June 06, 2013
Volume: 5
Issue: 11
Feature
Wave of Floating Liquefaction Projects Could Emerge
Market Focus
IEA: 2013 Oil Demand to Hit 90.6 MMb/d; Refinery Output to Surge
U.S. Gasoline Demand Likely to Fall 50% Because of Generational Changes - Study
Price Alone Won’t Determine Future of LNG vs. Diesel in Transport - Consultant
IEA: US$600 Billion/Year Needed to End Global Energy Poverty
Africa Could Leapfrog Rest of World on ‘Green’ Energy - UNEP
Operations
U.S. DOE Authorizes Second LNG-Export Facility on Gulf Coast
Incitec Pivot to Build US$1.03-Billion Ammonia Plant in Louisiana
Brazil’s Petrobras Suspends Comperj Refinery Construction
ExxonMobil Chemical Launches New Singapore Production
Grace, Al Dahra to Build First FCC-Catalyst Plant in Middle East
Sunoco Logistics Acquires Marcus Hook Refinery
Technology
Headwaters, Axens Ink ‘Alliance’ on Heavy-Oil Upgrading Technology
Chiyoda: System Shows Hydrogen Can Be Supplied on a Commercial Basis
RTI, Norcem to Add Solid-Sorbent CO2-Capture Technology at Norway Plant
UOP Licenses ‘Oleflex’ Technology for U.S. Gulf Coast Propylene Plant
BASF Licenses Genomatica’s Bio-BDO Technology
Verenium Unveils New Protease Enzyme for Corn-Ethanol Production
Compliance Issues
Major Energy Companies Cite ‘Perilous Situation’ Facing EU
IMO May Delay Tougher Diesel-Ship NOX Limits Until 2021
CBO Weighs Potential Outcomes of a Carbon Tax on U.S. Economy
‘Green’ Taxes Could Help EU Stimulate Innovation, Cut Diesel Favoritism - EEA
U.S. Interior Department Rolls Out Revised Fracking Regulations
Q&A
ABS Issues Marine Diesel Exhaust-Gas Scrubbing Advisory
Project Updates
Tesoro Completes Purchase of Carson Refinery, Southwest U.S. Retail Assets
Total Unveils €1-Billion Antwerp Modernization Project; ULSD Output Boosted
Technip Wins Iraq Refinery Project-Management Contract
Chevron Phillips to Expand Ethylene Production at Sweeny Complex
Genesis Energy Expanding Crude-by-Rail Projects in N. America

Operations

U.S. DOE Authorizes Second LNG-Export Facility on Gulf Coast

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has authorized ConocoPhillips-led Freeport LNG Expansion LP and FLNG Liquefaction LLC to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries that do not have a free-trade agreement (FTA) with the U.S.

Full Story >>

Incitec Pivot to Build US$1.03-Billion Ammonia Plant in Louisiana

Australia-based Incitec Pivot on April 17 announced a US$1.03-billion, 800,000 tonne-per-year ammonia plant project at Cornerstone Chemical’s Fortier manufacturing complex on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Jefferson Parish, La.

Full Story >>

Brazil’s Petrobras Suspends Comperj Refinery Construction

Petrobras announced May 14 that the construction project at its Comperj refinery in Rio de Janeiro was halted by a court order that negated state-issued environmental permits.

Full Story >>

ExxonMobil Chemical Launches New Singapore Production

ExxonMobil’s Singapore chemical plant is now producing ethylene from the facility’s second world-scale steam cracker, the company announced May 30.

Full Story >>

Grace, Al Dahra to Build First FCC-Catalyst Plant in Middle East

.R. Grace & Co. announced May 14 that it cut a joint-venture deal with Al Dahra Agriculture to build the first refinery fluid catalytic-cracking (FCC) catalyst manufacturing plant in the Middle East, near Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Full Story >>

Sunoco Logistics Acquires Marcus Hook Refinery

Philadelphia-based pipeline and terminal company Sunoco Logistics has acquired the shuttered, 780-acre Marcus Hook refinery on the Delaware River, south of Philadelphia, for US$60 million, according to a May 11 report from online news service Philly.com.

Full Story >>

Technology

Headwaters, Axens Ink ‘Alliance’ on Heavy-Oil Upgrading Technology

Utah-based Headwaters announced May 15 that its HTI subsidiary signed an “alliance” deal with Axens on a combination of two technologies for heavy-oil upgrading to clean fuels.

Full Story >>

Chiyoda: System Shows Hydrogen Can Be Supplied on a Commercial Basis

Chiyoda Corp. announced May 31 that its Koyasu Office and Research Park demonstration plant has achieved expected performance goals via organic chemical-hydride (OCH) technology.

Full Story >>

RTI, Norcem to Add Solid-Sorbent CO2-Capture Technology at Norway Plant

North Carolina-based RTI International and Norcem (a division of Germany-based HeidelbergCement) announced May 15 that they’re partnering on a pilot-scale demonstration of a solid-sorbent, carbon-dioxide (CO2) capture technology at Norcem’s cement plant in Brevik, Norway.

Full Story >>

UOP Licenses ‘Oleflex’ Technology for U.S. Gulf Coast Propylene Plant

UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, announced May 16 that it has been selected to provide technology for the world’s largest on-purpose-propylene production facility on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

Full Story >>

BASF Licenses Genomatica’s Bio-BDO Technology

San Diego, Calif.-based bio-based chemical technology developer Genomatica and Germany-based specialty chemical maker BASF jointly announced May 10 that BASF plans to begin production of 1,4-butanediol (BDO) from sugar feedstock using a patented one-step fermentation process developed by Genomatica. The companies declined to disclose financial details of the agreement.

