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Wison Engineering awarded EPFC contract from Formosa Plastics

SHANGHAI — Wison Engineering Services Co. Ltd., one of the leading chemical engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) management service providers in China, announced that its non-wholly owned affiliated company, Wison Engineering (China) Limited, has been awarded an engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction (EPFC) contract for one section of Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) project in Texas by Formosa Plastics Corporation.

SNC-Lavalin awarded FEED conversion to EPC contract by Brahms Oil Refineries

MONTREAL — SNC-Lavalin has been awarded a contract by Brahms Oil Refineries Limited to undertake a front-end engineering design (FEED) conversion to EPC contract for a 10,000-bpd crude oil refinery in Kamsar, Guinea. The FEED will provide a budget cost estimate to obtain a final investment decision (FID) for the project in the third quarter of 2017.

EIA: US fuel ethanol production continues to grow in 2017

Through the first six months of 2017, US weekly ethanol production averaged 1.02 MMbpd, an increase of 5% over the same period in 2016. On a weekly basis, US ethanol production set a record of 1.06 MMbpd in the week of Jan. 27, and it has averaged near or above 1 MMbpd in every week of 2017 except for a few weeks in April, when ethanol plants typically undergo seasonal maintenance. If ethanol production remains relatively high through the second half of the year, as EIA’s Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) expects, 2017 will set a new record for annual fuel ethanol production.

Chevron Phillips chemicals selects Audubon for main contractor framework agreement

HOUSTON, TX — Audubon Engineering Solutions, a global provider of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for the oil & gas, petrochemical, refining, and pipeline markets, announced that it has signed a teaming agreement with Chevron Phillips Chemical to provide capital-engineering services for their Gulf Coast Facilities.

LyondellBasell to build world's largest PO/TBA plant in Texas

HOUSTON and LONDON — LyondellBasell, one of the world's largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies, today announced the final investment decision to build the world's largest propylene oxide (PO) and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) plant in the Houston area.

Quanta Services acquires services company Stronghold

HOUSTON — Quanta Services, Inc. announced that it has completed the acquisition of Stronghold, Ltd. and Stronghold Specialty, Ltd., a specialized services company that provides high pressure and critical path solutions to the downstream and midstream energy markets.

Russia, Venezuela discuss Citgo collateral deal to avoid US sanctions

CARACAS/HOUSTON (Reuters) — Russia's top oil producer Rosneft is negotiating to swap its collateral in Venezuelan-owned, US-based refiner Citgo for oilfield stakes and a fuel supply deal—a move to avoid complications from US sanctions, two sources with knowledge of the negotiations told Reuters.

White House deregulation push clears out hundreds of proposed rules

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The White House said Thursday it had withdrawn or removed from active consideration more than 800 proposed regulations that were never finalized during the Obama administration as it works to shrink the federal government's regulatory footprint.

US fines ExxonMobil over Ukraine-related sanctions violations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The US Treasury Department on Thursday said it was fining global oil company ExxonMobil Corp $2 MM for violating sanctions on Russia in May 2014.

Brent oil climbs above $50 for first time since early June

LONDON (Reuters) — Brent crude oil rose above $50/bbl for the first time since early June on Thursday, adding to gains made the previous session when falling US crude and oil product inventories lifted the market.