Refining
IEA aims to halve road transport fuel use by 2050
In two reports published Wednesday, the IEA said there was massive potential for fuel efficiency improvements to reduce demand for transport fuels by 2050, even if the number of road vehicles doubles in the same period. The reports highlight technology available or about to enter the mainstream market.
Valero restarts US ethanol plants as margins swell
Valero idled operations in Nebraska and Indiana in June, citing unprofitable returns. Each plant has the capacity to produce 120 million gal/year of ethanol. “Ethanol margins improved to the point where it became feasible to operate the plants again,” said Bill Day, Valero spokesman.
ONEOK seeks shippers for proposed Bakken Shale to Oklahoma crude pipeline
The Bakken Crude Express Pipeline is a proposed 1,300-mile crude-oil pipeline with the capacity to transport 200,000 bpd of light-sweet crude oil from multiple points in the Williston Basin in the Bakken Shale in North Dakota and Montana to the crude-oil market hub in Cushing, Okla.
PGNiG builds gas link to Gdansk refinery in Poland
The agreement for PGNiG to supply the Gdansk-based refinery with natural gas, one of the largest supply contracts signed in recent years, fits into PGNiG's strategy of increasing gas sales, said CEO Grazyna Piotrowska-Oliwa. Grupa Lotos will initially receive 340 million cubic meters/year of gas.
Phillips 66 restarts all Alliance refinery units after Hurricane Isaac outage
The 247,000 bpd refinery was taken offline during the approach of Isaac, which made landfall in southeast Louisiana Aug. 28 as a Category 1 hurricane and caused flooding at the refinery. Phillips 66 said Saturday it had restarted some unspecified units at Alliance.
EU plans to limit use of food-based biofuels
The European Union's climate-change commissioner Connie Hedegaard and energy commissioner Guenther Oettinger said Monday they wanted to cap the share of energy in the transportation sector from food crop-based biofuels - such as rapeseed or palm oil - at current levels.
US raises mandate for alternative diesel fuel usage
Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board, said the decision "will allow biodiesel plants across the country to invest and expand" and "sends a strong signal that the US is standing firm behind its commitment to strengthen energy security and break dependence on petroleum."
Mexico's Pemex chooses Bechtel for technology at new Tula refinery
The $12.54 million contract awarded to Bechtel is for the design-and-licensing costs for a coker plant with a capacity of 166,000 bpd, Pemex said. The new Tula refinery is being built near a current Pemex refinery and is designed to increase the production of low-sulfur gasoline and diesel fuel.
Nigeria throws doubt on planned $1.7bn refinery
In a statement, Niger Delta Refinery said it has found investors willing to spend $1.7 billion building a refinery in Nigeria. But Nigeria's regulator for petroleum resources said the project still requires government approval, undermining claims that the project was just awaiting completion of "formalities."
Phillips 66 chooses west Houston site to build new global headquarters
Phillips 66 is working on a design and intends to begin construction when plans are finalized and permitting is in place. The campus will include office space, conference and training facilities, along with wellness and dining options. Once ground is broken, construction should take between 24-36 months.
- Fertiglobe, Covestro and TA’ZIZ sign MoU to explore strategic ammonia collaboration 2/9
- S-Oil signs nearly $4-B PE marketing deal with SABIC 2/9
- Indonesia's Pertamina launches $7-B natural resources processing initiative 2/9
- Digital Exclusive: Innovative grassroots CDU-VDU configuration—Pioneering energy efficiency and net-zero pathways in modern refineries 2/9
- Update: Union agrees to U.S. refineries contract, averting nationwide strike 2/9
- Schneider Electric unveils EcoStruxure™ Foxboro software defined automation 2/9
