Environment & Safety
TransCanada: Keystone reroute agreement could speed approval process
TransCanada Corp. said it reached a tentative deal with Nebraska officials that would move the planned route of its Keystone XL pipeline project away from an environmentally sensitive region, possibly reviving a stalled approval process for the controversial oil conduit.
UOP technology used to process natural gas on FPSO vessels in Brazil
Honeywell’s UOP said Tuesday that MODEC has commissioned a UOP Separex membrane system for processing natural gas on a new floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in Brazil. The FPSO was commissioned in July 2011.
Keystone delay causing tremors among big oil, benefiting small refiners
The US State Department's decision to delay TransCanada Corp.'s expansion of its Keystone pipeline system sparked quick concern in the North American energy industry. The move would delay completion of the project by a year and a half, according to the American Petroleum Institute (API).
US shale study finds no clear link between fracking, water contamination
Initial findings from a study on hydraulic fracturing in shale gas development suggest no direct link to reports of groundwater contamination. The project leader offered early observations from the study at a briefing in Fort Worth, attended by local government officials, regulators and energy company executives.
US delays Keystone XL pipeline until after 2012
President Barack Obama called Thursday for further study of the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline, putting off a final decision until after the 2012 elections and triggering both praise and criticism on Capitol Hill. TransCanada Chief Executive Russ Girling said the company remains confident the pipeline will be approved.
IEA unveils 2011 World Energy Outlook, says policy changes needed to cut emissions
Without a bold change of policy direction, the world will lock itself into an insecure, inefficient and high-carbon energy system, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned as it launched the 2011 edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO). "Governments need to introduce stronger measures to drive investment in efficient and low-carbon technologies," said IEA executive director Maria van der Hoeven.
Nalco wins top safety award at Louisiana chem site
Sustainability services firm Nalco said that its plant in Garyville, La. was honored by the Louisiana Chemical Association (LCA) with a 2011 SAFE (Serious About Fostering Excellence) Award for facility's environmental and safety performance and community outreach efforts.
US extends offshore leases for deepwater drilling
The Obama administration recently extended nearly 1,400 deepwater oil and gas drilling leases in an effort to offset production delays caused by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the subsequent five-month ban on new offshore drilling.
BP inks $50mn settlement to resolve claims from Texas City refinery blast
BP has agreed to pay $50 million to the state of Texas to resolve air pollution allegations related to the March 2005 explosion at its Texas City refinery, according to a statement from Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. An explosion and related fires erupted at BP’s Texas City refinery in March 2005, claiming 15 lives and injuring more than 170 workers.
GE launches innovative heat recovery system for Canada complex
The world's first commercial ORegen waste heat recovery system, an innovative technology developed by GE Oil & Gas, enables a gas turbine to produce extra power without any additional emissions or fuel consumption and no water use.
- Iran's Revolutionary Guards say they targeted petrochemical facilities in the Gulf 4/6
- Damietta Green Ammonia completes pre-FEED for $873-MM, 150,000-tpy green ammonia facility 4/6
- EIB and Eni sign €500-MM in financing for new biorefinery in Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi 4/6
- India's Reliance buys Venezuelan oil directly from PDVSA 4/6
- Japan to boost intermediate chemical imports amid tighter naphtha supply 4/6
- Five EU countries call for windfall tax on energy companies 4/6
