers.

ConocoPhillips to sell or shut Pennsylvania refinery

ConocoPhillips is seeking to sell its 185,000 bpd refinery in Trainer, Pa., and associated pipelines and terminals, the company announced on Tuesday. ConocoPhillips will immediately begin the process of idling the facility and will permanently close the plant in six months if a sales transaction is unsuccessful, it said.

LyondellBasell to close 105,000 bpd France refinery

LyondellBasell will shut down operations at its 105,000 bpd refinery in Berre, France, after failing to find a buyer for the facility. As a result, refinery operator Compagnie Petrochimique de Berre (CPB) will soon begin work on a project to cease refinery operations, the company said.

Axens technology picked for Saudi Aramco refinery

Axens' technologies have been selected by Saudi Aramco for use in its Jazan refinery and terminal project, the company said on Friday. The refinery, scheduled to be commissioned in December 2016, will have a capacity of 400,000 bpd.

US petroleum demand rose slightly in August - API

Total US petroleum deliveries, used to measure demand, rose slightly in August to 19.7 million bpd compared with August a year ago, with demand for gasoline and distillates moving in opposite directions, according to the American Petroleum Institute (API).

Oiltanking, PERN sign JV for Poland liquids terminal

Oiltanking and petroleum logistics firm PERN have signed a joint venture to jointly develop and construct a terminal for the storage and handling of bulk liquids in the Port of Gdansk, Poland. The terminal will potentially be able to store and handle crude oil, refined oil and petrochemical products.

Plains to expand Louisiana crude terminal in 2012

Plains All American Pipeline said it is proceeding with the fourth phase of an expansion at its terminal facility in St. James, Louisiana. This expansion will include construction of an additional 1.2 million bbl of crude oil storage capacity and is targeted to be completed in the third quarter of 2012 at a cost of approximately $50 million.

ExxonMobil plans Texas lubricant base stock plant

ExxonMobil Chemical said it plans to build a world-scale facility for its metallocene polyalphaolefin (mPAO) synthetic lubricant base stocks at its integrated refining and chemical complex in Baytown, Texas. The facility will have the capacity to produce 50,000 tpy of high-viscosity (Hi-Vis) SpectraSyn Elite mPAO.