International Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook report, released Nov. 13, shows that coal-to-liquids (CTL) would account for about 1.1 million barrels/day of global “non-conventional” oil supplies by 2030.

Houston-based refining consultant Purvin & Gertz announced Nov. 19 it’s launching a study of the impacts of the new International Maritime Organization Marpol Annex-6 ship emissions/fuel amendments. The amendments either require heavy bunker fuel desulfurization or else on-board ship stack emissions scrubbing.

Swedish refiner Preem reported hefty refining margin gains on diesel/gasoil for third quarter 2008 compared to 3q 2007.

“Weighted business refining margin for the third quarter of 2008 increased to (U.S.) $7.84 $/bbl compared to $3.97/bbl in the third quarter of 2007,” Preem said.

Renault announced Nov. 19 the launch of the first diesel V6 engine developed and produced by the Alliance.

The engine “will equip upper-range vehicles to meet the growing worldwide demand for engines that are powerful and yet fuel and CO2 efficient,” Renault said.

Colombia’s state oil company Ecopetrol announced Nov. 17 that it will spend an estimated U.S. $344 million on a front-end engineering & design (FEED) contract with Foster Wheeler and Process Consultants Inc. for a project to upgrade its 250,000 barrels/day Barrancabermeja refinery to 300,000 b/d.

U.S.-based Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) on Nov. 19 issued a call to delay the U.S. EPA 2010 heavy-duty diesel truck emissions standards, saying the trucks will be too expensive.

Endorsing the call, big truck maker Navistar confirmed to Diesel Fuel News that it agrees that EPA ought to allow diesel truck makers to continue to offer lower-cost, EPA-2007 diesel trucks in 2010 along with the higher-cost EPA-2010 trucks, at least temporarily.

U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest weekly survey of refinery production of middle distillate shows fairly steady output of ULSD and an increase in higher-sulfur diesel.

The biggest increase is in diesel/gasoil of >500-ppm sulfur, the survey shows.

“Downgrading” of ULSD to higher-sulfur diesel also increased in recent weeks.

U.S. low-sulfur distillate (typically highway diesel fuel) deliveries fell 5.1% in October, a sure-fire sign that the U.S. economy is in a deep recession.

In the latest American Petroleum Institute Monthly Statistical Report, “distillate fuel oil” (diesel and heating oil) deliveries are down 6.7% for January-October 2008 versus the same period in 2007.

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) dramatically cut its energy price forecasts for 2009, in its just-issued Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO) report.

The report, issued Nov. 12, now sees benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude prices averaging only $63.50/barrel in 2009, down from $112/barrel in the October 2008 STEO forecast.

In an 8K “impairment” filing with U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission this month, Navistar International reported “significant reduction in demand” from Ford for its “Powerstroke” diesel engines used in pickup trucks.

UOP announced Nov. 11 that its refinery hydrotreating process is being used to convert “second-generation, renewable feedstocks” to “green jet fuel” that will be used on a demonstration flight by Air New Zealand.

Exhaust emissions control maker Johnson Matthey (JM) is collaborating with partners at the UK’s Birmingham and Brunel universities on a new rhodium-based diesel emissions trap-catalyst that could slash criteria emissions while also boosting fuel economy.