Full Story >>

Verenium Unveils New Protease Enzyme for Corn-Ethanol Production

San Diego, Calif.-based biotech outfit Verenium Corp. announced May 28 that it will introduce a protease – trademarked “Deltazyme APS” – for use in corn-ethanol operations during the upcoming 2013 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop from June 10 to 13 in St. Louis, Mo.

Full Story >>

Q&A

ABS Issues Marine Diesel Exhaust-Gas Scrubbing Advisory

Marine classification society ABS on April 30 unveiled a new marine-diesel exhaust-gas scrubbing systems advisory explaining regulatory and technical factors that would affect ship-owner decisions about whether to invest in stack scrubbing for compliance with upcoming International Maritime Organization Marpol Annex-6 limits.

Full Story >>

Feature

Wave of Floating Liquefaction Projects Could Emerge

Rising costs for land-based, liquefied-natural-gas (LNG) facilities are expected to push a greater number of companies toward more flexible, less expensive floating liquefaction plants as they bring natural gas supplies to market.
Full Story >>

Market Focus

IEA: 2013 Oil Demand to Hit 90.6 MMb/d; Refinery Output to Surge

In its latest monthly Oil Market Report (issued May 14), the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that global oil demand in 2013 will rise to 90.6 million barrels per day (MMb/d), a slight increase from last month’s forecast.

Full Story >>

U.S. Gasoline Demand Likely to Fall 50% Because of Generational Changes - Study

A new study by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) shows that the new “millennial” generation is turning-away from the car-mania of prior North American generations -- with the result that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is plummeting and demand growth for new cars is declining.

Full Story >>

Price Alone Won’t Determine Future of LNG vs. Diesel in Transport - Consultant

San Antonio – Despite what seems to be a big current price advantage for liquefied natural gas (LNG) versus diesel in long-hauling trucking and locomotive markets in North America, fuel price alone won’t determine how much market-share LNG eventually takes from diesel.

Full Story >>

IEA: US$600 Billion/Year Needed to End Global Energy Poverty

A new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the World Bank finds that ending global energy poverty would require at least US$600 billion in incremental investments each year from now until 2030.

Full Story >>

Africa Could Leapfrog Rest of World on ‘Green’ Energy - UNEP

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) on May 13 unveiled a study indicating that today’s relatively energy-poor Africa could leapfrog the rest of the world in adopting relatively “green” energy.

Full Story >>

Compliance Issues

Major Energy Companies Cite ‘Perilous Situation’ Facing EU

Eight EU energy firms including Eni, Enel, Gasterra, GDF Suez, Iberdrola, RWE, E.On and GasNatural Fenosa issued a joint statement to the European Council on May 21, citing an “urgent need to tackle the perilous situation facing the European energy sector.”

Full Story >>

IMO May Delay Tougher Diesel-Ship NOX Limits Until 2021

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) received a proposal on May 16 from Russia and other member nations to delay by five years – to Jan. 1, 2021 – the upcoming “Tier-3” limits on nitrogen oxides (NOX) from new engines and new ships, which otherwise would take effect January 1, 2016.

Full Story >>

CBO Weighs Potential Outcomes of a Carbon Tax on U.S. Economy

U.S. lawmakers could increase federal revenues and encourage carbon-dioxide (CO2) emission reductions by establishing a national carbon tax, according to a May 22 analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Full Story >>

‘Green’ Taxes Could Help EU Stimulate Innovation, Cut Diesel Favoritism - EEA

The European Environmental Agency (EEA) on May 14 unveiled a series of studies illustrating how “green” tax policies could cut pollution and boost investment in advanced-technology industries and eliminate tax policies in many European countries favoring diesel over gasoline.

Full Story >>

U.S. Interior Department Rolls Out Revised Fracking Regulations

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on May 16 released an updated draft proposal that would establish safety standards for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on public and Indian lands as part of the Obama administration’s “all-of-the-above” energy strategy supporting safe and responsible domestic energy production.

Full Story >>

Project Updates

Tesoro Completes Purchase of Carson Refinery, Southwest U.S. Retail Assets

Tesoro Corp. announced June 3 that it closed the acquisition of BP’s fully-integrated Southern California Refining and Marketing business, including the 266,000-barrel-per-day (b/d) high-conversion Carson refinery and more than 800 dealer-operated retail stations.

Full Story >>

Total Unveils €1-Billion Antwerp Modernization Project; ULSD Output Boosted

France-based oil major Total announced May 22 that it approved a €1-billion (US$1.29-billion) modernization project for its Antwerp, Belgium refining and petrochemical complex – including investments that will enable greater output of Euro-5 ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD).

Full Story >>

Technip Wins Iraq Refinery Project-Management Contract

Technip announced June 4 that it won a project management consultancy contract from Iraq’s state-owned SCOP for the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) phase of the Karbala refinery project in Iraq.

Full Story >>

Chevron Phillips to Expand Ethylene Production at Sweeny Complex

Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. LP announced June 3 that it will add another furnace at its Sweeny petrochemical complex in Old Ocean, Texas, that will increase ethylene production by 200 million pounds annually.

Full Story >>

Genesis Energy Expanding Crude-by-Rail Projects in N. America

Houston-based Genesis Energy announced May 21 that it will expand its existing crude-by-rail terminal in Natchez, Miss. – designed to handle “straight and/or minimally diluted bitumen” delivered by the Canadian National Railway – and construct a new unit-train loading facility (“Pronghorn”) in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin adjacent to the Niobrara shale-oil play.

Full Story >>