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Americas

Orascom picks KBR to design Iowa ammonia plant

The plant will be the first world-scale ammonia plant built in the US in nearly 25 years. The plant will be designed using KBR’s Purifier technology, which has demonstrated higher reliability than conventional designs and offers the lowest proven energy consumption in the industry, according to project officials.

Tyco signs global agreement with Shell to provide pressure relief valves

The five-year agreement covers Crosby and Anderson Greenwood direct acting and pilot-operated pressure relief valves, line block relief valves and supporting services for all of Shell's global operations. During 2011, Tyco was also selected by Shell to provide butterfly valves in a similar arrangement.

Sasol eyes growth in North America, exit from Iran

Sasol's CEO said the company has a “huge strategy” in North America. In Louisiana, it is looking at building an $8 billion to $9 billion gas-to-liquids plant that would produce 96,000 bpd of mostly diesel. It is also looking at a 48,000 bpd plant in Alberta, Canada that would cost about $8 billion.

Carlyle, Sunoco finalize joint venture to operate Philadelphia refinery

Under the terms of the agreement, Carlyle holds the controlling interest and will oversee day-to-day operations of the joint venture and the refinery. In exchange for contributing its refinery assets to the joint venture, Sunoco retained a 33% non-operating minority interest.

Keyera to build de-ethanizer at NGL fractionation facility in west Canada

The de-ethanizer will allow Keyera to process an ethane-rich stream of NGLs, creating specification ethane for delivery to petrochemical producers in Alberta and a propane-rich stream of NGLs for delivery into Keyera’s fractionation facilities. Keyera is targeting completion for the first half of 2014.

Texas biofuels group Terrabon files for bankruptcy

The company has the licenses on technologies from Texas A&M University System, where they were developed and where it was formed to bring the products to market. However, it couldn't obtain the additional financing necessary to finish developing a commercial plant.

SK Energy, Kuwait agree to build Indonesia refinery, petrochemical complex

The refinery will have a capacity to produce between 200,000 and 300,000 bpd of Kuwaiti crude oil and will be located inside the petrochemical complex, which will be built in Balongan, West Java, according to KUNA.

Isaac delays Valero Louisiana hydrocracker project

The hydrocracker is still on track to be fully operational in the second quarter of 2013, though Hurricane Isaac did delay work at the 205,000 bpd St. Charles refinery. The previous timetable for startup was late this year.

Delta Air begins restarting Trainer refinery in US

Delta chief executive Edward Bastian said at the Deutsche Bank Aviation and Transportation Conference on Thursday that the refinery is on track to start producing jet fuel by the end of September. Mr. Bastian said he expects the refinery to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in savings.

Calumet to expand Pennsylvania specialty site with modular gas-to-liquids plant

Calumet has commissioned Ventech Engineers, specialists in modular petroleum processing plants, to design and deliver the GTL plant utilizing an autothermal reformer (ATR) from Haldor Topsoe and Fischer-Tropsch technology from Velocys. Production is expected to begin in the second half of 2014.