RSS Oil & Gas Journal News

Valero to close Delaware City refinery

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:55:10 GMT

November 20,2009 --

Valero Energy Corp., San Antonio, will permanently close its 210,000-b/d Delaware City, Del., refinery, citing financial losses caused by “very poor economic conditions, significant capital spending requirements, and high operating costs........

Silver Eagle shuts Utah refinery at CSB suggestion

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:46:00 GMT

November 20,2009 --

Silver Eagle Refining Inc. has shut down its 12,500 b/cd Woods Cross refinery in Utah on the suggestion of the US Chemical Safety Board and state officials.

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Petrobras to start refinery expansion works

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:50:50 GMT

November 19,2009 --

Brazil’s Petroleo Brazileiro SA (Petrobras) and the Rio Grande do Norte state government signed the final contract for expansion works at the Refiniaria Potiguar Clara Camarao, aiming to boost its installed capacity and deploy a gasoline .......

New refinery planned for Colombia

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:35:40 GMT

November 19,2009 --

Ecopetrol’s Refineria de Cartagena SA has hired CB&I, Houston, to provide engineering, procurement services, and construction for a new 165,000-b/d refinery adjacent Reficar’s refinery in Cartagena, Colombia.

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ConocoPhillips delays refinery upgrade

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:36:00 GMT

November 18,2009 --

ConocoPhillips has confirmed plans to delay the upgrade of its 260,000-b/d Wilhelmshaven refinery in Germany.

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Vietnam's Dung Quat refinery to shut for repairs

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:05:50 GMT

November 17,2009 --

PetroVietnam, apparently at the urging of state officials, reported it will shut down the 148,000 b/d Dung Quat refinery for 10-14 days for maintenance in December.

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Valero to shut Paulsboro FCCU until early 2010

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:50:50 GMT

November 13,2009 --

Unscheduled maintenance on the scrubber at the Valero Energy Corp.’s Paulsboro, NJ, refinery’s 55,000-b/d fluid catalytic cracking unit will force its shut down later this month, according to a company news release.

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Three refineries pending for Pakistan

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:20:50 GMT

November 11,2009 --

Three refineries with a total capacity of 465,000 b/d “are in the pipeline,” Pakistan Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Naveed Qamar told the National Assembly.

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Fujian complex reaches full operation

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:40:10 GMT

November 11,2009 --

The Fujian Integrating Refining and Ethylene Joint Venture Project in Quanzhou, China, has reached full operation, partners said Nov. 11.

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Western Refining trimming New Mexico units

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:45:10 GMT

November 10,2009 --

Western Refining Inc., El Paso, is consolidating operations of its two small refineries in New Mexico to reduce operating costs in a period of shrunken refining margins.

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CSB to investigate second 2009 Utah refinery incident

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:30:30 GMT

November 5,2009 --

The US Chemical Safety Board sent a six-member team to investigate an explosion and fire at Silver Eagle Refining Inc.’s Woods Cross, Utah, refinery.

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PDVSA closes purchase of Dominican Republic refiner stake

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:25:40 GMT

November 3,2009 --

After several months of delays, Venezuela’s state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) has completed its purchase of a 49% stake in the Dominican Republic’s state refiner Refineria Dominicana de Petroleo SA (Refidomsa), which own.......

Venezuela, Brazil sign accord on Abreu e Lima refinery

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:55:30 GMT

November 3,2009 --

Brazil’s state-run Petroleo Brazileiro SA (Petrobras) and Venezuela’s Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) completed negotiations for joint construction and operation of the Abreu e Lima refinery, in Brazil's Pernambuco state.

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Slower desulfurization growth seen in US, Canada

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:05:30 GMT

November 3,2009 --

Refinery desulfurization capacities for gas oil and naphtha in US and Canada will continue to grow through 2013 but more slowly than they did in 2000-08, says a study by GlobalData, London.

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Construction on Aramco's Karan gas project well under way

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:10:20 GMT

November 2,2009 --

Saudi Aramco’s Karan gas project swung into full speed last month as all four contract packages began construction, according to a company announcement.

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Vitol to acquire Belgium refining assets

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:50:20 GMT

October 28,2009 --

A division of Vitol Group agreed to acquire Petroplus Refining Antwerp and Petroplus Refining Antwerp Bitumen from Petroplus Holdings for $25 million.

