Refining
Shell to expand Athabasca oil sands as CEO sees Canada output growing
Shell will expand its Athabasca oil sands project by a third by the end of the decade, and Canada will make up a larger share of Shell's energy production over that period, CEO Peter Voser said. That would bring the project, in which Shell owns 60%, to at least 335,000 bpd of production.
Petroplus refinery in UK poised to shut down after no buyer found
The permanent closure of Petroplus’ Coryton refinery in England has become more likely after the plant's administrator said Monday it has been unable to sell or refinance it, but the UK government said any closure was unlikely to result in fuel shortages. The refinery will be idled in a matter of days.
T. Boone Pickens finds flaws in US energy plans of Obama, Romney
The energy titan didn't endorse either presidential candidate, saying Obama's "all of the above" energy plan needed to be more specific and Romney's plan is "not total".
Gevo starts up commercial bio-based isobutanol plant in Minnesota
Next-generation biofuels company Gevo has successfully started up what it says is the world’s first commercial bio-based isobutanol production plant, located in Luverne, Minnesota. Gevo said it expects to reach full-capacity run rates by year-end 2013 after a run rate of 1 million gal/ month by late 2012.
EPA could double fraudulent US biofuel claims
Republicans say they have evidence the EPA may double the number of US biodiesel credits it has deemed fraudulent, raising the specter of more financial penalties for refiners.
Memorial Day holiday travel projected higher in US, may raise gasoline demand
The American Automobile Association (AAA) group projects 34.8 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, an increase of 1.2% from a year ago. The survey found 53% said recent increases in gasoline prices would not impact their plans.
Aramco, Sumitomo approve second phase of Saudi petrochemicals expansion
Sumitomo Chemical and Saudi Aramco are moving ahead with phase two of their Petro Rabigh integrated refinery and petrochemicals expansion in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia. Each new plant will be brought on stream as it becomes available for operation, beginning the first half of 2016, the companies said.
Husky union workers call for strike at Ohio refinery
Union workers have called a strike at the Husky Energy refinery in Lima, Ohio, leaving the refiner's management to run the 150,000 bpd plant, the USW union said Friday.
US refiners set to begin exports to West Africa
The US industry will soon expand its exporting to include gasoline sales to West Africa, predicts Valero CEO Bill Klesse. "That's something we haven't seen before," he said.
Petrobras targets domestic market for refining unit
Costs associated with transporting oil products to hubs in Europe, the US and Asia make it less practical than using production domestically in Brazil, an executive said.
- Eneos plans to shut Marifu CDU in mid-January for maintenance 12/26
- China's 2026 first batch fuel export quotas steady year on year 12/26
- Singapore fuel oil stockpiles rise to two-week high 12/26
- Asia refinery 2025–2026 maintenance/outages 12/26
- Serbia's NIS gets U.S. approval to negotiate sale of Russian stake 12/26
- India's Reliance gets one-month US concession to buy Rosneft oil 12/24
