Asia/Pacific
HP Business Trends
To satisfy its growing refined fuel demand, Latin America has relied heavily on imports from the US. Major refinery projects have been announced to curb this reliance, but the drop in crude oil prices has limited capacity expansions.
New projects decline, but backlog holds strong
Even after the recent downturn in oil and natural gas pricing, our analysis shows why downstream E&C companies can depend on a strong backlog to last through the decade.
CNPC shuts Niger refinery after mechanical failure
"The refinery has broken down. That's all I can say," Soraz spokesman Magagi Dada told private TV station RTT. The refinery was built as a joint venture between CNPC and the Niger government.
Amec Foster Wheeler to work on Vietnam’s Dung Quat refinery expansion
The two-year contract includes the optimization of the refinery configuration, coordination of licensors, and the design for new units as well as the revamp of existing units.
INVISTA to license Green Chem’s FCC offgas technology outside China
The process, which will be marketed as DTL process technology outside of China, is a dry-gas-to-liquids technology that allows for flexible conversion of light olefins, present in FCC offgas, into either gasoline and distillate or concentrated aromatics, significantly increasing their value.
Air Liquide wins engineering work on YCI’s new Louisiana methanol project
Yuhuang Chemical (YCI) has awarded a detailed engineering and procurement services contract to Air Liquide for YCI’s 1.7-million tpy methanol plant located in St. James Parish, Louisiana.
Fire at Shell’s Singapore refining plant injures six
A fire broke out on Friday evening at Shell's Pulau Bukom refining and petrochemical complex in Singapore, leading to burn injuries for six contract workers. Three are in critical condition.
Afton Chemical to expand Singapore additives site
The second phase, which includes the construction of additional component production units, will more than double Afton’s investment in Jurong Island for a total of about S$400 million.
UOP technology drives China’s first dual plants for propylene, isobutylene
The new unit, which is the first of three in China, uses Honeywell UOP’s C3/C4 Oleflex process technology to produce propylene, a building block for making plastics, packaging and synthetic fiber, and isobutylene, a component used for high-octane gasoline and synthetic rubber.
BASF to expand Thai mobile emissions catalysts
The company is planning to construct a new 35,000-square-meter facility to replace its existing plant in Rayong, providing increased operating space and upgraded manufacturing capabilities comparable to BASF’s other automotive catalysts manufacturing sites around the world.

- Brazil's Petrobras to invest $4.8 B in integration between Reduc refinery and Boaventura complex 7/8
- Braskem completes first sale of circular polyethylene in South America 7/8
- bp's 440,000-bpd refinery in Whiting, Indiana (U.S.), reported flaring due to operational conditions 7/8
- UK's insolvent Lindsey oil refinery secures some crude supply to keep running for now 7/8
- Brazil's energy minister hints at possible fuel price cuts 7/8
- Marathon Galveston Bay refinery (U.S.) hydrotreater to remain shut until September 7/8