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M2 EQUITYBITES-November 8, 2024--General Motors to halt production of petrol-powered Cadillac XT4 SUV in January (C)2024 M2 COMMUNICATIONS http://www.m2.co.uk Auto Business News - 08 November 2024 General Motors (NYSE: GM), [...]

Byline: Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigeria has commenced the production of petrol for the first time in the last 28 years, THISDAY learnt yesterday that the 650,000 barrels per day [...]

Byline: Leadership News Dangote Refinery Plc has commenced production of petrol, marking a significant milestone for Africa's largest refinery after delays due to recent crude shortages. The refinery, built by [...]

Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, has reassured of the commencement of production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol by the [...]

Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, has reassured that the 650,000bpd Dangote Refinery will commence production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in July 2024. [...]

State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan Republic has completed construction and startup of a complex dedicated to production of Euro 5-quality gasoline and diesel as part of the ongoing modernization and [...]

ST. LOUIS: ELESSENT CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES has issued the following news release: PetroChina Guangdong (PetroChina), a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation, has successfully completed and surpassed all performance guarantees for [...]

Largest STRATCO([R]) alkylation unit built in China ensures adherence to China VI quality specifications ST. LOUIS -- PetroChina Guangdong (PetroChina), a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation, has successfully completed [...]

The NORSI oil refinery, a cornerstone of Russias energy sector, is grappling with significant production setbacks. Sources intimate with the refinerys operations reveal an impending 50% slash in its high-octane [...]

Russia's largest private oil company, Lukoil, has halved the production of high-octane gasoline at its largest refinery, the Nizhny Novgorod Refinery, as reported by Kommersant, citing sources. According to them, [...]

Panama based AGROMIS has secured contract from INSTITUTO PANAMEnO COOPERATIVO/COMPRAS for Purchase of a 52CC gasoline cutting shortage for gardening work in iPacoop central plant . The value of the [...]

Exxon Mobil Corp in coming days will sharply boost gasoline and diesel production at its Beaumont, Texas, refinery, people familiar with the matter said, completing a $1.2 billion expansion first [...]

Exxon Mobil Corp in coming days will sharply boost gasoline and diesel production at its Beaumont, Texas, refinery, people familiar with the matter said, completing a $1.2 billion expansion first [...]

Exxon Mobil Corp in coming days will sharply boost gasoline and diesel production at its Beaumont, Texas, refinery, people familiar with the matter said, completing a $1.2 billion expansion first [...]

Calgary, AB, Canada-based Parkland Corp has completed an 8-week planned maintenance event at subsidiary Parkland Refining (B.C.) Ltd's 55,000 barrels/d refinery on Burrard Inlet in North Burnaby, near North Vancouver, BC. The turnaround, which began on 1 Feb 2023, was safely completed on time and within budget, with the refinery returned to full operations as of 11 Apr 2023, Parkland said. While the operator previously confirmed scheduled maintenance event was to involve the temporary shutdown of unidentified process units to enable cleaning, inspection, and routine servicing of equipment, Parkland revealed in its latest annual report released to investors in late Mar 2023 that the 1Q 2023 turnaround specifically included the following: Regular maintenance and inspections of the refinery's crude, reforming, and distillate hydrotreating units. Catalyst changes on the reforming and distillate hydrotreating units. Unspecified reliability and capital improvements associated with the site's coprocessing of renewable feedstocks. In its 2023 guidance issued in early Dec 2022, said the 1Q 2023 turnaround would run require an estimated C$100 M to complete. In an early Mar 2023 call with investors, Bob Espey, Parkland's president and chief executive officer, confirmed the Burnaby refinery's next planned turnaround is scheduled to take place in 2025. Completion of the 2023 turnaound follows Parkland's confirmation in Mar 2023 that it has decided not to proceed with a previously announced plan to build a grassroots, standalone 6500 barrels/d complex for production of renewable diesel at the Burnaby refinery. Specific reasons Parkland cited for the project's cancellation included rising project costs, lack of market certainty around emerging renewable fuels, and the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, the latter of which advantages US producers by providing longer-term policy certainty and incentives for investing in renewable fuels-production projects, according to the operator. Espey identified the IRA as the biggest change for Parkland's business in the renewable space following the operator's initial announcement of the then-proposed Burnaby renewable diesel complex. While Espey said Parkland currently does not have plans to invest in further projects that would add renewable diesel capacity, the operator nonetheless remains committed to continue expanding the Burnaby refinery's capability to coprocess renewable feedstocks for production of drop-in renewable gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel products. Alongside undertaking ongoing debottlenecking works to boost Burnaby's coprocessing volumes to a targeted 5500 barrels/d, Parkland said it also is also exploring the use of expanding the refinery's slate of potential renewable feedstocks to include other forest residuals, wastewater biomass, and carbon-capture liquids. Parkland's proposed coprocessing plans at Burnaby collectively come as part of the operator's commitment to furthering both the province and Canada's transition to lower-emission fuels and a lower-carbon economy, as well as the country's national ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in line with the global energy transition. Original source: PennWell Corporation, website: http://www.ogj.com/index.html, Copyright Pennwell Corporation 2023., investment; plant capacity; plant restructuring; production process; waste emissions and pollution; biodiesel; biofuels; biomass; carbon dioxide; catalysts; jet fuels; methane; refinery products; renewable feedstocks; sustainable chemicals; waste water; [...]

