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Americas

Explosion at major Venezuela refinery injures two

PUNTO FIJO, Venezuela (Reuters) — A furnace exploded during a unit restart at Venezuela’s largest refining complex, injuring two workers, a union leader and a family member of one of the victims said on Wednesday.

Demand to ship gasoline on Colonial Pipeline at 2-month low

NEW YORK (Reuters) — Demand to ship gasoline on Colonial Pipeline has sunk to a two-month low as Gulf Coast supplies are increasingly being exported or sent to the Midwest rather than to the New York harbor, three sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

USTDA to host reverse trade mission for refinery optimization with India government, executives

USTDA is hosting a group of Indian oil and gas officials, and senior executives from state-owned and private sector Indian refineries on a visit to the United States where they will see the design, manufacture, and operation of US goods and services.

SNC-Lavalin signs framework agreement with Shell

MONTREAL — SNC-Lavalin announced that it has signed a Framework Agreement (FA) with Shell to provide pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for modular options on Shell's projects.

US renewable fuel credits pressured by biodiesel tax credit optimism

CHICAGO (Reuters) — US renewable fuel credits remained under pressure on Thursday as expectations mounted that lawmakers may soon renew a $1/gal rebate for biodiesel blenders that could curb worries over tight supplies in the thinly-traded market.

US tax overhaul likely to spur spending by refiners, pipeline cos

NEW YORK (Reuters) — US refiners and pipeline companies are likely to embark on a capital spending spree in the next year, fueled by a provision in the recently-passed US tax bill that rewards investment in new projects, said energy industry lobbyists and analysts.

Mexico oil regulator expects to give Trafigura contract for crude trading

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) — Mexico's oil regulator is expected to assign oil trader Trafigura a 3-yr contract to commercialize crude the government obtains from the new scheme of contracts derived from an energy reform, the national regulator said on Thursday.

Oil falls as UK North Sea oil pipeline moves closer to restart

LONDON (Reuters) — Oil prices fell on Thursday after the operator of Britain's Forties pipeline in the North Sea said it was expected to restart in early January after repairs over Christmas.

Belgian tanker group Euronav to buy US rival Gener8 Maritime

LONDON (Reuters) — Tanker operator Euronav is to buy US rival Gener8 Maritime to create one of the world's top oil shipping fleets, the companies said on Thursday, in an all-stock deal worth an estimated $490 MM.

Mexichem-Pemex JV will not rebuild blast-damaged plant

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) — A joint venture between Mexican chemicals company Mexichem and state oil firm Pemex has decided not to rebuild a petrochemical plant in southeastern Mexico badly damaged in a deadly explosion last year, Mexichem said on Wednesday.