Refining, Petrochemicals, Gas Processing, Biofuels
Eni and Saipem: Agreement to Develop New Biorefineries
Eni and Saipem have signed an agreement for the development of biorefining. It was signed today by Giuseppe Ricci, Chief Operating Officer for Energy Evolution at Eni, and Alessandro Puliti, Chief Executive Officer at Saipem, to support the transformation path of traditional refineries and the development of new Eni biorefineries.
Haldia Selects Multiple Lummus Technologies for India’s First On-Purpose Propylene Plant and Largest Cumene and Phenol Plant
Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, announced Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd. (HPL) will license its olefins conversion technology (OCT) and the Lummus/Versalis cumene and phenol technologies for a new plant in West Bengal, India.
Data Director's Q4 Update
Peregrine Bush, Director of Data and Technology, shares his Q4 2023 update
Repsol Selects Honeywell Ecofining™ Technology For Biofuel Production In Spain
Honeywell announced today that Repsol has licensed Honeywell Ecofining™ technology to produce renewable fuels from feedstocks such as used cooking oil and waste animal fat at Repsol’s facility in Puertollano, Spain. Repsol is designing this plant to convert approximately 240 thousand metric tons per annum (KMTA) of waste feeds/feedstocks to renewable diesel and other products.
United States: Borealis and TotalEnergies Start Up Baystar JV Polyethylene Unit
Borealis and TotalEnergies celebrate the start-up of their Baystar joint venture’s new 625,000 metric ton-per-year Borstar® polyethylene (PE) unit, which more than doubles the current production capacity at Baystar’s site in Pasadena, Texas.
Nuberg EPC wins IOCL’s Propylene Purification Package with Skid Mounted Technology Deployment
Nuberg EPC, the global engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company, has been awarded the PPP contract by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) for the design, engineering, manufacturing, supply and commissioning of a Propylene Purification Package at IOCL Panipat Refinery, Haryana, India. The project is part of IOCL’s expansion plan to increase the refinery capacity from 15 MMTPA to 25 MMTPA.
Samsung Engineering receives FEED contract for Saudi Petrochemical Project
Samsung Engineering, a world leading engineering solutions and project management company, announced today that it received the NoA(Notice of Award) for the FEED (Front End Engineering Design) contract of a PDH, PP, UTOS plant from Alujain National Industrial Co.(LNIC) in Saudi Arabia. The contract amount is USD 19.428 million and the FEED work is expected to be carried out in Samsung Engineering’s offices in Seoul, Korea until May 2024.
Final Investment Decision on Green Hydrogen and HVO/SAF projects
Galp has taken the final investment decision on two large scale projects to reduce the carbon footprint of the Sines refinery and of its products. The projects include a 270 ktpa advanced biofuels unit, in partnership with Mitsui, and 100 MW of electrolysers for the production of green hydrogen. Both units are expected to have its first start up during 2025.
ExxonMobil Expands Chemical Production at Baytown
ExxonMobil today announced the startup of two new chemical production units at its Baytown, Texas, manufacturing facility. The $2 billion expansion is part of ExxonMobil’s long-term growth plans to deliver higher-value products from its U.S. Gulf Coast refining and chemical facilities.
PT Pertamina International chooses Topsoe technology at Cilacap facility in Indonesia
Topsoe, a global leader in developing solutions for a decarbonized world, has been selected by PT KPI as a technology licensor to provide its HydroFlex™ technology for the production of renewable fuels at the Cilacap Refinery Complex in Central Java, Indonesia. Once complete, the grassroot unit will use Topsoe’s technology to convert bio-feedstock into SAF and renewable diesel, with plans to produce 6,000 bpsd.
Aemetis Completes Expansion of India Biodiesel Plant One Year Ahead of Schedule, Increases Annual Production Capacity to 60 Million Gallons
Aemetis, a renewable natural gas and renewable fuels company focused on negative carbon intensity products, announced today that the company’s Universal Biofuels subsidiary has completed an expansion of its India biodiesel plant annual production capacity to 60 million gallons more than one year ahead of schedule, supplying the expanding demand for biodiesel by India government-owned Oil Marketing Companies (OMC’s).
