Americas
Phillips 66 temporarily shuts Texas aromatics unit
Refinery operations personnel routed the emissions caused by the event to several of the plant's safety flare stacks intermittently throughout the day and worked to bring Unit 35 back on line. The emissions event lasted just under 12 hours, the filing to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said.
Linde to build new air separation unit, gasification train near Houston
The new plants are scheduled to come onstream in the first quarter of 2015. The ASU will be the largest operated by Linde in the US, and the addition of a new gasification plant will create the world’s largest gas-based partial oxidation complex for the production of syngas products for petrochemicals.
Mexichem buys vinyl resin business from PolyOne
Assets transferred in the sale were strictly those related to resin production and included manufacturing plants in Pedricktown, New Jersey; Henry, Illinois; and a resin research facility in Avon Lake, Ohio.
Yokogawa partners with Brazil's Petrobras on field wireless technology
Through this partnership, Yokogawa will provide Petrobras technical support on the use of field wireless communications and have the opportunity to demonstrate its field wireless products.
Williams, Boardwalk unveil plan to transport NGLs from US shale plays
By combining new construction with an existing pipeline, Williams and Boardwalk believe that the Bluegrass Pipeline could be placed into service and begin serving customers sooner than other options. The companies expect that the planned project could be placed into service in late 2015.
Cheniere adds two more Sabine Pass LNG trains
Cheniere issued contractor Bechtel a full notice to proceed with construction of Trains 3 and 4, according to company CEO Charif Souki. Construction work began last August on the first two trains, which are about 30% complete. Initial LNG deliveries are expected to begin in late 2015.
Air Products plans new Chile industrial gases plant
Antofagasta's new plant will produce oxygen, nitrogen and argon. Its construction and the Graneros expansion will mean an investment of more than $15 million. The new capacity follows the opening of a new plant in Puerto Varas in 2012 to support local industries, including the growing aquaculture market.
EU slaps anti-dumping duties on biodiesel imported from Argentina, Indonesia
EU biodiesel makers have long complained that subsidies and incentives for biodiesel makers in Argentina and Indonesia give them an unfair advantage. Argentina's Foreign Ministry denounced the duties as an attempt to shield EU companies from more competitive Argentine producers.
Iran launches cyberattacks on US energy firms
In the latest operations, the Iranian hackers were able to gain access to control-system software that could potentially allow them to manipulate US oil or natural gas pipelines.
US monthly oil demand inches higher despite sharp decline in gasoline use
Gains in demand for distillate fuel [diesel/heating oil] and catch-all other oils, which include feedstocks for petrochemical plants, offset the fall in gasoline use to nudge total demand higher.
- 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
