Refining
Rhodia, Cobalt to build bio-butanol plant in Brazil
The announcement is another step by the two companies toward the construction of commercial-scale bio-refineries using Cobalt's technology to convert Brazilian bagasse and other local non-food feedstock into bio n-butanol in Latin America. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Lukoil licenses UOP technology for petrochemicals, gasoline production in Russia
Lukoil will license an integrated suite of UOP technologies to produce high-quality gasoline blending components, propylene and other petrochemicals at its facility in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Russia is the third largest energy consumer in the world, and demand is growing due to higher economic activity.
Amyris, Total to align on renewable diesel, jet fuel
Total dedicated an $82 million funding budget over the next three years exclusively for the deployment of Biofene, Amyris's renewable farnesene, for production of renewable diesel and jet fuel. Under Tuesday’s announcement, Total agreed to fund $30 million during the third quarter of 2012.
US bars Enbridge from Wisconsin pipeline restart
The U.S Department of Transportation issued a corrective order against Enbridge for the Wisconsin spill, saying the Calgary energy infrastructure company must conduct new tests on the integrity of the pipeline as well as bring in an independent expert to investigate the company's pipeline maintenance plan.
TransCanada wins final permit to build Gulf leg of Keystone XL pipeline
With the extension, the company says Gulf Coast refiners can access cheaper domestic production and avoid paying a premium to foreign producers, thereby reducing costs.
Gasoline profits decline for European refiners amid weak demand - analysts
Massimo Vacca, head of investor relations at Italy's Saras, said the recent rise in crude prices and in gasoline stocks had contributed to the squeeze on refiners' profits. Profits on gasoline in Northwest Europe have nearly halved to $10.73/ton from $19.23/ton, the lowest level in over two months.
Smithfield CEO calls for US to cut ethanol mandate
In addition to a temporary waiver of the mandate, Congress should pass a bill that would lower the federal Renewable Fuels Standard when US corn supplies fall below a certain threshold, Smithfield CEO C. Larry Pope wrote. A waiver would ease requirements that refiners blend ethanol with gasoline.
Ecuador picks Odebrecht to prepare refinery site
Odebrecht will prepare the construction site for the Refineria del Pacifico, a $13 billion project run by the state oil companies of Venezuela and Ecuador. The refinery, located in the coastal province of Manabi, is scheduled to go on line in 2015 and to reach its complete capacity of 300,000 bpd in 2016.
Caltex to close Sydney's last refinery by late 2014, convert to fuel terminal
The closure of Kurnell, involving the loss of 330 jobs, will bring the number of refineries operating in Australia down to five from seven at the start of this year as Royal Dutch Shell is also due to close its Clyde refinery in Sydney next month. Kurnell's nameplate capacity is 135,000 bpd.
Bakken crude reaches Louisiana refiners by barge
Kirby Corp. appears to be the first barge operator to use America's famed Mississippi River as a highway for oil from the land-locked Bakken, an oil-rich area in North Dakota. The barges take a week to travel down the Mississippi River to bring the oil to the Baton Rouge, La. area.
- 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
