Americas
Argentina’s ethanol producers prepare to boost output by up to 60%
In April, the government raised the amount of ethanol used by motorists by 2 percentage points to 12%. The move boosted the country's sugar industry, which has been battered by low prices.
Gulf Publishing finalizes management buyout, marks 100-year anniversary
The newly-independent company is retaining the Gulf Publishing name and will continue to publish its energy industry-leading magazines, including Hydrocarbon Processing.
Air Liquide upgrades, expands Houston complex
The project included upgrades to four state-of-the-art, energy efficient cogeneration units to increase production capacity and extend the life of the units by more than 20 years.
REG expands Illinois biorefinery’s logistics system
REG Danville recently purchased the tank complex at the adjacent Bunge Milling facility for $1.5 million. The tanks are being connected to REG Danville’s existing infrastructure and will increase the biorefinery’s storage capacity for feedstock by at least 950,000 gal and biodiesel by up to 12 million gal.
Editorial Comment: Maintenance spending to jump in 2016 as refiners catch up with turnarounds
The number of scheduled refinery turnarounds in North America is anticipated to rise this year after declining sharply in 2015, as refiners delayed maintenance shutdowns to capitalize on abundant quantities of low-priced feedstock.
Business Trends: Global petrochemical overview—Part 2
Part 1 of this series provided an overview on the present state of the petrochemical industry, a breakdown on construction project numbers by region, as well as major trends in Africa, the Middle East and the US. Part 2 examines the landscape in Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe and Latin America.
Global Project Data
According to <i>Hydrocarbon Processing’s</i> Construction Boxscore Database, nearly 300 new downstream projects have been announced around the globe over the past year.
People
Elliott Group has made changes to its executive team. Michael Lordi has been named as chief operating officer (COO), succeeding Art Titus, who is retiring after nine years.
Chemical companies see rosier results on low crude oil prices
Expectations for chemical sector earnings have been boosted by a combination of lower crude oil costs during the commodity's slump, along with strong demand for plastics.
Refining’s silver lining fades at Exxon, Chevron
Growing fuel inventories and weak demand are now hammering the refining industry, turning a typical advantage for integrated oil companies on its head.
- Indonesia allocates 15.65 MM kiloliters of biodiesel for 2026 12/23
- Egypt, Qatar's Al Mana Holding sign $200-MM SAF deal 12/23
- China's teapots boost Russian ESPO buying amid record discounts 12/23
- Bahrain's BAPCO sends first diesel cargo to Australia in 2.5 yrs 12/23
- Asia oil floating storage seen declining on lower exports, China buying 12/23
- Gazprom in talks with Hungary's MOL over NIS stake sale 12/23

