Americas
Fuel economy standards to cut US gasoline use as diesel and exports rise
One of the primary drivers of the decrease in motor gasoline consumption is more stringent fuel economy standards that will require new light-duty vehicles to average about 49 miles/gal in vehicle model year (MY) 2025, versus their current compliance estimate of about 33 miles/gal in 2012.
Haldor Topsoe to build new Brazil production plant for automotive catalysts
The facility will focus on manufacturing catalysts that can remove dangerous nitrogen oxides as well as particulates and hydrocarbons from the engine exhaust of diesel vehicles such as buses and trucks.
Dow Chemical set to begin construction on new Texas ethane cracker
The projects announced for the Freeport site represent many workers, with 4,000 required for construction of multiple feedstocks, derivatives and supporting infrastructure projects.
US chemical activity barometer continues uptrend
Measured on a three-month moving average (3MMA), the ACC Chemical Activity Barometer's 0.5% gain beat the average first quarter monthly gains of 0.3%.
API calls for faster US approval of LNG exports
After years of delay, the Cameron LNG project is only the second LNG export facility to receive final FERC approval along with its conditional approval from the Department of Energy.
Phillips 66 buys specialty lubricants firm Spectrum
"The acquisition of Spectrum complements our strong-performing Lubricants business by increasing our access to specialized global lubricants markets and is in line with our strategy to selectively grow our marketing and specialties segment," said Tim Taylor, president of Phillips 66.
US sees monthly increase in production, demand for refined products
“Last month saw a continuation of recent trends, with strong demand and even stronger production resulting in falling import levels,” said API chief economist John Felmy.
ExxonMobil Chemical starts construction of US ethane cracking project
The Baytown steam cracker will have capacity of 1.5 million tpy and provide ethylene feedstock for downstream chemical processing, including two new polyethylene (PE) lines.
Chevron Phillips breaks ground on new Texas polyethylene projects
The construction of the new plants in Old Ocean, Texas, includes two world-scale polyethylene units that will each produce 500,000 tpy of plastic resin for Chevron Phillips Chemical.
API launches new campaign for next generation oil and gas workforce
Recent reports show that job growth in oil & gas has been 40-times higher than the US economy as a whole, and near 1.3 million additional jobs could be available by 2030.
- Argentina raises biofuel prices for domestic market 7/14
- Technip Energies' develops low-emission furnace design to reduce the carbon footprint of ethylene production 7/14
- Biofuel demand to soak up more than half of U.S. soyoil production next year, USDA says 7/14
- Russia's June seaborne oil product exports down 3.4% m/m 7/14
- Serbia seeks fifth U.S. sanctions waiver for Russian-owned oil firm NIS 7/14
- EIA: U.S. hydrocarbon production supported by export growth in long-term projections 7/14