VARO announces plan to invest $600m to build major Sustainable Aviation Fuel manufacturing facility in Rotterdam, which will meet up to 7% of the EU's 2030 SAF target
VARO Energy (“VARO”) today announces the construction of a large-scale Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) manufacturing facility at the Gunvor Energy Rotterdam site, investing $600m with the aim of helping its airline customers decarbonise. This facility alone is expected to contribute up to 7% of the EU’s 2030 SAF target.
Nigeria Oil Minister Expects the Country’s State-owned Oil Refineries Operational by the End of 2024
Heineken Lokpobiri, the new Oil Minister of Nigeria, stated recently that refurbishment plans at the country's four state oil refineries are continuing and will be completed by the end of 2024. These refineries have been considered very inefficient and decrepit for some time, and Nigeria is hoping to eventually end fuel imports to the country.
Braskem and SCG Chemicals Join Forces to Advance in the Bio-based Ethylene Project in Thailand
Braskem, the leading global biopolymer producer, and SCG Chemicals, a leading petrochemical company in Thailand and Southeast Asia, have signed a joint venture (JV) agreement to create Braskem Siam Company Limited. Subject to clearance from the relevant anti-trust authorities and final investment decision by the partners, this joint venture aims to produce bio-ethylene from bio-ethanol dehydration and to commercialize I'm green TM bio-based polyethylene (PE), using the EtE EverG reen TM technology. The technology results from the partnership agreement between Lummus Technology LLC and Braskem B.V. to develop and license this technology.
Award of Packages 1 & 4 for a Petrochemical Expansion at the SATORP Refinery in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. (“HDEC”) has been awarded contracts for two EPC packages related to a petrochemical expansion at the SATORP refinery in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Package 1 (Mixed Feed Cracker and Refinery Off Gases) involves installing a Mixed Feed Cracker (MFC) to produce an additional 1,650 KTA (kilo tons per annum) of ethylene and related industrial gases. Package 4 (Utilities, Flares & Interconnecting) relates to installation of facilities that supply utilities such as electricity and water to plants, and functions as interconnecting systems that support main packages within the facilities.
Fluor Awarded Front-End Engineering and Design Contract for LanzaTech Sustainable Aviation Fuel Facility
Fluor Corporation announced today that it has been awarded a contract by LanzaTech UK Limited to provide front-end engineering and design (FEED) services for one of the United Kingdom’s (UK) first planned commercial sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facilities in Port Talbot, Wales. Fluor recognized the award in the second quarter of 2023.
INEOS and SINOPEC Complete Major Petrochemicals Deal in China
INEOS has today completed the formation of a 50/50 joint venture with SINOPEC for the Tianjin Nangang Ethylene Project, announced in December 2022, which is currently under construction by SINOPEC and expected to be on-stream by April 2024.
McDermott Selected for Petrochemical Expansion Project by IOCL
McDermott has been awarded a project management consultancy (PMC) and engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) contract for the Naphtha Cracker Expansion (Phase II) polypropylene expansion and new ethylene derivative unit project from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). The project is located at the Panipat Refinery and Petrochemical Complex, located 62 miles (100 kilometers) from New Delhi, India.
ADNOC Makes Statement on Possible Merger of Borouge and Borealis
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) P.J.S.C. (“ADNOC”) is excited to confirm that, following initial exploratory discussions, it has entered into formal negotiations with OMV AG (“OMV”), about the potential creation of a new combined petrochemicals holding entity, through the proposed merger of their respective existing shareholdings in Borouge plc (“Borouge”) and Borealis AG (“Borealis”).
bp Expands Investment in Bioenergy, Collaborating with US Biofuels Developer WasteFuel
bp invests $10 million in WasteFuel, which is planning to develop a global network of plants to convert municipal and agricultural waste into bio-methanol, a biofuel which could play a significant role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like shipping.
