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Europe

Essar, Barclays reach crude oil supply deal for UK Stanlow refinery

Under the three-year deal announced Wednesday, Barclays has already started buying crude for the Stanlow refinery, the UK's second largest at 296,000 bpd. Barclays has also taken control of inventories of crude oil and refined products on the site worth $700 million, Essar said.

Eni forms partnership with Genomatica, Novamont on bio-based butadiene

The partnership, on the basis of which a joint venture will be established, will develop a comprehensive end-to-end process for production of polymer-grade butadiene from biomass, Versalis said. The agreement aims to bring together the core competencies of all three companies.

Evonik, BioAmber agree to develop catalysts from bio-succinic acid

Germany-based Evonik Industries signed an agreement with US renewable company BioAmber to develop and manufacture catalysts for the production of BDO, THF and GBL from bio-based succinic acid. In parallel, BioAmber and Evonik have started to develop a new generation of BDO catalysts.

API to shut Falconara Marittima refinery for 2013

Italy-based API Anonima Petroli Italiana SpA, the refiner and service-station operator also known as Api, will shut its Falconara Marittima refinery from January for a year to revamp its power engine. The refinery, located on the Adriatic coast, has a capacity of 85,000 bpd.

BP, Russian partners discuss stake sale in TNK-BP crude oil venture

The talks set up an end game for what has proved to be a highly profitable, but tempestuous BP adventure in Russia, one that could yet draw in other major players in the country's state-dominated energy sector.

Jacobs to supply gas heat exchangers for INEOS UK sulfuric acid plant

INEOS selected Jacobs' proprietary Chemetics radial flow gas-gas heat exchanger design over other available designs, citing the “most appropriate design and technical solution” for its plant. The equipment is expected to be fabricated at Jacobs' facility in Pickering, Ontario.

BP to commission delayed UK biorefinery this year

The construction of the biorefinery, one of the world's largest, was due to be completed by late spring. The delays are due to BP ensuring it is "dotting every i and crossing every t," said Phillip New, BP Biofuels CEO.

Foster Wheeler inks engineering pact for UK fish oil processing plant

Foster Wheeler’s role as the EPCm contractor includes detailed design, procurement and contracts management on behalf of EPAX, and also the provision of project, construction, pre-commissioning and validation management services. The contract value was not disclosed.

Total sees improving European refining margins

The $38.20/ton margin nearly doubled the $20.90/ton figure in the first quarter of this year, Total said in its quarterly chart of main indicators. European refining economics have been relatively weak for years, but margins have greatly improved in recent months amid the closure of several facilities.

INEOS licenses PE, PP technology to petrochemical project of Russia's Rosneft

All VNHK units will incorporate INEOS’ polymer technology advances and will ensure a competitive advantage for petrochemical complex customers in both domestic and global markets. Engineering work is now underway.