Environment & Safety Gas Processing/LNG Maintenance & Reliability Petrochemicals Process Control Process Optimization Project Management Refining

Crude oil

Tethys Petroleum begins Kazakhstan oil production

Tethys Petroleum has opened its Doris oil production facilities in Kazakhstan, company officials said on Monday. Oil is currently being trucked from this location at a rate of approximately 1,500 bpd, which will increase to 2,000-2,500 bpd with the new production facilities, the company said.

NuStar, EOG to build rail offloading facility at Louisiana crude terminal

NuStar Logistics and EOG Resources have agreed to jointly develop, build and own a 70,000-bpd unit train offloading facility at NuStar’s crude oil terminal in St. James, La. The project will facilitate movement and storage of crude oil production from the Bakken, Eagle Ford and other developing shale plays in the US, the companies said.

ExxonMobil awards first engineering contract for Indonesia oilfield development

ExxonMobil said Friday that its development of the Indonesian Banyu Urip field in the Cepu block in East Java had achieved a milestone, with the company awarding the first of five engineering, procurement and construction contracts for work on major facilities.

US hikes storm forecast as Gulf season nears peak

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) elevated its forecast on Friday for the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, raising the number of expected named storms from its preseason outlook and potentially threatening refining and petrochemical operations along the US Gulf coast and eastern seaboard.

Plains expands capacity of Texas crude pipeline

Plains All American Pipeline said on Thursday that it recently increased the available throughput capacity of its 80-mile Mesa pipeline system in Texas by 100,000 bpd to approximately 420,000 bpd overall.

Musket expanding crude rail facility in North Dakota

Musket Corp. on Thursday announced a major expansion of its Dore, N.D., crude-by-rail facility. Upon completion, the high-speed loading facility will be capable of moving unit trains of crude oil from the Bakken Shale/Williston Basin to markets across the country.

ExxonMobil, Honeywell form licensing alliance for hydroprocessing, engineering

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co. (EMRE) and Honeywell’s UOP have formed a joint marketing and licensing alliance for lube and advanced fuels hydroprocessing and engineering capabilities to companies in the refining sector.

Oil demand, prices to rise in Q3 - Ernst & Young

Oil demand and prices should continue to rise in the third quarter of 2011 according to indicators, even with ongoing uncertainty with respect to the economic recovery, deficit reduction initiatives in the US and the debt crisis in Europe, according to a quarterly outlook from Ernst & Young.

Shell to supply technology for Iraq refinery upgrade

Shell Global Solutions has signed an agreement with the South Refineries Co. of Iraq for the provision of technology licenses to a refinery in Basrah, Southern Iraq. Shell will provide a license for a sulphur recovery unit and visbreaker unit as part of the agreement, it said.

HP Construction: South America

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Meche, Helen

Argentina’s second liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility, a joint development between YPF S.A., ENARSA and Excelerate Energy, GNL Escobar (GNLE), began receiving cargoes on May 24, 2011, an..