Refining
UK rejects requests to stop Arctic oil, gas drilling
The UK government said that while it recognized the risks of drilling for hydrocarbons in the sensitive Arctic region, high environmental and drilling standards, efforts to enhance oil spill prevention and response mechanisms would be more effective than a complete ban.
Enterprise inks marine transport deal with Exxon for US refined products
Under the terms of the agreement, which took effect January 1, 2013, Enterprise is committing five tugs and 10 barges for the transportation of refined products and other hydrocarbon products along the US inland waterway system. Financial terms were not disclosed by the companies.
US issues new emission rules on diesel generators
The new rules will cut costs for diesel-generator users by $139 million a year, while reducing hazardous air pollutants, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and other pollution, the EPA said. Diesel generators emit pollution that can cause cancer and can aggravate respiratory and heart diseases.
Flint Hills reports seal pump fire at Corpus refinery
The shut down process caused a flaring event at the 70,000-bpd East Plant, which was reported to local emergency planners. There were no injuries associated with the event, nor was there a call for the community to take action. The seal pump fire was extinguished quickly, the company said.
Essar extinguishes furnace fire at UK refinery
Supplies to customers are being largely maintained to schedule, and Essar says it has plans in place to ensure that remains the case while repairs are made to the unit. The fire at the Stanlow refinery didn't impact the two main crude distillation units or the residue catalytic cracking unit.
IEA says Middle East oil producers are increasingly accepting renewables
Many Gulf countries have made ambitious plans for increasing the share that renewables play in their energy mix. Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia has said it will adopt a renewable energy program at the start of 2013 while Kuwait said in December that it aims to produce 15% of its energy from renewables by 2030.
Pacific Ethanol eyes yield-enhancing ethanol technology at US plant
Pacific Ethanol Inc. will implement yield-enhancing technology at its Stockton, California ethanol plant. The company has awarded Edeniq, a biomaterials and sustainable fuels developer, with a contract for Edeniq's Cellunators technology to boost ethanol yields by increasing available starch for conversion.
Delek buys North Texas biodiesel plant from EQM
The biodiesel facility has a production capacity of 12 million gal/year. Delek said it intends to spend approximately $3.0 million in capital expenditures during 2013 to improve the feedstock flexibility. At present, the facility produces biodiesel exclusively for Delek under a tolling agreement.
US shale boom to spur manufacturing growth, but not energy independence
The US currently imports approximately half its daily consumption of 19 million bpd of oil and remains both the largest importer and consumer of oil. Conservation and the shale revolution would not eliminate upward pressure on prices from rising emerging market demand.
Saudi Arabia slashes oil production in December
As demand for crude from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries falls this year, the Saudi cut shows that the kingdom, "still wants to have, and does have, the role as the swing producer in the market," said Thina Saltvedt, a senior oil market analyst at Nordea Bank Norge.
- India's Reliance gets one-month US concession to buy Rosneft oil 12/24
- SOCAR signs deal to buy Gama Enerji gas plant in Turkey for $225 MM 12/24
- Japan's Eneos leads bids for Chevron’s Singapore oil refinery stake 12/24
- Larsen & Toubro awarded EPCC contract for BPCL's polyethylene plant 12/24
- Maire's Nextchem to acquire technology licensor and engineering company Ballestra 12/24
- bp agrees to sell a 65% shareholding in Castrol to Stonepeak at an enterprise value of $10 billion 12/24
