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Americas

US crude stocks fall sharply, products surge

(Reuters) -- US crude oil inventories fell sharply as higher refining runs prompted a surge in gasoline and distillate stocks in the last week of 2016, the Energy Information Administration said on Thursday.

LyondellBasell plans to retain Houston refinery after asset review

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- LyondellBasell said on Thursday that it would retain its Houston-area refinery following a review of strategic options for the business.

US EPA seeks to ban Genscape from verifying biofuel credits

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- The US Environmental Protection Agency wants to revoke Genscape's ability to verify biofuels compliance credits after regulators say it failed to detect a massive fraud perpetrated by companies it was monitoring.

LanzaTech awarded $4 MM from DOE for low carbon facility

CHICAGO, IL -- Carbon recycling company, LanzaTech has been selected by the Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) to receive a $4 million award to design and plan a demonstration-scale facility using industrial off gases to produce 3 MMgpy of low carbon jet and diesel fuels.

5th Circuit enforces six-month time limit on OSHA violations

(Reuters) -- A federal appeals court overturned workplace safety sanctions against a Texas oil refinery, ruling that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cannot penalize employers for violations of a chemical safety rule that happened more than six months earlier.

US refiners face severe labor shortage for deferred maintenance

(Reuters) -- After years of running flat out, US Gulf Coast refiners are lining up repairs to plants in 2017 -- but facing a severe labor shortage that could delay work, drive up costs and raise accident risks.

World Fuel becomes exclusive supplier at Sunoco Texas terminal

World Fuel Services (WFS) is pleased to announce that it will be the exclusive supplier of marine fuel at the Sunoco Logistics Nederland Terminal in Texas, starting in March 2017. WFS will supply both RMG 380 and MGO 0.1% Sulfur. Both options will be available ‘ex-pipe’ and can be delivered to the vessel simultaneously while loading and discharging cargo.

Fluor awarded refinery project in Chile

IRVING, Texas – Fluor Corporation announced that it was awarded a contract by Empresa Nacional del Petróleo for the engineering, procurement and construction of a new process unit at its Biobío refinery in Chile. Fluor booked the undisclosed contract value in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Air Liquide commissions world’s largest hydrogen storage facility

Air Liquide has recently commissioned the largest hydrogen storage facility in the world, an underground cavern in Beaumont, Texas, in the Gulf Coast region of the US.

Marathon Petroleum explores spin-off for retail business Speedway

(Reuters) -- Marathon Petroleum Corp announced a series of steps to increase its stock price, including the possible separation of its Speedway retail business, amid pressure from hedge fund Elliott Management.