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ASTM Petroleum Committee working on ETBE test method

The eventual approval of a proposed new test method currently being developed by ASTM International Committee D02 on Petroleum Products and Lubricants will allow a recently approved D02 specification to attain full compliance with form and style for ASTM standards.

Repsol receives first Q-MAX shipment from Qatar under multi-year contract

On December 23, Repsol received the first shipment of LNG from Qatargas, under a multiyear agreement which secures supply for the Canaport LNG terminal in St. John, Canada.

Repsol sells stake in REFAP refinery for $350 million

Repsol has agreed to sell to Petrobras its 30% stake in the Alberto Pasqualini refinery (REFAP) in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. Following the transaction, Petrobras becomes the only shareholder of the refinery, which has a nominal capacity of 190,000 bbld.

Specialty chemical plant being built in Louisiana

Myriant Technologies, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Myriant Lake Providence Inc., will soon begin building a new 392,000-square-foot plant at the Port of Lake Providence, Louisiana. Myrant hopes the plant will be the world's largest bio-based succinic acid plant.

R&D project announced in the industrial biofuels realm

Hunt Global Resources announced that its bio-solutions division has launched an exclusive research and product development project with Carbon Green, a company that recycles used tires by conversion to recovered steel, oil and a commercially accepted substitute for carbon black in tire manufacturing.

Refinery explosion in Oklahoma, no injuries reported

Gary-Williams Energy Co. suffered an explosion and fire yesterday at its refinery in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.

EPA outlines plan to set GHG standards for refiners

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its plan for establishing greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution standards under the Clean Air Act in 2011.

Eastman completes restart of olefin cracking unit at Longview site

Eastman Chemical Co. has completed the restart of a previously idled cracking unit at its Longview, Texas, site. The restart of this cracker increases Eastman’s olefin capacity by approximately 215,000 metric tons and brings the company’s total number of active cracking units to three.

Targa Resources Partners to provide NGL transportation for Eagle Ford Shale

Targa Resources Partners has announced that an exclusive non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed with TexStar Midstream Services and TEAK Midstream for the development of a new pipeline to transport natural gas liquids (y-grade) from processing facilities in the Eagle Ford shale to Mont Belvieu, Texas, and a new fractionation train at the Targa Resources Partners operated Cedar Bayou fractionation facility (CBF).

Amyris and São Martinho select construction manager for Brazilian industrial plant

Amyris and Grupo São Martinho have contracted with a construction manager for their joint venture industrial plant and that they are commencing preparation of the construction site for the plant. The parties established their joint venture, SMA Indústria Química SA, in April 2010 to create the first facility fully dedicated to the production of Amyris renewable products.