Crude oil
France in talks with IEA over oil stocks release
The French government is in consultation with the IEA on whether to release oil stocks in moves to stem high crude prices. France supports a proposal to tap reserves and is also trying to convince producer nations to put more oil on the market to help combat speculation pushing prices higher.
Kinder Morgan to raise Alberta oil terminal storage
Kinder Morgan has entered into a long-term contract with a major Canadian producer to support the construction of an additional 1.2 million bbl of merchant storage capacity at Trans Mountain pipeline’s Edmonton terminal in Strathcona County, Alberta. The total value of the expansion now totals $284 million.
Enbridge, Enterprise more than doubling capacity on US Seaway pipeline
Enbridge and Enterprise Products have secured enough capacity commitments from shippers to proceed with an expansion of the Seaway pipeline in the US that will more than double its capacity to 850,000 bpd by mid-2014. The firms are nearing completion of the first phase of the Seaway line reversal.
India crude imports up on refined product demand
India's crude oil imports in February rose 11% from a year earlier, boosted by strong demand for refined fuel products. The South Asian nation imported 14.87 million tons, or 3.76 million bpd, of crude last month, compared with 13.43 million tons, or 3.52 million bpd, a year earlier, the data showed.
BP refinery in Texas City disrupted by acid leak
BP's refinery in Texas City, Texas, reported a hydrofluoric acid leak Tuesday that disrupted operations at one unit of the plant and led to a shelter-in-place warning on the refinery grounds. Water is being sprayed over the leak site to limit the spread of vapor and the acid is being drained to a storage tank.
IEA data show high oil costs hurting EU consumers
Early data show that high oil prices in Europe have already started to eat into consumer spending in other areas and could push the region back into recession, says the chief economist of the IEA, Fatih Birol. Energy costs could eat up almost double their typical share of Europe's income this year.
Obama calls for expediting southern portion of Keystone XL pipeline
With the pipeline, TransCanada would bring oil from Cushing, Oklahoma, to US Gulf refineries, helping ease a supply glut.
US oil demand down in February as consumers switch to natural gas - API
Total US petroleum deliveries fell 2.3% this February compared with February 2011, pulled down by a decline in residual fuel oil (40.2%) and other oil (liquid petrochemical feedstocks, naphtha and gasoil) deliveries. The steep decline in residual fuel demand related to users switching to natural gas.
Iran crude oil exports drop as sanctions take hold
Iran's crude oil exports appeared to have sharply dropped this month for the first time this year, according to an authoritative consultancy, as sanctions start denting Tehran's most important source of revenue. Iran's crude oil exports had been stable at 2.2 million bpd until now.
India in talks to smoothen Iran crude oil supplies
India has shown no signs of giving in to US pressure to reduce its business dealings with Iran, with the government and a top trade body moving in quite the opposite direction. New Delhi is in talks with Iran to ensure uninterrupted crude oil supplies, as well as to smoothen settlement of payments.
- INEOS Inovyn agrees to sell its Italian chlor-alkali business to Esseco Industrial 4/21
- LOTTE Chemical to merge into integrated corporation after spinning off Daesan plant 4/21
- Petronor and H2SITE partner to pioneer high-purity hydrogen production in refining through advanced membrane technology 4/21
- Emerson accelerates edge ecosystem for real-time enterprise operations intelligence 4/21
- Tracerco launches DrumVision™ to deliver real-time process visibility in delayed coking and demanding interface measurement applications 4/21
- IMI signs global framework extension with Solvay for the provision of IIoT sensors 4/21