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Russia, Turkey agree on new Ceyhan refinery

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:25:40 GMT

October 27,2009 --

Russia and Turkey, building on earlier discussions, have moved forward with plans to construct a refinery as part of their recent agreement to jointly build the Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline.

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Algeria receives four bids for Tiaret refinery project

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:25:40 GMT

October 26,2009 --

Algeria’s Sonatrach has received bids from four international companies for the contract to perform front-end engineering and design services for the Tiaret refinery project.

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CSB team deploys to Puerto Rico tank explosion

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:40:50 GMT

October 26,2009 --

A six-person team from the US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) deployed to investigate an explosion and fire that Caribbean Petroleum Corp. reported at a petroleum storage facility near San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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CSB to investigate fire at Tesoro Salt Lake City refinery

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:25:50 GMT

October 23,2009 --

A team from the US Chemical Safety Board was sent to investigate an Oct. 21 fire at Tesoro Corp.’s 58,000-b/d Salt Lake City refinery, it was reported on Oct. 23.

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EPA objects to BP Whiting refinery permit

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:46:00 GMT

October 22,2009 --

The US Environmental Protection Agency issued an objection regarding a federal air permit for BP North America's refinery in Whiting, Ind., leaving the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to review an existing permit.

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Holly to buy, integrate Sinclair refinery in Tulsa

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:05:30 GMT

October 20,2009 --

Holly Corp. has entered a definitive agreement to purchase Sinclair Oil Corp.’s 75,000-b/d refinery in Tulsa and will integrate the facility with its 85,000-b/d refinery 2 miles away.

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Qatar Fertilizer lets urea plant contract

[No Value Specified] — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:05:20 GMT

October 19,2009 --

Qatar Fertilizer Co. SAQ (Qafco) has let a lump sum turnkey contract to partners Saipem SPA and Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. for the Qafco 6 project, including a 3,850-tonne/day urea plant.

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Qatar inaugurates Pearl GTL control room

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:30:20 GMT

October 12,2009 --

Qatar Energy Minister Abdulla bin Hamad Al-Attiyah inaugurated the central control room at the massive 140,000 b/d Pearl gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant in Qatar.

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Petrobras starts refining of first presalt crude

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 20:55:20 GMT

October 9,2009 --

Brazil’s Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) began refining 264,000 bbl from Tupi field—its first load of oil from the presalt region—at the Henrique Lage refinery in Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo state.

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PDVSA withdraws from Vietnamese refinery project

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:20:30 GMT

October 9,2009 --

Suddenly reversing an earlier decision, Venezuela’s Petroleos de Venezuela SA withdrew from a project for the construction of a 200,000 b/d refinery at Long Son in Vietnam.

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Petrobras, PDVSA agree to terms of Abreu e Lima refinery

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:25:10 GMT

October 8,2009 --

Brazil’s Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) said it has resolved all outstanding issues with Venezuela’s Petroleos de Venezuela SA over development of the Abreu e Lima refinery planned for Suape, near Recife in northeastern Brazil.

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Southern Sudan approves plans for 50,000-b/d refinery

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 21:55:40 GMT

October 7,2009 --

Even as it faces fresh conflict with its northern rival, the government of Southern Sudan approved plans to build a $2 billion refinery, according to a senior official of the semi-autonomous state.

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Sunoco idles Eagle Point refinery in New Jersey

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:56:00 GMT

October 6,2009 --

Another US independent refiner is slashing operations in response to low refining margins.

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Murphy Oil acquires ethanol plant

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:10:30 GMT

October 2,2009 --

A subsidiary of Murphy Oil Corp. has purchased a corn-based ethanol plant in Hankinson, ND, for $92 million.

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Tesoro reports fire knocked out at Wilmington refinery

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:30:50 GMT

September 28,2009 --

A fire that errupted early Sept. 28 in the coking unit of Tesoro Corp.’s 100,000-b/cd Wilmington, Calif., refinery, has been extinguished, the San Antonio-based company reported.

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NPRA to EPA: Take time to determine impacts before changing RFS

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:56:00 GMT

September 28,2009 --

More time should be taken to determine actual impacts before the US Environmental Protection Agency makes significant changes in the federal renewable fuels standard, the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association said on Sept. 25.

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Siberian gas plant expansion starts up

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:40:10 GMT

September 21,2009 --

Russian petrochemicals giant Sibur LLC announced earlier this month start-up of the second stage of its expansion at the Yuzhno-Balyksky gas processing plant in the Tyumen region, roughly 600 miles west of Novosibirsk.

