Americas
Sasol taps Emerson to automate planned Louisiana cracker, GTL complex
The automation program’s overall scope -- including dozens of integrated process units and more than 100,000 measurement and control points -- makes it one of the largest Emerson has been awarded.
Halliburton destroyed Deepwater Horizon evidence
The government says Halliburton, which was a contractor involved in drilling the oil well, destroyed computer simulations it performed in the months after the accident. Those simulations didn't bear out Halliburton's contention that BP erred by not following its advice on using certain equipment.
US oil, shale gas pioneer George Mitchell dies at 94
George Mitchell helped develop new technology for hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, which he used to tap oil & gas at the Barnett Shale in North Texas during the 1980s and 1990s.
Gas leak blocked, fire going out at Gulf of Mexico rig
A natural-gas-fueled fire that has been burning at the well since Tuesday night has been reduced to a small flame, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said in a statement. The rig was evacuated Tuesday morning after the well it was drilling blew out.
US launches antitrust investigation into pressure-pumping industry
Baker Hughes said it received a Civil Investigative Demand from the Justice Department under the Antitrust Civil Process Act. The request sought information relating to the US pressure-pumping market beginning May 29, 2011. Additional details about the scope of the investigation were not available.
Gevo begins to supply isobutanol-blended gasoline to US Coast Guard
The US Coast Guard R&D Center is using the Gevo-blended fuel as part of a 12-month, long-term operational study on marine engines that began during June. The testing is being performed under a research and development pact between the US Coast Guard, Honda and Mercury.
Evacuated drilling rig in Gulf of Mexico catches fire
The rig, located in shallow water off Grand Isle, Louisiana, has been leaking natural gas. It ignited about 10:50 Tuesday evening, according to the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. The crew had evacuated Tuesday morning and no one was aboard when it caught fire.
Sasol, INEOS to develop new US plant for high-density polyethylene
The envisaged plant will produce 470,000 tpy of bimodal HDPE using Innovene S process technology licensed from INEOS Technologies. The final investment decision from the two companies is expected to be made in the first half of 2014, with start-up of the plant expected at the end of 2015.
AFPM seeks repeal of US renewable fuels rule
The downstream trade group is calling on the US Congress to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), saying the law was based on erroneous assumptions of the market.
DuPont mulls sale of performance chemicals unit
DuPont's performance chemicals business includes titanium dioxide (TiO2), fluorochemicals, and specialty and industrial chemicals. In Tuesday's earnings release, DuPont reported a 12% year-on-year decline in second-quarter net income, mainly due to lower global TiO2 prices.
- Shell, CNOOC take FID on 1.6-MMtpy petrochemical complex expansion in China 1/15
- Plug Power seals huge deal with Allied Green Ammonia for 3-GW electrolyzer system 1/15
- Russian oil products trapped at sea by U.S. sanctions 1/15
- California (U.S.) withdraws clean truck EPA waiver request ahead of Trump inauguration 1/15
- Amazon orders 200 new electric heavy trucks from Daimler for Germany, UK 1/15
- Colonial Pipeline shuts main gasoline artery after potential gasoline spill 1/15
