Americas
US energy workers hit hard by investment in company stock plans
In Oklahoma and Texas, workers are delaying retirement plans, surrendering trucks, cars and land in personal bankruptcy cases, or just praying oil prices will recover.
US expands imports of Nigerian oil as refiners turn to West African crudes
Nigeria was the fourth-largest supplier of foreign crude to the US last week, displacing Mexico and also competing with Iraq and Colombia, according to preliminary figures from the EIA.
Primus Green Energy unveils new GTL projects for gas-to-methanol in US
Primus’ standardized modular GTL systems will convert low-cost Marcellus feedstock into methanol locally, thus saving its clients in the region both production and transportation costs.
US gasoline inventories fall as refiners cut rates
Refinery crude runs fell by 176,000 bpd, while utilization rates dropped by 0.6 percentage points. Gasoline stocks fell by 4.6 million bbl, well above expectations for a 1.5-million bbl drop.
Aruba refinery to begin hiring workers in April for plant repairs, upgrades
A team of Citgo technicians has been working since 2015 on a plan to restart and upgrade the plant. Catalysts used at Aruba's hydrodesulfurization unit (HDS) were removed several weeks ago.
US chemical activity barometer expands in March
In March, production-related indicators were better, with improvement in plastic resins used in packaging and strengthening construction-related resins and pigments.
MEGlobal to build new MEG plant by 2019 at Dow Chemical’s Texas hub
The new Oyster Creek MEG facility will be owned by MEGlobal and is the company’s first manufacturing unit in the US. The new MEGlobal plant will create 1,400 construction jobs at the project’s peak, and the company will employ approximately 50 new workers when it goes on stream in mid-2019.
Saudi Arabia leaves US shale-processing plants to Shell in Motiva split
The refineries in Port Arthur, Texas, and Convent, Louisiana, had been growing apart for several years before the companies recently announced plans to split ownership.
US on track for record summer gasoline demand
Recent data indicates the country is on track for its biggest-ever driving season this summer, which will keep refineries running flat-out turning crude into the motor fuel.
Braskem to import US ethane feedstocks from Enterprise Products
Brazilian petrochemical group Braskem signed a new, 10-year contract with Enterprise Products for the supply of ethane feedstocks acquired from US shale oil and gas production.
- bp's Whiting refinery union workers reject contract extension 2/2
- China's CNPC set to restart Dalian refinery to process Russian oil 2/2
- Dow announces 2029 startup of Phase 1 of its $7.5-B Path2Zero ethylene project 2/2
- ExxonMobil, Chevron see glimmer of Venezuela's potential, especially in refining its crude 2/2
- Nigeria's Dangote refinery expands gas deals with NNPC to secure fuel for expansion programs 2/2
- Carlyle in talks with potential UAE partners on Lukoil assets 2/2
