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Refining

Update from the National Petroleum Council’s September meeting

The National Petroleum Council (NPC) is a federal advisory committee to the US Secretary of Energy. The sole purpose of the NPC is to advise, inform and make recommendations to the Secretary of Energy, at his request, on matters pertaining to oil and natural gas or to the oil and gas industries.

Diesel lobby touts its contributions to success of Clean Air Act

Allen Schaeffer, the executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, issued the following statement today highlighting the role of clean diesel in the ongoing success of the Clean Air Act. Schaeffer made his comments after attending activities in Washington, DC hosted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Act.

World’s first BioDME renewable motor fuels plant inaugurated in Sweden

The world’s first plant for production of the renewable motor fuel BioDME was inaugurated on September 9.

ExxonMobil and Badger to market a new catalytic process

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co. (EMRE) has signed an agreement with Badger Licensing LLC (Badger) to jointly market EMRE’s BenzOUTTM technology, a novel catalytic process to reduce benzene in gasoline while delivering other additional benefits.

Ecopetrol opens Barrancabermeja hydro-treatment plant

With an investment of $1.02 billion, Ecopetrol has opened its hydro-treatment plant at the Barrancabermeja refinery in Columbia.

Branson sees Solazyme as a strategic investment

Solazyme, Inc., announced that Sir Richard Branson has invested in Solazyme's Series D financing. Branson has invested in Solazyme's financing in a personal capacity.

IOCL selects Axens' coker gas oil hydrotreating technology

Indian Oil Corp. Ltd (IOCL) has chosen Axens to supply the technology for its coker gas oil (CGO) hydrotreating unit at its refinery in Haldia, India.

Honeywell UOP technology to support biomass conversion in California

Honeywell UOP LLC’s technology was recently selected for use in Rentech, Inc.’s Rialto Renewable Energy Center for the conversion of biomass to transportation fuels.

Verenium closes sale of cellulosic biofuels business to BP

Verenium Corp. has closed the sale of its cellulosic biofuels business to BP Biofuels North America for $98.3 million, subject to the additional financial terms of the transaction announced on July 15, 2010.

Magellan Midstream purchases additional petroleum storage

Magellan Midstream Partners has completed its acquisition of 7.8 million barrels of crude oil storage and more than 100 miles of active petroleum pipelines from BP Pipelines (North America), Inc. for $289 million.