Asia/Pacific
China refiner moves forward with expansion despite sanctions
A Chinese refinery operator whose main business was disrupted when it was sanctioned by Washington in May for buying Iranian oil is pressing ahead with a $3.6-B petrochemicals expansion project.
Opinion: G7’s Russian oil tanker ban shows teeth, but bite is in doubt
The G7’s proposed plan to bar tankers from hauling Russian oil ups the ante in the West’s economic stand-off with Moscow, but the ultimate bite hinges on whether governments will ratchet up punishments on those skirting sanctions.
Russia and India sign deal to build urea plant in Russia
The joint venture will be based on the supply of ammonia from Russia's Togliattiazot plant, with the Indian companies financing the project until the plant begins commercial operations.
Chinese refiners buy oil from storage, raise output with fresh import quota
Stocks have built up in recent months after the refiners, known as teapots and mostly based in eastern Shandong province, ran out of import quota in October.
ExxonMobil to permanently shut one steam cracker in Singapore from March
The imminent shutdown of the U.S. major's first cracker in the Asian oil trading hub comes as chemical producers grapple with losses from overcapacity led by China, the world's largest consumer of petrochemicals used to make products ranging from plastics and clothes to shoes and cars.
Hitachi secures order for additional centrifugal compressors for Aster Chemicals and Energy's ethylene export expansion project
This project is a part of Aster's initiative to double its ethylene export capacity and strengthen Singapore's role as an energy and petrochemical hub in Southeast Asia.
Insight: How sanctions made a showpiece Chinese refinery's Western partners run for the exits
Yulong's ambition to rub shoulders with global heavyweights, backed by Beijing's push to modernize its refiners, was upended on October 15, when the UK sanctioned it for dealing in Russian oil.
- Maire signs MoU to explore SAF production in Kazakhstan 6/24
- Air Liquide to supply gases to Silleno's world-scale polyethylene plant 6/24
- Moscow oil refinery hit by drone attacks is unlikely to resume production this year 6/24
- ExxonMobil's Antwerp refinery to stop output from June 29–July 3 due to strike 6/24
- Singapore's Aster plans August maintenance for crude, petchem units 6/24
- TotalEnergies must invest in Gulf pipelines to bypass Hormuz, CEO says 6/24

