Petrochemicals
EIA: Petroleum product exports from Central Atlantic US unusually high in February
Exports of finished petroleum products from the Petroleum Administration of Defense District (PADD) 1B, which comprises the US Central Atlantic states (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania), reached a record high for the month of February, as petroleum product prices in that region weakened compared with prices in the rest of the Atlantic Basin region.
Alpek receives corporate approvals for Petrobras PTA-PET facility acquisitions
MONTERREY, Mexico – Alpek, S.A.B. de C.V. announced that it obtained all necessary corporate approvals to acquire 100% of Companhia Petroquímica de Pernambuco and Companhia Integrada Têxtil de Pernambuco from Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. for $385 MM.
Saudi Aramco to dilute stake in Dow JV via IPO
ABU DHABI (Reuters) -- National oil firm Saudi Aramco plans to cut its stake in Sadara Chemical Co, a joint venture with US company Dow Chemical, via an initial public offer of shares, Sadara chief executive Ziad al-Labban said on Wednesday.
Equipment critical analysis: The need for an effective maintenance program
Oil refineries and large petrochemical plants contain thousands of pieces of process and utilities equipment that are subject to wear, erosion, deterioration, aging, etc., resulting in increasing breakdowns and outages. Imagine being a maintenance engineer and receiving 50 work orders during an overhaul with a limited budget, time, labor, spare parts, tools, machines, etc. How does that engineer prioritize the work?
HP announces launch of IRPC Europe, WGLC Europe, and HP Awards in Vienna
Three co-located events allow for ease of networking and attendance in one of Europe’s most renowned cultural and artistic centers.
Engineering Case Histories: Case 96: Career paths—technical and management
I have spent most of my career in the mechanical engineering technical area because that is what I do best. I was a manager of advanced engineering for many years, but then realized that it was not my calling.
Global: The future growth of Argentina’s oil and gas industry hinges on additional investments
Attracting new investments is vital to revive the Argentine oil industry. It is essential to involve multinationals, due to the lack of financial resources of the Argentinian government. The modernization of the country’s downstream infrastructure is crucial to improve productivity, and the nation will need international support to obtain profitable results.
Business Trends: Human reliability—a disruptive innovation
Annual bottom-line losses due to equipment failures total more than $100 MM at major refineries and petrochemical complexes. Corporate executives charge plant personnel with improving the reliability of the facility.
Editorial Comment: Maintenance—a value-added expense
This issue of <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> tackles one of the most integral aspects of the downstream industry (or any industry, for that matter): maintenance and reliability. These two terms go hand-in-hand and help to ensure efficient and safe operations.
Industry Perspectives: Hydrocarbon Processing’s IRPC returns to Europe in June
Founded in 2009, Gulf Publishing Company and Hydrocarbon Processing’s International Refining and Petrochemical Conference (IRPC) provides a series of events for the international downstream industry covering technical innovations, and exploring both the challenges and opportunities found in today’s market.
- European Commission unveils plan to drop ICE ban in the EU 12/18
- U.S. EPA expects to finalize biofuel rules in first quarter of 2026 12/18
- German cabinet approves draft biofuels law, food-based ingredient use to continue 12/18
- NextChem opens new plastic upcycling plant in Italy 12/18
- Ineos' Sir Jim Ratcliffe calls on Europe's politicians to take immediate action to protect the European chemical industry 12/18
- MB Energy expands aviation fuel supply to airlines at Copenhagen Airport 12/18