Saudi Aramco and TotalEnergies sign deals to build $11bn Amiral petrochemicals complex
Saudi Aramco and France's TotalEnergies have awarded contracts to build the $11 billion Amiral petrochemicals complex in the city of Jubail in the kingdom's Eastern Province. The awarding of the engineering, procurement and construction contracts for main processing units and associated utilities marks the start of construction work on the major project, following the final investment decision made in December 2022, the companies said on Saturday.
A brighter horizon for sustainable aviation fuel: Sasol and Topsoe to form a future business to accelerate global SAF production
Sasol, the global chemicals and energy company, and Topsoe, a global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, have signed a landmark agreement to establish a 50/50 joint venture (subject to approval by relevant authorities), solidifying their commitment to produce sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and contribute to global efforts in combating climate change.
BASF breaks ground on polyethylene plant at Zhanjiang Verbund site in China
BASF has broken ground on a polyethylene (PE) plant at its Verbund site in Zhanjiang, China. The new plant with a capacity of 500,000 metric tons of PE annually will serve the fast-growing demand in China. The plant is scheduled to start up in 2025.
Petrofac confirms signing of US$1.5 billion EPC contract in Algeria
urther to the announcement of 18 May 2023, Petrofac today confirms it has entered into a definitive agreement with STEP Polymers SPA (‘STEP’, a 100% subsidiary of Sonatrach) for the design and build of its petrochemical complex in the Arzew Industrial Zone in Algeria.
A Consortium led by Tecnimont Awarded a USD 300 Million EPC Contract for a Fertilizer Plant in Egypt by KIMA
MAIRE S.p.A. announces that a consortium composed by its Integrated E&C Solutions (IE&CS) subsidiary Tecnimont S.p.A and Orascom Construction S.A.E. has been awarded a Lump Sum Turn-Key Engineering Procurement and Construction contract for a Nitric Acid and Ammonium Nitrate plant by KIMA, Egyptian Chemical Industries Company.
Kent Awarded Three-Year Multi-Site Master Services Agreement with TotalEnergies
Kent, a leading engineering services provider in the oil and gas, low carbon energy and chemicals sectors, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a three-year Master Services Agreement (MSA) with TotalEnergies for engineering services in the United States.
TotalEnergies Steps up Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production at Grandpuits
Ahead of the Paris Air Show held in Le Bourget, TotalEnergies is stepping up production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and low carbon energies of its Grandpuits site.
Saunders Secures $42 Million Contract for bp Kwinana Renewable Fuels Project
Saunders International Limited ( is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $42 million contract to provide tank refurbishment and modification services for bp at its Kwinana energy hub, in Perth, Western Australia.
LyondellBasell Announces Delay in Refining Business Exit
LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB) today announced plans to delay its refining business exit from year-end 2023 to no later than the end of the first quarter 2025. Favorable inspections and consistent performance have given the company confidence to continue safe and reliable operations at the Houston site. LyondellBasell anticipates moderate maintenance spend to support this extension in 2023 and 2024 but remains committed to ceasing operation of its oil refining business. The extension will minimize workforce impacts as the company continues to develop future options for the site and will enable a smoother transition between the shutdown and the implementation of the retrofitting and circular projects.
Cushing chosen as new site for Southern Rock Energy Partners Refinery
Southern Rock Energy Partners, LLC (SREP) is developing a 250,000 BPD next-generation, full conversion crude refinery in Oklahoma. The refinery complex will reduce and eliminate 95% of greenhouse gas emissions while producing approximately 91.25 million barrels or 3.8325 billion gallons annually of cleaner transportation fuels including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel from crudes sourced domestically from the Anadarko, Permian, Denver and Julesburg, and Bakken Basins. The project will be constructed over a 36-month period beginning in 2024 with commercial operations beginning in 2027.
