China Petrochemical Corp. (Sinopec) has let a contract to a division of E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. for delivery of an alkylation unit for subsidiary Sinopec Qilu Petrochemical Corp.’s (SQPC) 13 million-tonne/year refinery at Zibo in China’s eastern province of Shandong. Source: News
US rig count falls 6 units to 940
The overall US rig count has fallen again this week, marking the fourth straight week of declines. Baker Hughes’ calculation of active US rigs dropped 6 units during the week ended Aug. 25 to 940. Source: News
FAR awarded more equity in licenses offshore Guinea-Bissau
FAR Ltd., Perth, has received confirmation that the increase in equity and amendments to its Guinea-Bissau offshore licences in West Africa have been approved by government decree. Source: News
Gazprom Neft gas plant in Iraq undergoes performance testing
Gazprom Neft PJSC said a gas plant at Badra field in eastern Iraq is undergoing performance testing and is expected to go into commercial production in the fourth quarter. It will be able to process 1.6 billion cu m/year. Source: News
Targa lets contract to expand Permian gas processing capacity
Targa Pipeline Mid-Continent WestTex LLC, a subsidiary of Targa Resources Corp., Houston, has let a contract to KP Engineering LP (KPE), Tyler, Tex., to build a cryogenic gas processing plant in Reagan County, Tex., near Midkiff, in the Permian basin of West Texas. Source: News
MARKET WATCH: NYMEX crude oil settles back below $48/bbl before Harvey
Light, sweet crude oil prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell nearly $1 as market participants awaited news of the path of Hurricane Harvey, expected to make landfall in Texas. Oil prices rose in early Aug. 25 trading. Source: News
INGAA president unhappy with court ruling expanding NEPA requirements
Interstate Natural Gas Association of America Pres. Donald F. Santa expressed disappointment on Aug. 24 with the US Appeals Court for the District of Columbia’s decision days earlier to vacate the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of three Southeastern US natural gas pipelines. Source: News
Thom appointed CFO of Energy XXI Gulf Coast
Tiffany J. Thom has been named chief financial officer of Energy XXI Gulf Coast Inc. (EGC), Houston, effective Aug. 28. Source: News
ETP sues environmental groups over Dakota Access pipeline campaign
Energy Transfer Partners has sued Greenpeace International, Earth First, and other environmental organizations opposed to construction of the Dakota Access crude oil pipeline for manufacturing and materially disseminating false information about the project. Source: News
BSEE: Operators shut in 10% of US gulf output as Hurricane Harvey advances
Offshore oil and gas operators in the US Gulf of Mexico are evacuating platforms and rigs in preparation for Hurricane Harvey. The storm intensified into a hurricane Aug. 24 as it headed toward the Texas coast. Source: News