Processing 2004 P

09/29/2004 -- Shell mulls bids for Bakersfield refinery
Shell Oil Products US, which said it would continue to operate its Bakersfield refinery until Mar. 31, 2005, is evaluating bids from companies interested in purchasing the facility.
09/27/2004 -- US EPA confirms refiners' progress toward clean diesel
US refiners remain on target to supply ultralow-sulfur highway diesel fuel during the next 5 years, the US Environmental Protection Agency reported.
09/27/2004 -- Catalyst changes, downstream improvements increase FCC propylene yields
Higher propylene yields from FCC units require higher reactor temperature and changes in the catalyst system.
09/24/2004 -- Electric motor-driven refrigerating compressors for Melkøya Island LNG plant pass tests
GE Energy, Florence, has completed the testing of three large refrigerating compressors trains to be installed in Europe's first LNG liquefaction-export plant being constructed on Melkøya Island in the Arctic Ocean north of Hammerfest, Norway.
09/24/2004 -- Valero taps GE to supply power recovery equipment at Paulsboro refinery
Valero Energy Corp., San Antonio, has let a multimillion-dollar contract to GE Energy to supply equipment for a power recovery system at Valero's Paulsboro, NJ, refinery.
09/21/2004 -- Petrobras, Ultra negotiate, seek JVs for $3 billion petrochemical complex
Brazil's state-owned oil company Petróleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) and Brazilian private petrochemical group Ultrapar Participações SA (Ultra) are negotiating the construction of what, if built, would be a $3 billion petrochemical complex, possibly at Itaguai, 80 km South from Rio de Janeiro.
09/20/2004 -- Analyst: European refining margins on the rebound
European refining margins have rebounded but remain at or below breakeven levels and Singapore refining margins are rising at what appears to be unsustainable levels, said L. Bruce Lanni, senior analyst for A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc., St. Louis.
09/17/2004 -- High NGL, natural gas prices make processing margins more volatile
A substantial shift in natural gas prices has increased returns for gas producers and provided incentive for increased drilling and well workover activity.
09/16/2004 -- Snamprogetti, Chiyoda awarded EPC contract for Qatar LNG plant Train 5
Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Co. Ltd. (II) (RasGas II) has awarded a contract to a joint venture of ENI SPA unit Snamprogetti SPA and Yokohama-based Chiyoda Corp. to perform engineering, procurement, and construction for the fifth LNG train and related facilities at Ras Laffan, Qatar.
09/16/2004 -- Caltex awards Foster Wheeler EPC contract for South Africa low-sulfur diesel project
Caltex Oil South Africa (Pty) Ltd., a ChevronTexaco group member, awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction contract to Foster Wheeler South Africa (Pty.) Ltd. to construct and commission a low-sulfur diesel facility in Cape Town, South Africa.
09/16/2004 -- Borealis awards Jacobs polypropylene expansion contracts
Borealis AS, Copenhagen, awarded two contracts to a subsidiary of Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Pasadena, Calif., for services related to the expansion of polypropylene production capacity at Borealis facilities in Schwechat, Austria, and Ronningen, Norway.
09/16/2004 -- Marathon focuses on development of integrated natural gas projects
Marathon Oil Corp. CEO, Pres.Clarence Cazalot "We had a strategic view several years ago that the US and UK and other key consuming markets were going to be short of [natural gas] supply in the coming years. That seems to be happening a little faster than we originally thought."
09/15/2004 -- National Chilean Oil Co. contracts Linde for hydrogen plant, supply
ENAP Refinerías SA, a subsidiary of National Chilean Oil Co., awarded a $70 million, 15 year hydrogen supply contract to AGA SA, the Chilean subsidiary of Wiesbaden, Germany- based Linde AG. AGA will finance, construct, and operate a hydrogen processing plant and carbon dioxide plant at Chile's largest refinery in Concón.
09/14/2004 -- Brazil's ethanol exports soar; Coimex inks export agreement with Thailand
High international oil prices mean that Brazilian ethanol is rapidly winning a place in new markets, according to findings by consultant Júlio Maria Borges, director of the JOB Economy & Planning consulting firm in Brazil.
09/14/2004 -- Consultant: Iran's refinery megaproject may face more delays
Iran's plans to implement a major refining project in a bid to cope with surprisingly strong gasoline demand growth may face further delays.
09/13/2004 -- Human error caused Mongstad fire, inquiry finds
A Statoil ASA internal inquiry blamed inadequate planning and insufficient communication during preparations for a valve change as the cause of a fire at the Mongstad refinery near Bergen July 12 that injured two workers and closed the refinery for 2 weeks (OGJ Online July 23, 2004). The cost of lost production and damage was roughly 100 million kroner.
09/10/2004 -- Optimized LPG extraction improves LNG high heating value
Sonatrach's GL1-Z gas processing plant in Arzew, Algeria, installed an LPG-recovery heat exchanger to alleviate problems due to changes in the plant's feed.
09/10/2004 -- AltaGas to construct $5.5 million gas processing plant in Saskatchewan
Calgary-based AltaGas Income Trust plans to expand its Saskatchewan operations by constructing a $5.5 million sour gas processing plant and 37 km of pipeline near Shaunavon, Sask. The plant, slated to begin initial operations by mid-November, initially will process 1 MMcfd of solution gas from two oil batteries.
09/09/2004 -- Koch Supply & Trading to reconfigure, expand Rotterdam refinery
Koch Supply & Trading plans to reconfigure its refinery at the Vopak Europoort terminal in Rotterdam to process primarily crude oil and to expand its production capacity to 80,000 b/d from 65,000 b/d.
09/09/2004 -- CMAI forecasting higher worldwide methanol demand in 2005
World demand for methanol in 2004 is forecast to be relatively flat with 2003 demand figures while 2005 demand is expected to increase significantly, said Houston-based petrochemical consultant Chemical Market Associates Inc. (CMAI).

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Processing 2004 P