Refining
Tesoro to pay record US penalty for environmental violations at refineries
Tesoro, an independent US refiner, didn't comply with recordkeeping, reporting, sampling and testing requirements at four refineries producing conventional gasoline, in violation of the Clean Air Act, the EPA said. The agency said the penalty was the largest ever issued for violations like these.
Kinder Morgan cancels California oil pipeline plan as refiners opt for rail
Efforts to woo Valero Energy, Tesoro and other West Coast refiners to take oil from the proposed 277,000-bpd Freedom pipeline ultimately failed after refiners decided taking crude via railcar gave them more flexibility. Kinder Morgan will switch its focus to crude-by-rail projects in Texas and California.
PKN Czech refinery to be shut for 10 days due to cracking problems
The company decided late Wednesday to halt all operations at its Kralupy refinery for 10 days due to problems with the cracking unit. "The unplanned shutdown results from a lack of storage capacity for the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit feedstock," Unipetrol said in a statement.
Hindustan revives plan for new South India refining complex
Hindustan Petroleum has revived a plan to build a large refinery and petrochemical complex at Visakhapattanam. The proposed project will have a capacity of 300,000 bpd.
EU slaps anti-dumping duties on biodiesel imported from Argentina, Indonesia
EU biodiesel makers have long complained that subsidies and incentives for biodiesel makers in Argentina and Indonesia give them an unfair advantage. Argentina's Foreign Ministry denounced the duties as an attempt to shield EU companies from more competitive Argentine producers.
Egypt looks for fuel supplies from Arab producers to ease local shortage
Egypt is still talking with some Arab oil and gas producers to secure fuel supplies to ease its shortages. The negotiations with Qatar, Iraq, and Libya, members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries are still ongoing in order to secure the best formula to serve the interest of Egypt.
US monthly oil demand inches higher despite sharp decline in gasoline use
Gains in demand for distillate fuel [diesel/heating oil] and catch-all other oils, which include feedstocks for petrochemical plants, offset the fall in gasoline use to nudge total demand higher.
Valero targets more North American crude supply for Quebec refinery
Valero plans to invest between $106 million and $192 million to overhaul its handling capacity at the Quebec refinery, including increased tankage and new crude carrying ships, in order to increase access to North American crude. That will provide it with a competitive advantage.
India's Essar Oil to supply fuels to PetroChina after receiving Chinese loan
The likely deal with China Development Bank will be supported by an agreement to supply fuel products from Essar's refinery to PetroChina. Essar group said it has been in discussions with several international banks, including Chinese banks, to replace its local debt.
SOCAR awards engineering contracts to construct largest Turkey refinery
A consortium comprised of Itochu and foreign firms won an order from the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic to build Turkey's largest oil refinery in the western city of Izmir. Other members of the consortium are Tecnicas Reunidas, Saipem and GS Engineering and Construction.
- HIF Global and German eFuel One GmbH sign HoA for e-methanol offtake 2/20
- Venezuela's refineries boost processing to 35% of capacity 2/20
- New Trinidad gas projects could provide necessary feedstock for country's petchem and LNG sectors 2/20
- MK-Polymer delivers ethylene-propylene rubber to JSC Kazenergokabel 2/20
- Mexican authorities shut down 22-m long tunnel used in illegal smuggling of fuel supplies 2/20
- Croatia must allow Russian oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia, MOL says 2/20