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Apache-Santos JV breaks ground on Devil Creek plant

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:00:50 GMT

September 17,2009 --

Joint venture partners Apache Energy Ltd. and Santos Ltd. broke ground at the Devil Creek domestic natural gas processing plant site in the Pilbara region of Western Australia about 50 km south of Karratha.

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Tullow will sell stake to fund Uganda refinery

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:55:20 GMT

September 17,2009 --

Tullow Oil Ltd. plans to sell part of its Ugandan assets to finance an oil pipeline project and other production infrastructure, according to state media.

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Agreement supports more Marcellus processing

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:35:30 GMT

September 16,2009 --

A natural gas processing agreement announced Sept. 15 will underpin a new 120-MMcfd gas plant in the Marcellus shale gas play.

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Pemex refineries due low-sulfur fuel units

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:00:40 GMT

September 15,2009 --

Pemex Refining let engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts worth $638 million to ICA Fluor for low-sulfur gasoline projects at two refineries in Mexico.

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Irving Oil to upgrade St. John refinery

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:45:40 GMT

September 11,2009 --

Irving Oil will spend $220 million to upgrade its 250,000-b/d refinery at St. John, NB.

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Contract let for Suriname refinery expansion

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:40:40 GMT

September 9,2009 --

Staatsolie, the state oil company of Suriname, has let a project management consultant contract to Aker Solutions US Inc. for a doubling of crude capacity of its refinery at Tout Lui Faut to 15,000 b/d.

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Valero shuts Delaware City coker, gasifier

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:00:00 GMT

September 9,2009 --

Valero Energy Corp. is shutting down the coker and gasifier complex at the 210,000-b/cd refinery operated at Delaware City, Del., by its Premcor Refining Group Inc. subsidiary.

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Costa Rican watchdog approves refinery deal with China

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:01:00 GMT

September 4,2009 --

Costa Rica’s Comptroller Office, reversing an earlier decision, gave its approval of a $1 billion contract signed by state-owned refiner Refinadora Costarricense de Petroleo (Recope) to form a joint venture with China National Petroleum C.......

Vietnam urges quick repair of Dung Quat refinery

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:15:20 GMT

September 4,2009 --

Vietnam has asked general contractor Technip to deal swiftly with the breakdown at the country’s first refinery at Dung Quat so that operations can resume as soon as possible.

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Market surplus forces Total to shut down refinery

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:30:20 GMT

September 3,2009 --

Total SA will shut down for a few weeks beginning mid-September its 137,000 b/d Flanders refinery near Dunkirk, France, because surplus supply has undercut refiners’ margins on products.

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NPRA: US refiners continue to increase total capacity

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:55:10 GMT

September 3,2009 --

US refiners increased their total capacity by 100,000 b/d from 2008 to 2009, reported the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association in its latest annual US refining and storage capacity report on Sept. 2.

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Shell restarts Utorogu gas plant in western Niger Delta

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:50:40 GMT

September 1,2009 --

Shell Petroleum Development Co. has restarted its 300-MMscfd capacity gas plant in Utorogu in western Niger Delta after the vandalized Escravos-Lagos Pipeline (ELP) was repaired by the Nigerian Gas Co.

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Mexico to issue tender for ethanol production

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:41:00 GMT

August 28,2009 --

Mexico’s state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) will invite tenders next month for a contract to produce 176 million l./year of ethanol, according to a senior government official.

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Costs spiral for Brazil-Venezuela refinery project

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:50:30 GMT

August 28,2009 --

Brazil’s Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras), already under fire from legislators, said the estimated cost of the joint-venture Abreu e Lima refinery project tentatively stands at $12 billion, or nearly three times more than the original e.......

Mideast petrochemical complex doubles capacity

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:50:30 GMT

August 27,2009 --

Expansion of the petrochemicals complex at Shaiba, Kuwait, about 25 miles south of Kuwait City, was completed earlier this summer, according to its engineering contractor Fluor Corp., Irving, Tex.

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CNPC, Chad sign deal for N'Djamena refinery

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:45:40 GMT

August 27,2009 --

China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) plans to start the first refinery in Chad in partnership with the country’s government by 2011.

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Mitsubishi joins Iraqi gas-processing JV

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:50:20 GMT

August 25,2009 --

Mitsubishi Corp. said it has accepted an invitation issued by the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and Royal Dutch Shell PLC to take a stake in the proposed South Gas Utilization Project (SGUP) joint venture, now under development.

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