The American Petroleum Institute asked the US Environmental Protection Agency to deny petitions by small refiners and four states for waivers from the 2018 biofuel quotas the agency issued under the federal Renewable Fuel Standard Source: News
Egyptian group to buy Leviathan, Tamar gas
Noble Energy Inc. has signed agreements to sell 1.5 tcf of natural gas each from Leviathan and Tamar deepwater gas fields off Israel to an industrial consortium in Egypt. Noble said the consortium, Dolphinus Holdings Ltd., will supply industrial and petrochemical customers and future power generation in Egypt. Source: News
Chinese operator starts up world’s largest wet-gas sulfuric acid plant
Bestgrand Chemicals Group has commissioned what it is calling the world’s largest wet-gas sulfuric acid plant designed to treat over-the-fence acid gas sourced from neighboring CNOOC & Shell Petrochemicals Co. Ltd.’s petrochemical complex in the Daya Bay Economic & Technological Development Zone, Huizhou, Guangdong Province, China. Source: News
OPEC eyes long-term oil-supply management
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is working toward long-term management of oil supply by its members and collaborating countries, according to the new president. Suhail Al Mazrouei, minister of energy and industry of the United Arab Emirates and OPEC’s president for 2018, said a draft framework for a long-term alliance will be ready by […]
Total, Nova, and Borealis advance proposed USGC petchem combine
Affiliates of France’s Total SA, Austria’s Borealis AG, and Canada’s Nova Chemicals Corp. have signed definitive agreements to form a joint venture that would combine certain of the companies’ existing and future petrochemical operations along the US Gulf Coast. Source: News
AOPL urges caution as Commerce issues steel import warning
The Association of Oil Pipe Lines urged caution as the US Department of Commerce said increasingly high steel imports threaten US national security. AOPL Pres. Andrew J. Black cautioned that placing tariffs on imported steel could reduce or delay pipeline projects and limit US job growth. Source: News
Cepsa gets 10% of concession off Abu Dhabi
Cia. Espanola de Petroleos SAU (Cepsa) has acquired a 20% interest in the Satah al Razboot (SARB) and Umm Lulu Concession offshore Abu Dhabi from Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. Source: News
MARKET WATCH: NYMEX, Brent crude prices close Feb. 16 with weekly high
Light, sweet crude oil prices on the New York market and Brent prices in London ended at a single-week high on Feb. 16, which analysts attributed to a smaller-than-expected build in US crude oil inventories. Source: News
Watching Government: Western governors offer ideas
The current US secretary of the Interior and US Environmental Protection Agency administrator both emphasized working more closely with state governments during their US Senate confirmation hearings last year. Western Governors Association leaders have offered some suggestions in this regard already. Source: News
White House's proposed fiscal 2019 budget contains permitting reforms
The Trump administration followed through on its promise to address energy project permit decision delays with a proposed fiscal 2019 federal budget on Feb. 12 that included $185 million for that purpose and for related rights-of-way questions at the US Bureau of Land Management. Source: News