Environment & Safety Gas Processing/LNG Maintenance & Reliability Petrochemicals Process Control Process Optimization Project Management Refining

Biofuels

Study confirms viability of Jatropha plant oil for power generation

SG Biofuels and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) have released results of a study revealing the performance and emissions benefits of using Jatropha oil as a drop-in replacement for diesel fuel in industrial furnaces used for electric power generation and industrial heating

Holly and Frontier merge to create HollyFrontier

Holly Corp. and Frontier Oil Corp. have merged. Factoring in various variables, it can be safely interpreted that the new company has an enterprise value of $7 billion.

15 groups seek to bar EPA funding for E15

NPRA, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association, was one of 15 organizations signing a letter to the leadership of the US House of Representatives supporting a measure by Rep. John Sullivan (R-Oklahoma) that would bar the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from using federal funds to cover EPA costs involved with increasing the amount of ethanol in gasoline from the current 10% to 15%.

Ethanol companies join RFA to form advocacy council

Leaders in the world’s ethanol industry recently announced that they are coming together in conjunction with the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) to form the Advanced Ethanol Council (AEC).

US refining margins improve, but some refineries remain at risk

During the fourth quarter of 2010, US refining industry performance improved relative to the prior quarter. While the US Gulf Coast crack spreads were somewhat lower in the fourth quarter, the light-heavy crude oil price differential (LLS-Maya) continued to favor refineries with heavier crude slates.

Mubarak exits stage right

What will this mean for IOCs doing business in the region?

Slurry-phase hydrocracking—possible solution to refining margins

Opportunity crudes require more hydrogen addition to upgrade orphan product streams into higher-value ‘clean’ products

Convert bottom-of-the-barrel into diesel and light olefins

Lummus Technology: Sieli, G.  |  Rama Rao, M.  |  Soni, D.
Indian Oil Corp. Ltd.: Bhattacharyya, D.

Integrating residue hydrocracking operations with advanced fluid catalytic cracking optimizes upgrading of heavy crude oils

What are the future fungible transportation fuels?

Foster Wheeler, Reading: Stockle, M.

Alternatives hold promises to decrease dependence on crude oil, but they also uncover other challenges in distribution and engine use

HP Viewpoint: Consumer protection is a key issue for E15

National Petrochemical & Refiners Association: Drevna, Charles T.

NPRA wants to be sure that adding greater amounts of ethanol to gasoline is safe and will not cause engine damage