Europe
Oryx starts up lube oil blending plant in West Africa
Oryx Oil & Gas has started up a new lube oil blending plant (LOBP) in Togo, West Africa, the contractor involved with the project said this week. The plant has an output capacity of 18,000 tpy and is expected to serve all segments and markets in West Africa, especially the minerals and mining industry.
BP to start up Hull biorefinery in UK later this year
BP's planned biofuels refinery in Hull will be commissioned later this year, executive director Byron Grote said. When operational, the plant will have capacity to produce 420 million liters of ethanol and 500,000 tons of high protein animal feed from 1 million tons of locally grown wheat.
Jacobs wins engineering work on Afipsky refinery expansion in Russia
Jacobs was awarded a contract from Afipsky Refinery, located in the Krasnodarskij region of Russia, to develop a basic engineering package for an amine regenerator unit, a sour water stripper and an expected 55 tpd sulfur recovery unit (SRU). Officials did not disclose the contract value.
Petroplus UK administrator aims to sell Coryton refinery within month
The administrator of Petroplus Holdings’ UK subsidiaries says he aims to reach a deal to sell the Coryton refinery in England within 30 days. "A couple of potential buyers and investors are now in the due-diligence stage," said Unite trade union regional industrial organizer Russ Ball.
Korea's Kepco signs $3.4bn LNG deal with Vitol
Korea Midland Power said Monday that it has struck a $3.4 billion deal with Switzerland's Vitol SA to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) under a long-term contract. The power-generating unit of Korea Electric Power Corp., known as Komipo, will buy 400,000 tpy of LNG from Vitol from 2015 to 2024.
EuroChem finalizes purchase of BASF fertilizer unit
BASF completed the sale of its fertilizer business in Antwerp, Belgium, to EuroChem. The deal includes plants for CAN/AN fertilizers (calcium ammonium nitrate/ammonium nitrate), NPK fertilizers (nitrogen-phosphate-potassium) and nitrophosphoric acid as well as three related nitric acid plants.
Technip, CIMV to collaborate on 'green' chemistry
Technip signed a cooperation agreement in the green chemistry business with the Compagnie Industrielle de la Matière Végétale (CIMV) to industrialize CIMV’s process. The CIMV technology can be seen as a key enabler for the sustainable green chemistry sector based on non-edible feedstock.
BP, Statoil intrigued by Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline
UK oil major BP and Norway's Statoil are interested in joining the Trans-Anatolian pipeline project to carry Central Asian natural gas across Turkey to Europe. A BP spokesman said it had been asked by Socar whether it might be interested in taking a share in the project and that it is "considering the proposal."
Total taps Foster Wheeler for hydrodesulfurization revamp at Belgium refinery
Foster Wheeler has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) services contract by Total for the revamp of a hydrodesulfurization unit at Total’s refinery in Antwerp, Belgium. The value will be included in the company’s first-quarter 2012 bookings.
Dow Chemical to close plants amid cost cuts, cites weak Europe economy
Dow will shut down three insulation products plants as well as idle a plant in Terneuzen, The Netherlands. The company is also closing its TDI plant in Camaçari, Brazil.
- Allied Biofuels signs PIA with Uzbekistan to advance $6-B biofuels refinery project 4/10
- Nufarm strengthens strategic collaboration to support long term growth in biofuels production 4/10
- Pertamina and CRecTech sign MoU to explore pilot biogas-to-biomethanol facility in SEZ, Indonesia 4/10
- Shell Chemicals and Syensqo partner to deliver low-carbon ethylene oxide solutions 4/10
- HAMR Energy’s nationally significant fuel projects selected for Australian Government’s Investor Front Door Pilot 4/10
- HD Hyundai Heavy Industries builds world's first ammonia-powered vessel 4/10

