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Americas

Mexico says supports OPEC cuts as way to stabilize oil market

VIENNA (Reuters) — Mexico supports an extension of OPEC's supply cuts as a way to stabilize oil markets and bring fresh investment into the country's growing energy sector, the Mexican deputy secretary for hydrocarbons said on Tuesday.

ExxonMobil completes new polyethylene lines at Mont Belvieu plastics plant

HOUSTON — ExxonMobil Chemical Company announced the mechanical completion of two new 650,000 tpy high performance polyethylene lines at its plastics plant in Mont Belvieu, Texas. The company expects production to begin during the third quarter of 2017.

Owens Corning to acquire cellular glass manufacturer Pittsburgh Corning

Owens Corning announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Pittsburgh Corning, a producer of cellular glass insulation systems for commercial and industrial markets.

Dow signs coatings, silicones investment agreements in Saudi Arabia

MIDLAND, Mich. — The Dow Chemical Company signed an agreement to construct a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to produce a range of polymers for coatings and water-treatment applications in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and a memorandum of understanding for a feasibility study related to a proposed investment in the Company’s Performance Silicones franchise.

Saudi Aramco: looking for opportunities to expand in US over 10 yr

RIYADH (Reuters) — National oil firm Saudi Aramco is looking for opportunities to expand in the United States over the next 10 yr, and wants to develop the business of its Motiva refinery in that country, chief executive Amin Nasser said on Saturday.

Carlyle battles insurers in New York over Moroccan oil losses

LONDON (Reuters) — US private equity firm Carlyle Group is suing a group of its insurers over $400 MM worth of oil it claims it lost when Morocco's sole refinery went bankrupt two years ago, court documents show.

ExxonMobil, SABIC sign agreement for next phase of proposed US petchem project

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Affiliates of Exxon Mobil Corporation and SABIC signed an agreement to conduct a detailed study of the proposed Gulf Coast Growth Ventures project in Texas and begin planning for front-end engineering and design work.

California safety, health board approves new hazard regulations for refineries

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Department of Industrial Relations' (DIR) Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved a regulation to strengthen workplace safety and health at oil refineries across the state. The new regulation provides a framework for anticipating, preventing and responding to hazards at refineries.

Full tanks and tankers: a stubborn oil glut despite OPEC cuts

NEW YORK/LONDON/SINGAPORE (Reuters) -- After the first OPEC oil production cut in eight years took effect in January, oil traders from Houston to Singapore started emptying millions of barrels of crude from storage tanks.

US gasoline demand weak but expected to strengthen this summer

(Reuters) -- US gasoline demand has been weaker than expected this year, but a growing economy and relatively cheap pump prices have the energy industry expecting record demand again this summer driving season, which should help drain the global oil glut.