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has informed owners of the idled refinery in St Croix, VI, US, that they will need a new prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) permit before restarting the refinery. The owners will have to submit a PSD permit application assessing and planning controls for emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and two subcategories of particulate matter determined by their size, PM2.5 and PM10. EPA announced its decisions on the St Croix refinery 17 Nov 2022 after completing documents and sending letters to the owners the previous day. The documents include content indicating the agency may expect a legal challenge based on potential difficulties in meeting the standards for a PSD permit. The owners of the idled refinery are international investors who set up Port Hamilton Refining and Transportation LLLP (PHRT) to take title to the plant in Jan 2022 after winning a competitive auction in bankruptcy proceedings the previous month. West Indies Petroleum Ltd (WIPL), based in Jamaica, joined with PHRT in the bidding. The two companies have various ties to each other, including the fact that Charles Chambers, one of the owners of WIPL, describes himself as the largest shareholder in PHRT. The owners have said they will restart the refinery at 180,000 b/d, initially suggesting it would produce bunker fuel meeting the tougher standards that went into effect as part of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) 2020 sulfur regulations. Chambers, however, addressing the US Virgin Islands legislature 14 Jul 2022, seemed to broaden the fuel production plans for the refinery somewhat by saying it would help alleviate tight supplies for gasoline and diesel, though he did not offer specifics. He also said the goal was to restart the refinery in 2Q 2023 'once financing is secured.' The mothballed refinery was purchased in 2016 by private equity firm ArcLight Capital Partners LLC and commodities trader Freepoint Commodities. Under ArcLight's leadership, Limetree Bay Ventures LLC was set up to own and operate the St Croix complex, then described as 650,000 b/d capacity. Over almost four years Limetree spent about $4.1 bn, only to encounter one problem after another in the restart efforts from Dec 2020 to May 2021. According to EPA, these included releases of a cloud of hydrocarbons and excess hydrogen sulfide, and oil droplets sprayed on neighbouring homes and gardens and into drinking water cisterns. Limetree filed for bankruptcy in Jul 2021. EPA's 16 Nov 2022 documents include summaries of what it called inadequate maintenance that contributed to the failed restart in early 2021. Because Port Hamilton Refining and Transportation does not intend to restart all units, it is possible that the most corroded units simply can be left out of restart plans. But EPA's documents suggested a restart will be costly, nevertheless. Original source: PennWell Corporation, website: http://www.ogj.com/index.html, Copyright Pennwell Corporation 2022., VOC; company structure; investment; market; plant capacity; plant restructuring; plant startup; regulations and rulings; waste emissions and pollution; carbon monoxide; diesel fuel; fuels; hydrocarbons; hydrogen sulfide; nitrogen oxide; petrol; refinery [...]

