Oil & Gas UK welcomes tax-history measure

A UK industry group is welcoming changes to UK fiscal policy that will allow buyers of offshore oil and gas fields to benefit from the past tax payments of sellers. Source: News

Shell wraps debottlenecking work at Scotford refinery

Shell Canada Ltd. has completed a hydrocracker debottlenecking project to increase processing of heavy Canadian crude feedstock at its 100,000-b/d refinery in Scotford, Alta.  Source: News

Field troubleshooting improves steam surface-condenser performance

Declining performance of a large compressor-driven steam turbine’s surface condenser at Shell Chemical LP’s petrochemical complex in Norco, La., was constraining an associated process unit to a maximum 80% of its design capacity, significantly affecting the unit’s operating margin and energy efficiency. Source: News

Hydration improves Longmaxi shale fractures

Hydration before hydraulic fracturing improves the connection between pores and natural fractures in the Lower Silurian Longmaxi natural gas shale in China’s Zhaotong area in North Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, pilot studies demonstrated. Source: News

Serbia evaluates its CO2 storage potential

Serbia is assessing its potential for long-term carbon dioxide storage using depleted or partially depleted oil and gas reservoirs in Pannonian basin to help mitigate climate change. Source: News

Bapco lets contract for Sitra refinery expansion, revamp

Bahrain Petroleum Co. has let a lump-sum turnkey contract to a consortium of TechnipFMC, Samsung Engineering, and Tecnicas Reunidas to provide engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning for a series of units for the long-planned expansion and modernization of its 267,000-b/d refinery at Sitra on Bahrain’s eastern coast. Source: News