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ABS-classed VLEC loads first ethane shipment

HOUSTON -- ABS is pleased to announce that the ABS-classed Ethane Crystal, the world’s first Very Large Ethane Carrier (VLEC), has loaded its first shipment of ethane cargo at Enterprise Products Partner’s Morgan’s Point Terminal.

EIA: Crude stocks rise unexpectedly, product inventories down

(Reuters) -- US crude stocks rose last week as refineries hiked output, while gasoline stocks decreased and distillate inventories fell, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.

US Energy Department offers $2B loan to Lake Charles Methanol

WASHINGTON — The US Department of Energy offered a conditional commitment to guarantee loans of up to $2 billion to Lake Charles Methanol, LLC to construct the world’s first methanol production facility to employ carbon capture technology in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Honda begins deliveries of fuel-cell cars in southern California

(Reuters) -- Honda Motor Co Ltd said customer deliveries of its hydrogen fuel-cell car, dubbed Clarity Fuel Cell, began on Monday at select Honda dealerships across Southern California.

Praxair starts up carbon dioxide plant in Northeastern US

DANBURY, Conn., – Praxair, Inc. announced that it has started up its carbon dioxide purification and liquefaction plant at Delaware City Refining Company’s facility in Delaware City, Delaware. The 450-ton-per-day plant is producing food and beverage quality liquid carbon dioxide for distribution to the Northeastern US merchant market.

Death of diesel in passenger cars of limited concern to refiners

LONDON (Reuters) -- Even if the diesel engine's scandal-driven fall from grace pushes it out of the world's passenger cars, an increasing need for it on ships, in trucks and heavy industry could save the refineries that invested heavily in producing the fuel.

API: Petroleum demand rose in November

WASHINGTON – Total petroleum deliveries in November moved up 2.2% to average 19.6 MMbpd, and were the highest November deliveries in nine years, since 2007.

By shielding biggest buyer Asia from supply cuts, OPEC risks prolonging fuel glut

SINGAPORE (Reuters) -- OPEC's efforts to hold market share in Asia by keeping its customers, which take about two-thirds of its exports, supplied amid wider output cuts could prolong the global fuel glut and frustrate its attempt to bolster prices.

As bruising year ends, US refiners brace for more costly regulations

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- US refiners such as Valero Energy Corp and Marathon Petroleum Corp are bracing for stricter, smog-busting gasoline regulations set to hit in January, threatening more headwinds for an industry that has just endured its least profitable year since the shale boom started five years ago.

Koch escalates tax reform battle with report on gasoline prices

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- A Koch Industries-funded report warned on Friday US gasoline prices would rise if Congress passed a Republican proposal to adjust US corporate tax rates to favor exports over imports, escalating a lobbying battle over the measure.