Petroperu will begin in Dec 2022 the production of diesel and gasoline with low sulfur content in its modern Talara refining complex, which continues with its gradual and progressive start-up tests for its subsequent use and start of commercial operation. With the title 'A new era for downstream in Peru, Talara Refinery Modernization Project', the manager of the Talara Refinery explained the benefits of this new refinery, which will allow obtaining fuels with a very low level of sulfur, which will bring benefits for the environment and people's health. The official reported that as part of this process that began in Apr 2022, the Primary Distillation Unit, the Vacuum Distillation Unit and the Hydrogen Production and Purification Unit have been started, among other process and auxiliary units. To date, the same is being done with the hydrotreatment units to later continue with the conversion and deep conversion units. With this, the company will once again be an important refiner in the country, replacing the imports it currently carries out. Likewise, it will be able to offer better commercial conditions and substantially improve its profitability and liquidity. The start-up process is carried out with the participation of experienced personnel from the Tecnicas Reunidas contractor companies, in the process units, and Cobra, in the auxiliary units. Also participating in these activities are the licensing companies Honeywell, Axens, UOP, Haldor Topsoe and Exxon Mobil, as well as the international supervision consortium CPT and the different specialist technicians from the factories that supplied the various pieces of equipment that form part of this new complex of refine. It should be noted that one of the challenges during the execution of the project has been technological integration, with the participation of 150 subcontractors of 72 nationalities. The New Talara Refinery has the capacity to process up to 95,000 barrels/d of heavy and light crude oil existing in the country and other parts of the world, producing gasoline and diesel with 50 parts/M (ppm) of sulfur and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with 20 ppm, among other quality fuels. During the construction process of the modern refining complex, more than 10,000 direct jobs and 20,000 indirect jobs have been generated; also contributing to the treasury with more than $1 bn, only in taxes. Original source: Petroperu, website: https://www.petroperu.com.pe/english/, Copyright Petroperu 2022., LPG; contract; employment; health and safety; joint venture; patents and technical know-how; plant capacity; plant restructuring; waste emissions and pollution; auxiliaries; crude oil; diesel fuel; hydrogen; liquefied petroleum gas; petrol; [...]

As part of the gradual and progressive start-up tests, the start-up tests of the hydrotreatment units of the New Talara Refinery (NRT) will begin in the coming days, with a view to putting them into use and starting commercial operations in Dec 2022. Prior to the startup of the three hydrotreatment units, which will allow the removal of sulfur from gasoline and diesel, the primary distillation unit, the vacuum distillation unit and the hydrogen production and purification unit were commissioned. Subsequently, the same will be done with the conversion and deep conversion units, according to the start-up schedule. The corporate manager of Petroperu's Talara Refinery indicated that from Dec 2022 the NRT will be able to produce gasoline and diesel with 50 parts/M (ppm) of sulfur and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with 20 ppm, among other quality fuels. As part of these start-up tests, interconnections and systems required for the commissioning of 7000 pieces of equipment and 35,000 instruments, involved in this complex start-up process for the stabilization and commissioning of the NRT, are carried out. The start-up process is carried out with the participation of experienced personnel from the Tecnicas Reunidas contractor companies, in the process units, and Cobra, in the auxiliary units. Also participating in these activities are the licensing companies Honeywell, Axens, UOP, Haldor Topsoe and ExxonMobil, as well as the international supervision consortium CPT and the different specialist technicians from the factories that supplied the various pieces of equipment that form part of this new complex of refine. The corporate manager also reported that, during the construction process of the NRT, Petroperu has invested more than Peru Sol 60 M in social management activities, such as the construction and equipping of a modular hospital with an intensive care unit, among other actions for the benefit health, education and improvement of the quality of life of the inhabitants of Talara. Original source: Petroperu, website: https://www.petroperu.com.pe/english/, Copyright Petroperu 2022., LPG; contract; investment; joint venture; patents and technical know-how; plant startup; waste emissions and pollution; chemical auxiliaries; diesel fuel; fuels; hydrogen; liquefied petroleum gas; petrol; sulfur; Axens; Cobra; CPT; ExxonMobil; [...]

Technology that uses micro­organisms to turn carbon emissions into raw materials is edging closer to commercialisation as production is scaled up to cut costs, industry experts said. Some start-ups have [...]

