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Asia/Pacific

Vietnam plans oil reserves equivalent of 90 days of imports by 2020

HANOI (Reuters) — Vietnam's prime minister has approved a plan for the country's total crude oil and oil product stocks to be at least 90 days' worth of net imports by 2020.

CPC Taoyuan starts up sulfur recovery units with DuPont technology

WILMINGTON, DEL. — The Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC) awarded DuPont Clean Technologies (DuPont) the contract to supply the technology license, engineering and proprietary equipment for a MECS DynaWave wet gas scrubbing unit to be installed at its Taoyuan refinery in Taiwan in August 2015.

Clariant Catalysts expands in China with opening of new office in Yinchuan

MUNICH — Clariant, a company in specialty chemicals, announced the opening of a new office for its Catalysts business in Yinchuan city, capital of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region in China. With the new branch, Clariant becomes the first multinational catalyst provider based in northwest China, a region that is home to a majority of the nation’s coal-to-chemicals producers as well as numerous syngas and polyolefin companies.

Vietnam's Nghi Son refinery to import its first Kuwaiti crude cargo

SINGAPORE (Reuters) — Vietnam's Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC (NSRP), the owner of the country's second oil refinery, has chartered a supertanker to carry crude from Kuwait in a sign that the behind-schedule project may soon begin startup operations.

China June oil refinery throughput close to record

BEIJING (Reuters) — China's oil refineries ramped up throughput in June to the second highest on record, with some independent plants raising output even as state oil majors prepare to take drastic steps to cut production during the peak summer season.

S.Korea's Hanwha Total says naphtha cracker shut after lightning strike

SEOUL (Reuters) — South Korea's Hanwha Total said on Monday its naphtha cracker in Daesan has been shut due to power outages caused by a lightning strike.

India BPCL makes its first US oil purchase, buys Mars, Poseidon

NEW DELHI (Reuters) — India's Bharat Petroleum Corp has made its first purchase of US oil, buying high sulfur crudes Mars and Poseidon in a tender, its head of refineries R. Ramachandran said.

North Korea fuel prices surge after China cuts oil sales

SEOUL (Reuters) — Gasoline and diesel prices surged in North Korea in the weeks after a Chinese state oil company suspended fuel sales to the reclusive state, according to data reviewed by Reuters and an interview with a North Korean defector.

Asia's naphtha trapped in downward spiral as supply glut hits

SINGAPORE (Reuters) — Asia is being hit with a naphtha supply glut that could push the market down further, after spot prices in South Korea already flipped from premiums to discounts in late June for the first time since March.

Oil firm as signs of higher demand outweigh worries of excess

LONDON (Reuters) — Oil prices edged higher on Friday and were on track for solid weekly gains following positive demand signals, production issues in Nigeria and a reported decline in stocks.