Americas
Linde opens new Houston engineering offices
With the recently announced $200 million investment to build a large air separation unit (ASU), a new gasification train and supporting equipment and facilities in La Porte, Texas, the new offices provide space to support activities surrounding those projects, according to Linde officials.
Canada suspends license of railway involved in Quebec oil train disaster
Canada's transportation regulator suspended the operating license of the railway involved in July's crude train derailment in a small Quebec town. The incident killed 47 people.
Chevron Phillips Chemical wins permit to build new Texas ethane cracker
Pending final board approval to be sought later this year, the 1.5 million tpy ethane cracker would be built at CPChem's Cedar Bayou facility in Baytown, Texas, while the two new polyethylene facilities, each with an annual capacity of 500,000 tpy, would be built on a site near the company's Sweeny facility.
Calumet buys Murphy Oil crude logistics hub in US
With the acquisition of the loading facilities, all of which are connected at junction points along Enbridge's North Dakota pipeline system, Calumet says it will be positioned to source increased volumes of crude oil directly from local producers in North Dakota and Montana.
ConocoPhillips to sell Clyden oil sands in Canada
ConocoPhillips will sell its 100% interest in the Clyden oil sands leasehold to Imperial Oil and ExxonMobil Canada for approximately $720 million (C$751 million) before customary adjustments.
Study: Keystone XL pipeline would not impact US greenhouse gas emissions
According to the new IHS study, the proposed Keystone XL pipeline would have “no material impact” on US GHG emissions. In the absence of the pipeline, alternate transportation routes would result in oil sands production growth being more or less unchanged, the study says.
US officials tighten crude-by-rail shipping rules
Federal railroad officials are investigating whether some crude shipments contain chemicals from fracking that make them more hazardous than their classification indicates.
US approves Lake Charles group for LNG exports
The Energy Department said it is allowing Lake Charles Exports to ship up to 2 billion cubic feet/day of natural gas to countries lacking a free trade agreement with the US. The approval lasts for 20 years. Lake Charles Exports still needs to obtain permits from another federal agency, the FERC.
KBR wins FEED work to raise US refinery's capacity to handle heavy crudes
During the feasibility phase, KBR’s expertise will focus on determining the optimum economic configuration to increase overall heavy crude processing capability and flexibility. The refinery currently processes light sweet crudes and aims to take advantage of fluctuations in the crude oil pricing market.
Global LNG spending to double in next five years
The increase in capital expenditures includes onshore and offshore projects to liquefy gas for export, import terminals to regasify LNG and LNG carriers for transporting the fuel. By region, Australasia and North America are expected to bring most of the new supply to market.

- USA BioEnergy secures Johnson Matthey and Honeywell technologies for new SAF facility in Texas (U.S.) 9/10
- BASF launches the world’s first thermoplastic polyamide with high water permeability 9/9
- Worley awarded FEED contract for renewable diesel and aviation fuel project in Sweden 9/9
- U.S. tariffs worsen petrochemical sector challenges, executives warn 9/9
- Clariant to supply catalyst to SYPOX for world’s largest electric steam methane reformer 9/9
- Mitsubishi Chemical to adopt a "product traceability platform" to build a reliable chemical recycling supply chain 9/9