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Middle East

IEA nations to tap oil reserves as supply disruptions continue in Libya

International Energy Agency (IEA) executive director Nobuo Tanaka announced Thursday that the 28 IEA member countries have agreed to release 60 million bbl of oil in the coming month in response to the ongoing disruption of oil supplies from Libya.

KBR, Shell to align on hydroprocessing technology

KBR and Shell have formed a new alliance in which KBR will market, sell and provide technology and design packages with Shell for hydroprocessing solutions worldwide.

Axens wins engineering deal for new Iraq refinery

South Refineries Co. (SRC), a subsidiary of the Iraq Ministry of Oil, awarded Axens the basic engineering design and license contracts for the construction of the new refinery in Maissan, southern Iraq.

IEA sees increasing natgas use, warns of high oil prices curbing demand

Annual growth in oil demand could average 1.2 million barrels per day (mb/d) between now and 2016, while natural gas demand could grow by around 500 billion cubic meters – around 2.5 times Russia’s current gas exports – during the same time, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) medium-term oil and gas market outlook.

SABIC plans new carbon fiber plant in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) announced on Wednesday that it signed a technology agreement with Montefibre S.p.A (Montefibre) granting SABIC and its affiliates an extensive international licence on carbon fiber technology developed by Montefibre. SABIC said it will first use the technology for a new carbon fiber plant to be built in Saudi Arabia.

Shell, Sandvik to collaborate on sulfur technology at refinery projects

Shell Global Solutions and AB Sandvik Process Systems have agreed to collaborate on total sulfur technology solutions to their respective clients, particularly in refinery-wide projects, the companies said on Monday.

Qatar Petroleum, Shell ship first cargo of GTL gasoil from JV plant

Qatar Petroleum and Shell said on Monday that the Pearl gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant, located in Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, has sold its first commercial shipment of GTL gasoil.

New diesel hydrotreater from Axens starts up at Ras Tanura refinery

A grassroots diesel hydrotreater unit (Prime-DTM), licensed by Axens, has successfully been put into production at Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refinery, company officials said on Friday.

Crude oil costs rise as OPEC meeting concludes without production increase

OPEC talks broke down on Wednesday as government officials were unable to convince the cartel to raise production rates.

BP unveils annual energy review, sees China passing US as top consumer

China became the world’s largest energy consumer in 2010, overtaking the US during a year which saw the global economic recovery drive consumption higher and at a rate not seen since the aftermath of the 1973 oil price shocks, BP said in its annual global energy review.