Americas
US refiner Marathon beats profit expectations as crack spread rises
Marathon Petroleum, which was spun off from Marathon Oil, said the crack spread increased to $6.65/bbl in the fourth quarter from $5.43/bbl a year ago.
US oil, gasoline inventories swell to record highs
US crude imports rose 647,000 bpd while refinery crude runs fell 24,000 bpd, as utilization rates fell by 0.8 percentage point to 86.6% of capacity.
Colombia questions cost overruns at Ecopetrol’s Cartagena refinery
The refinery, which opened in October amid fanfare and a visit by President Santos, has been the target of public wrath after the Comptroller's office found that costs rose to $8 billion, double the initial estimate, on contracts to vendors, project managers and a three-year delay in getting the refinery online.
Dow Chemical posts better-than-expected profit as lower costs lift margins
The cost-cuts helped Dow's operating margin increase by 406 basis points to 20.9% in the three months ended Dec. 31. Cost of sales fell 24% to $8.81 billion.
Iowa Caucus results seen as setback for ethanol
Ted Cruz, the conservative senator from Texas and outspoken opponent of the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, upset Republican front-runner Donald Trump in the Iowa caucuses.
Dow unveils new job cuts, planned CEO retirement as DuPont merger nears
DuPont CEO Edward Breen is set to head the combined company after the merger, while Liveris will be the executive chairman after the deal closes in the second half of 2016.
Primus makes 100-octane gasoline at GTL demo
With the production of 100-octane zero-sulfur, zero-benzene, zero-lead gasoline, Primus says it could address fuels that meet EU and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) specifications.
Industry Perspectives: Downstream disputes breaking the 10% ‘blend wall’ for US ethanol
US refiners are set to break the 10% “blend wall” for using ethanol in gasoline, but downstream professionals are certainly not happy about it.
Industry Metrics
US product markets weakened despite unseasonably strong gasoline demand, and the gasoil crack spread hit the lowest level seen in more than five years, under pressure from increasing supplies amid thin demand due to warmer winter weather.
Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway buys more stock in US refiner Phillips 66
According to a regulatory filing on Friday night, Berkshire paid about $198 million this week for 2.54 million Phillips 66 shares, its first purchases of the stock since Jan. 14.
- Petrobras delivers LPG sold at steep premiums despite Lula move to annul auction 4/3
- Plug Power to supply 275-MW GenEco electrolyzer system for Hy2gen’s Courant decarbonized ammonium nitrate project 4/3
- Vietnam refinery boosting jet fuel production 4/3
- China plans to upgrade some petrochemical plants, phase out others by 2029 4/3
- Morocco has diesel stocks for 51 days, energy ministry says 4/3
- Nigeria's Seplat Energy hit by strike amid push for higher output 4/3
