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Petrochemicals

Petronas, Saudi Aramco explore petchem expansion in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -- Malaysian state-owned oil company Petronas and its partner Saudi Aramco are studying projects to build more petrochemical plants to make full use of raw materials from their JV in Malaysia.

India's top refiner in early talks with Aramco for downstream project

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -- India's top refiner said it is in initial talks with Saudi Aramco on downstream investments, including a mega project on its west coast, that could help the OPEC member lock-in customers amid an oil supply glut.

EIA: Petroleum product exports from Central Atlantic US unusually high in February

Exports of finished petroleum products from the Petroleum Administration of Defense District (PADD) 1B, which comprises the US Central Atlantic states (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania), reached a record high for the month of February, as petroleum product prices in that region weakened compared with prices in the rest of the Atlantic Basin region.

Alpek receives corporate approvals for Petrobras PTA-PET facility acquisitions

MONTERREY, Mexico – Alpek, S.A.B. de C.V. announced that it obtained all necessary corporate approvals to acquire 100% of Companhia Petroquímica de Pernambuco and Companhia Integrada Têxtil de Pernambuco from Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. for $385 MM.

Saudi Aramco to dilute stake in Dow JV via IPO

ABU DHABI (Reuters) -- National oil firm Saudi Aramco plans to cut its stake in Sadara Chemical Co, a joint venture with US company Dow Chemical, via an initial public offer of shares, Sadara chief executive Ziad al-Labban said on Wednesday.

Equipment critical analysis: The need for an effective maintenance program

Toyo Engineering Canada Ltd.: Zardynezhad, S.

Oil refineries and large petrochemical plants contain thousands of pieces of process and utilities equipment that are subject to wear, erosion, deterioration, aging, etc., resulting in increasing breakdowns and outages. Imagine being a maintenance engineer and receiving 50 work orders during an overhaul with a limited budget, time, labor, spare parts, tools, machines, etc. How does that engineer prioritize the work?

HP announces launch of IRPC Europe, WGLC Europe, and HP Awards in Vienna

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Blume, Adrienne

Three co-located events allow for ease of networking and attendance in one of Europe’s most renowned cultural and artistic centers.

Engineering Case Histories: Case 96: Career paths—technical and management

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

I have spent most of my career in the mechanical engineering technical area because that is what I do best. I was a manager of advanced engineering for many years, but then realized that it was not my calling.

Global: The future growth of Argentina’s oil and gas industry hinges on additional investments

Contributing Writer: Nogarin, M.

Attracting new investments is vital to revive the Argentine oil industry. It is essential to involve multinationals, due to the lack of financial resources of the Argentinian government. The modernization of the country’s downstream infrastructure is crucial to improve productivity, and the nation will need international support to obtain profitable results.

Business Trends: Human reliability—a disruptive innovation

Small Hammer Inc.: Snider, B.

Annual bottom-line losses due to equipment failures total more than $100 MM at major refineries and petrochemical complexes. Corporate executives charge plant personnel with improving the reliability of the facility.