Fourth quarter-to-date refining margins tracked by BP Plc indicate strong performance during this last quarter of 2010. The BP Global Indicator Margin (GIM) and the accompanying six underlying regional margins, are on pace through December 9 to double, triple, and even quadruple the historical margins calculated for the fourth quarter of 2009.

The Financial Times reported December 14 that Petrobras announced it had consolidated the remaining 30% stake in the 190,000 barrels/day (b/d) Refap refinery in Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil.

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) “medium-term oil outlook” update to 2015 – included in the December 10, 2010, edition of its monthly Oil Market Report – found that global crude distillation capacity expansions are now likely to top a whopping 9.2 million barrels per day (b/d) between now and 2015.

Air Liquide announced December 13 that an improving energy-demand growth forecast to 2015 indicates that its global revenues are likely to grow by 8% to 10% annually between 2011 and 2015.

John Wood Group PLC (Wood Group) announced December 13 that it has entered into an agreement to acquire PSN Limited (PSN) for a total enterprise value of US$955 million.

Japan-based Seven & I Holdings Co. announced December 9 that its 7-Eleven subsidiary in the U.S. just reached a deal to buy 183 ExxonMobil retail fuel stations in Florida.

Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) is negotiating the purchase of “refining capacity in the U.S.,” according to a December 2 Bloomberg report.

Double digit growth in vehicle sales in China have driven double digit growth in 2010 refining, oil and gas extraction, and even chemicals production, as two reports out of China indicate. Records are being made now, and are being made to be broken again in 2011, according to another analytical report on China and Asian energy demand.

With new rules requiring large U.S. stationary sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters to obtain permits set to take effect January 2, 2011, a rising sea of news flow is flooding out from the courts, legal system and regulators related to the Prevention of Significant Determination and Title V Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rules and regulations.

The Hill news source gave a very effective rundown on two recent decisions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to delay the release of two new air pollution control rules which have been on the radar screen of U.S. industrial operators, including refiners, for months. Nearly $100 billion in capital and operating costs related to the pair of proposed rules are anticipated in EPA’s own estimates, according to reports.

In the latest salvo between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Texas state officials, the agency has threatened dozens of industrial operators with penalties if they don’t begin taking revise their air by late December.

A coalition of about 20 environmental groups has launched a television ad campaign to stop the construction of a US$7-billion Canadian oil-sands pipeline and urging President Barack Obama to reject a permit for the project.

A coalition of political groups, including the Competitive Enterprise Group (CEI), on November 29 urged Congress to allow energy subsidies, including the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, to expire at the end of the year.

Technip Wins Sonatrach Refinery Expansion Contract , and South Africa and Angola To Cooperate on Major Refinery

A consortium led by Japan’s JGC Corp. won negotiating rights for the Nghi Son refinery in Vietnam, the investment decision for Bharat Petroleum’s Kochi refinery is still pending, and the Cals Haldia Refinery Project Phase 1 effort wins funding towards relocation and reassemblage of mothballed refining units and equipment from Germany, Canada and the U.S.

Valero Energy announced December 13 that it has decided to restart its 235,000 barrels-per-day Aruba refinery, Progress proceeding on ‘blockbuster’ Cuban refining expansion and energy modernization projects, Ecuador’s Pacific Refinery Project is “on track,” and Petrobras awards contracts to Foster Wheeler for two grassroots refineries.

The governing boards of BP and Canada’s Husky Energy have sanctioned what will be a US$2.5-billion upgrade their jointly-owned Toledo refinery in Ohio to run Canadian oil-sands crude. .