bp PLC said it is working diligently to resume operations in the coming days at subsidiary bp Products North America Inc's 440,000-b/d refinery in Whiting, IN, US, following its sitewide shutdown in the wake of an 24 Aug 2022 electrical fire. The Whiting team continues to make progress in 'restoring the utilities needed to bring the plant back to normal operations' and is 'working toward a phased restart of the refinery' in the coming days, bp said. While the 24 Aug 2022 incident did not result in any injuries, bp confirmed the electrical fire-though limited to a single electrical system and quickly extinguished-did cause a loss of utilities in other parts of the refinery, presumably prompting the site's safe and orderly shutdown. A cause of the incident has yet to be revealed. bp's Whiting refinery-the largest in the US Midwest-produces about 10 M gal/d of gasoline, 4 M gal/d of diesel, and 2 M gal/d of jet fuel for distribution into the region's transportation network, according to the operator's website. During the ongoing shutdown period, bp said it is continuing to work with local, state, and federal agencies to help ease regional supply constraints, and with partners on steps to secure fuel supplies. As part of the US federal government's response to the Whiting shutdown, both the US Department of Transportation's (UDOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have issued temporary emergency orders to expedite supply and distribution of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other petroleum products in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, the four states most impacted by the refinery's outage. On 26 Aug 2022, USDOT's FMCSA issued an emergency declaration providing a temporary hours-of-service exemption that-subject to restrictions-allows motor carriers and drivers transporting gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined products in the affected areas to exceed the maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles as stipulated under US federal law. The FMCSA exemption will remain valid through 10 Sep 2022, or until the emergency has ended, whichever comes first, USDOT said. On 27 Aug 2022, US EPA Administrator Michael Regan issued an emergency fuel waiver to help alleviate fuel shortages in the same four states whose supply of gasoline has been interrupted by the refinery shutdown. To remain in effect through 15 Sep 2022, the temporary waiver will lift federal regulations as well as federally enforceable state requirements for fuel volatility on gasoline sold in the impacted states. Original source: PennWell Corporation, website: http://www.ogj.com/index.html, Copyright Pennwell Corporation 2022., market; plant capacity; plant closure; diesel fuel; jet fuels; petrol; petroleum products; bp; bp Products North [...]

President Biden criticized US refiners 15 Jun 2022 for what he described as exceptional profits and called on them to take immediate actions to increase their output of gasoline, diesel, and other refined products. Biden's letters were sent to top executives at ExxonMobil Corp, Chevron Corp, Shell USA Inc, BP America Inc, Marathon Petroleum Corp, Valero Energy Corp, and Phillips 66 Co. Refiners responded quickly through their trade groups. In a letter to the president from the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) and the American Petroleum Institute (API), they said US refiners are operating at or near maximum utilization, running at 94% of capacity, according to the Energy Information Administration. The trade associations also said US refiners are producing more gasoline and diesel than current market demand. The AFPM and API letter pointed to high prices for crude oil-the main component of refined product prices-and the mix of other factors affecting prices. ExxonMobil reacted to Biden with a statement of its own noting recent financial losses and the big investments it has made in crude oil production and expanded refining capacity. Longer term, government can promote investment through policies that supports US resource development and streamlined regulatory approvals, ExxonMobil said. But the AFPM and API said in their letter to Biden that his administration was heading in the opposite direction. Original source: PennWell Corporation, website: http://www.ogj.com/index.html, Copyright Pennwell Corporation 2022., market; pricing; production level; crude oil; diesel fuel; petrol; refinery products; BP America; Chevron; ExxonMobil; Marathon Petroleum; Phillips 66; Shell USA; Valero [...]

Viva Energy Group Ltd approved funding to upgrade the Geelong oil refinery to produce ultra-low sulfur gasoline. The improvement in quality of petrol produced at the refinery, which lies 50 km west of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, will help reduce vehicle emissions and improve the refinery's crude processing flexibility, Viva said. Project cost is estimated at A$300 M with Viva receiving A$125 M under the Australian Federal Government's refinery upgrades programme. The project is expected to be completed over the next 3 years, with some $50-70 M likely to be spent in 2022. Viva recently committed to continue refining in Australia through mid-2028 and to construct an additional 90 ML of diesel storage to improve Victoria's fuel supply security. Separately, Viva agreed to acquire LyondellBasell Australia (LBA), a Geelong-based national polymer manufacturer and distributor which has its production facility inside the Geelong refinery footprint. LBA is Australia's only polypropylene manufacturer with customers across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, India, the Middle East, and North America. The acquisition is another step in the development of Viva's planned Geelong energy hub, said Scott Wyatt, Viva's chief executive officer. Original source: PennWell Corporation, website: http://www.ogj.com/index.html, Copyright Pennwell Corporation 2022., PP; investment; mergers and acquisitions; plant restructuring; stock; crude oil; diesel fuel; fuels; petrol; polymers; polypropylene; LyondellBasell Australia (LBA); Viva Energy [...]

Iran will become a gasoline and gas oil importer in the next two or three years due to strong domestic consumption, oil minister Javad Owji said, the oil ministrys news [...]

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The following information was released by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS): Americans should expect to see record high gas prices nearing $4 a gallon this [...]

