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Americas

PDVSA's Amuay refinery halts distillation unit

CARACAS (Reuters) — Venezuela’s 645,000 bpd Amuay refinery has halted its distillation unit No. 5 due to an operational problem, union leader and opposition activist Ivan Freites said on Thursday.

India MRPL makes its first US oil purchase

NEW DELHI (Reuters) — India’s state-run Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd has made its first purchase of US crude oil, buying high-sulfur grade Southern Green Canyon through a buy tender for an early February delivery, the head of its refinery said.

EPA sets US biofuels targets slightly higher for 2018

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The US Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday it will require fuel companies to blend slightly more biofuels into the nation's gasoline and diesel next year, reversing a previous proposal for a small cut.

KBR awarded ammonia plant revamp in India

HOUSTON — KBR, Inc. announced it has been awarded an ammonia plant revamp contract by Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd (RCF).

Copersucar partners with BP on ethanol complex in Brazil

SAO PAULO (Reuters) — Brazil’s Copersucar, one of the world’s largest ethanol merchants, and BP’s Brazil unit said on Thursday they will form a 50–50 logistics JV in the country.

Argentina biodiesel exports decline after US tariffs imposed

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) — Argentina's biodiesel exports fell 30% in the third quarter of 2017 from the previous year to 353,034 t, the government's statistics agency said on Wednesday, indicating that new US import tariffs have had a swift impact.

Rising US propane exports to Asia widen heating-value spread

HOUSTON (Reuters) — Propane is trading at its widest premium to butane on a heating value basis in four years as strong US exports combined with expectations of a colder US winter than a year ago have tightened inventories.

EIA: US crude stocks fall, but gasoline, distillates up

(Reuters) — US crude oil stocks fell last week, led by the biggest fall in inventories at the Cushing, Oklahoma storage hub in eight years, while gasoline and distillate stockpiles rose, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.

Oil slips on OPEC deal uncertainty and rising US inventories

LONDON (Reuters) — Oil prices slipped on Wednesday as doubts set in about Russia's willingness to substantially extend a deal among some of the world's biggest exporters to curb output to help tackle global oversupply and support prices.

US ethanol makers call on Mexico, India to reduce biofuel glut

CHICAGO (Reuters) — US ethanol producers, looking to relieve a growing domestic glut, are hunting for new international fuel markets to replace China and Brazil after trade disputes slashed exports to those top buyers.