Petrochemicals
France's Engie starts global LPG desk to meet power demand, hedging needs
SINGAPORE (Reuters) -- France's international utility company Engie has started a global desk to trade liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and plans to promote the fuel as a replacement for diesel in power generation, senior executives said on Thursday.
Jiangsu Sailboat petchem starts Honeywell UOP methanol-to-olefins unit
DES PLAINES, Ill. -- Honeywell announced that Jiangsu Sailboat Petrochemical Company, Ltd. started its UOP Advanced Methanol-to-Olefins (MTO) unit during a 10-day test to confirm successful operation. When the full unit goes on line, it will have an annual production capacity of 833,000 mtpy, making it the largest single-train MTO unit in the world.
Big Corn courts old foe Big Oil to combat electric car threat
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) -- A US biofuels lobbying group on Tuesday said it is seeking to work with longtime rival the oil industry to fight the threat to both from subsidies for electric vehicles.
Brazil's Braskem cuts capex after fine hits earnings
SAO PAULO (Reuters) -- Brazil's Braskem SA is trimming investments this year as it winds down spending on a new plant in Mexico and cuts back strategic new projects after a bribery settlement hammered earnings last year, according to a Wednesday securities filing.
Enterprise chooses Honeywell UOP technology for new Texas petchem plant
DES PLAINES, Ill. -- Honeywell announced that Houston-based Enterprise Products Operating LLC has chosen Honeywell UOP's C4 Oleflex technology to produce 425,000 mtpy of isobutylene, which is used to make high-octane fuel and high-performance synthetic rubbers and acrylics.
Indian refiners process 1.5% less oil in January
(Reuters) -- Indian refiners processed 21.11 MMt, or 4.99 MMbpd, of crude oil in January, a decline of around 1.5% compared with the same period last year, as many state refiners shut units for maintenance, preliminary government data showed on Wednesday.
Russia's Lukoil sells its petrochemical plant in Ukraine
MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Russian oil producer Lukoil said in a statement on Tuesday it has completed the sale of its Karpatneftekhim petrochemical plant in western Ukraine.
Repsol starts-up new pilot plant for its polycarbonate polyol
Repsol is developing a product for manufacturing a new type of polyol, polycarbonate polyol, which will partially replace its raw material, propylene oxide (a limited fossil resource) with the abundant and sustainable alternative, CO2.
Full start of India Reliance petchem plant will halt heavy naphtha exports
SINGAPORE/NEW DELHI (Reuters) -- India's Reliance Industries, owner of the world's biggest refining complex, will halt heavy naphtha exports in 2017/18 after the full-scale start-up of its 2.2 MMtpy paraxylene plant by end-March, four people with knowledge of the matter said.
South Korea's LPG demand revives with switch to petrochemicals
SEOUL/SINGAPORE (Reuters) -- A shift in the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to petrochemicals and away from transport has pushed demand for the fuel to new records in South Korea, after years of slumping consumption, a change which mostly benefits US suppliers.

- 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