Petrochemicals
Editorial Comment: HP Top Project Awards 2017
It’s that time again! <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> has announced the nominees for its annual Top Project awards.
Diversification: The catalyst for the Middle East’s downstream transformation
Over the past several years, the Middle East has made substantial investments to increase its downstream processing capacity.
Optimizing ethylene production with laser technology
Ethylene is one of the most valuable organic compound building blocks in the world.
Industry Metrics
US product crack spreads surged amid refinery outages as Hurricane Harvey affected US Gulf Coast (USGC) refinery operations.
JXTG to shut Muroran petchem plant as Japan gasoline demand fades
TOKYO (Reuters) — JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corp, Japan's biggest oil refiner, said on Wednesday it will shut its Muroran petrochemicals plant due to falling demand for gasoline in Japan.
Petrotechnics’ survey reveals reality of risk in the global hydrocarbon industry
ABERDEEN, Scotland, UK — Petrotechnics, the developer of the hazardous industries’ first software platform for operational excellence, has released its 2017 Operational Risk and Process Safety Management survey results. Insights from more than 200 senior industry leaders reveal that only 6% believe their companies are fully up-to-date with their scheduled safety-critical maintenance.
New project for AXION Energy in Argentina
The project involves the Detail Engineering for the expansion of the Catalytic Cracking Unit at the refinery that Techint E&C has in Campana.
ExxonMobil Baytown, Beaumont refineries begin fuels production
IRVING, Texas — ExxonMobil said that its Baytown and Beaumont refineries have begun producing fuels at reduced rates and that crude oil and refined product pipelines in the Gulf and other regions of Texas have restarted as recovery continues from Hurricane Harvey.
Dow announces start-up of world-scale ethylene production facility, polyethylene unit in Texas
MIDLAND, Mich. — DowDuPont Materials Science, the business division of DowDuPont to be named Dow, announced the startup of its new integrated world-scale ethylene production facility and its new ELITE enhanced polyethylene production facility, both in Freeport, Texas.
LyondellBasell begins production at new PP compounding plant in China
HOUSTON and ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands — LyondellBasell announced the successful startup of a new 20 ktpy polypropylene (PP) compounding plant in Dalian, China. This is the company's third facility in China, strategically located to serve the region's growing automotive market.

- CNOOC completes construction on $2.9-B, 1.8-MMtpy integrated complex in east China 8/22
- bp's Whiting refinery (U.S.) continues to flare days after severe thunderstorm 8/22
- Bachmann introduces latest version M-Target for Simulink 8/22
- U.S. to rule on biofuel waivers, but big oil refiners may need to wait 8/22
- Chinese independent refiner Hongrun buys Canadian, Brazilian crude 8/22
- Ukrainian attack suspends Russian oil flows to Hungary, Slovakia 8/22