Europe
OPEC agrees to accomodate rising Libya oil output
Libya's oil minister Abdurahman Benyezza said that there is a "gentlemen" agreement inside OPEC to accommodate the country's crude oil as production recovers. Libya is currently producing over 1 million bpd of crude oil and expects to boost output to pre-war levels of about 1.6 million bpd by mid-2012.
Total Safety acquires Belgium downstream group Z-Safety Services
Integrated safety services firm Total Safety has acquired Z-Safety Services, a European leader for mission-critical safety services and equipment to the downstream energy and petrochemical markets based in Dilsen, Belgium. With the deal, Total Safety dramatically expands its European footprint and its ability to serve the safety needs of its client partners, it said.
SunPower strikes $165mn deal for Total solar unit
SunPower Corp. agreed to acquire a Total solar energy unit for $165.4 million in a deal that will expand the solar-panel company's presence in large-scale projects. Sunpower will pay $165.4 million for Total's Tenesol business and Total, its biggest shareholder, has agreed to acquire an additional 18.6 million SunPower shares in a private placement for $8.80 each.
ExxonMobil to consolidate businesses of fuels marketing, lubricants
The ExxonMobil board of directors will approve the consolidation of ExxonMobil Fuels Marketing Co. and ExxonMobil Lubricants & Petroleum Specialties Co. into ExxonMobil Fuels, Lubricants & Specialties Marketing Co., effective February 1, 2012.
HB Fuller to acquire global industrial adhesives business from Forbo
HB Fuller Co has signed an agreement to purchase the global industrial adhesives business of Forbo Group. Forbo is known for the breadth of its product line in all of HB Fuller’s core market segments, particularly packaging and durable assembly, according to Fuller officials.
Foster Wheeler wins EPCm for BP gas separation project in Scotland
Foster Wheeler has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) contract for BP Exploration’s enhanced gas separation project (EGSP) in Scotland. The project is expected to be completed in 2013.
Total wins Exxon tender for Slagen refinery lifting
Total has won ExxonMobil Corp.’s 2012 tender for lifting from its 110,000 bpd Slagen refinery in Norway, a fuel oil trader familiar with the matter said Wednesday. Annual fuel oil tenders from Exxon's Northwest Europe refineries are widely followed by traders in the region.
Total buys ExxonMobil stake in Antwerp olefins unit
Total affiliate PetroFina S.A. on Wednesday signed an agreement with ExxonMobil under which ExxonMobil is to transfer to Total its 35% shareholder interest in Fina Antwerp Olefins. This plant is the second largest in Europe for the production of base chemicals products, including ethylene, propylene and benzene.
Dow, Aksa form carbon fiber venture in Turkey
Dow Chemical and Turkey-based Aksa on Tuesday formed a joint venture to manufacture and commercialize carbon fiber and derivatives. Total investment in the project, including third-party investments, is expected to reach $1 billion in five years and create up to 1,000 employment opportunities, the companies said.
Jacobs awarded design work for sulfuric acid coolers in Bulgaria
Jacobs announced Tuesday its Canada-based Chemetics unit in Pickering, Ontario, was awarded a design and fabrication contract by Aurubis Bulgaria for two proprietary designed sulfuric acid coolers to be installed at its acid plant in Pirdop, Bulgaria.
- BASF supports European 1,4‑butanediol supply security through increased production in Ludwigshafen 2/16
- Vitol backs proposed $3-billion LNG power plant for South Africa's Durban port 2/16
- HAMR Energy receives additional funding for low-carbon liquid fuels projects 2/16
- NASCAR names POET official bioethanol partner: Becomes first major motorsports series to utilize zero-carbon bioethanol 2/16
- ExxonMobil starts third advanced plastics recycling unit at Baytown complex 2/16
- Geoinform, subsidiary of the MOL Group, signs strategic cooperation agreement with Baker Hughes 2/16

