Saudi Aramco has let a contract to KBR Inc. to provide technology for a supercritical solvent deasphalting (SDA) unit as part of a residue upgrading and clean fuels project at its 126,000-b/d refinery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Source: News
Fitzgerald named International Petroleum COO
Daniel Fitzgerald has been promoted to chief operating officer of International Petroleum Corp., Vancouver, BC. Source: News
MARKET WATCH: NYMEX oil price ends week back above $60/bbl
Light, sweet crude oil prices on the New York market increased to end the week of Mar. 29 with a settlement back above $60/bbl after Reuters reported Russia was growing uneasy with existing production cut levels. Source: News
Trump issues updated presidential permit for Keystone XL pipeline
President Donald J. Trump issued an updated presidential permit for the proposed Keystone XL crude oil pipeline on Mar. 29. The move was seen as an attempt to jump-start the project’s construction after a federal judge in Montana blocked it in November and ordered further environmental reviews. Source: News
Analysts: US crude export capacity can handle pipeline surge
As oil pipelines come online in the Permian basin, will the bottleneck depressing wellhead prices just move to Gulf Coast export terminals? No, according to a Mar. 29 research note from Cowen Equity Research. Source: News
Proposed year-round E15 sales would be a mistake, API official warns
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to allow gasoline with a 15% ethanol blend to be sold year-round would be a mistake if it was implemented, an American Petroleum Institute official testified on Mar. 29. Source: News
EPA begins voluntary audit program for new owners of upstream assets
Source: News
Gazprom to acquire Kyrgyzneftegaz assets
Officials of state-owned Gazprom and the government of Kyrgyzstan have signed what they describe as a “roadmap” for the Russian company’s acquisition of the assets of Kyrgyzneftegaz. Source: News
Baker Hughes: US rig count down 10 units to 1,006
The US drilling rig count is down 10 units to 1,006 rigs working for the week ended Mar. 29, according to Baker Hughes data. The count is up 13 units from the 993 rigs working this time a year ago. Source: News
MARKET WATCH: Oil price benchmarks edge down awaiting clear OPEC strategy
Light, sweet crude oil prices fell slightly on the New York market Mar. 28 and Brent crude oil for May nudged down by only a penny on the London market while investors watched for more definite indicators regarding future oil supply and demand worldwide. Source: News