Pakistan Refinery Ltd (PRL) has decided to move forward with its long-delayed plan to upgrade and expand its 55,000-b/d hydroskimming refinery along the coastal belt of Karachi, Pakistan. Approved for development by PRL's board in a late-Dec 2021 meeting, the revised plan-now officially known as the refinery expansion and upgrade project (REUP)-will include works to upgrade the site into a deep conversion refinery equipped to produce Euro 5 diesel and gasoline as a means of achieving compliance with the government of Pakistan's requirement for cleaner, environmentally friendly transportation fuels, the operator said in a filing to Pakistan Stock Exchange Ltd. Alongside ensuring the refinery's long-term sustainability by increasing its overall complexity and reducing its output of high-sulfur furnace oil, the REUP also will expand the site's crude oil processing capacity to 100,000 b/d, PRL said. Based on an updated detailed feasibility study for the project, PRL estimated REUP will now require a total investment of about $1.2 bn, up from the operator's previous cost estimate of $1 bn in 2019. PRL-which plans to undertake front-end engineering design (FEED) as well as appoint a financial advisor for REUP by the quarter ending 31 Mar 2022-said it will take financial investment decision and award a contract for delivery of engineering, procurement, and construction services on the project following completion of the FEED study. Further details regarding a specific timeframe for REUP were not disclosed. In its latest annual report published in mid-Aug 2021, PRL said it was reviewing options for purchasing preowned refining units with throughput capacities of 50,000-100,000 b/d for relocation to Pakistan as part of its cost-reduction measures for REUP. In addition to primary bottoms-conversion units, other preowned equipment PRL was considering for purchase included units for hydrotreating, hydrofining, reforming, isomerization, alkylation, hydrogen production, additional sulfur removal, and utilities equipment. Original source: PennWell Corporation, website: http://www.ogj.com/index.html, Copyright Pennwell Corporation 2022., investment; plant capacity; plant restructuring; diesel fuel; hydrogen; petrol; sulfur; Pakistan Refinery [...]

The refusal of Russia, Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries to boost production with surging oil and gas prices is not the right move, US President Joe Biden reported on [...]

Russia continues to see growth in demand for conventional motor fuel, including gasoline, and will continue to work on its refinery modernization. Russia's refinery modernization will continue despite the energy [...]

After years of pumping more oil and gas, Western energy giants like BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil and Chevron are slowing production as they switch to renewables or cut [...]

Scope of Work: Residue Upgrade Project at Ras Tanura refinery. Description: The project will convert low-value refinery residue into higher-value products including gasoline, jet fuel and ultra-low sulphur diesel. Under [...]

Byco and Axens are pleased to announce that Axens has been selected to support Bycos Refinery upgrading Project Phases I, II, III with providing advanced technical solutions in order to [...]

Byco and Axens are pleased to announce that Axens has been selected to support Bycos Refinery upgrading Project Phases I, II, III with providing advanced technical solutions in order to [...]

PJSC Lukoil subsidiary LLC Lukoil Nizhegorodnefteorgsintezs (NNOS) has commissioned a new isomerization unit at its 17-million tonne/year (tpy) Kstovo refinery in central Russias Nizhny Novgorod region (OGJ Online, Jan. 29, [...]

PJSC Lukoil subsidiary LLC Lukoil Nizhegorodnefteorgsintezs (NNOS) has commissioned a new isomerization unit at its 17-million tonne/year (tpy) Kstovo refinery in central Russias Nizhny Novgorod region (OGJ Online, Jan. 29, [...]

Despite showing week-on-week gains, global refinery margins by the end of the week slipped as the Colonial Pipeline restarted operations following a May 7 ransomware attack, an analysis from S&P [...]

Despite showing week-on-week gains, global refinery margins by the end of the week slipped as the Colonial Pipeline restarted operations following a May 7 ransomware attack, an analysis from S&P [...]

Engineer Tariq Al-Mulla, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, inspected the Midor refinery expansion project in Alexandria at a cost of $ 2.3 billion, which aims to increase the refinery's [...]

Honeywell today announced that Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez, a subsidiary of Lukoil, will use a range of Honeywell UOP process technologies at its Kstovo refinery to produce cleaner-burning high-octane fuels that comply with [...]

Farmington Hills, MI -- The following information was released by the Association for the Work Truck Industry (NTEA): Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. (Anaheim, California) announced production will begin [...]

Venezuelas state-owned oil firm PDVSA looks to restart another gasoline-producing unit soon, hoping to ease the gasoline shortages in the country that sits atop the worlds largest crude oil reserves. [...]

Venezuelas state-owned oil firm PDVSA looks to restart another gasoline-producing unit soon, hoping to ease the gasoline shortages in the country that sits atop the worlds largest crude oil reserves. [...]

In preparation for the production of the fully-electric BMW i4, the BMW plant at Munich in Germany will pause vehicle production for six weeks. No cars will be produced between [...]