Aramco lets contract for Ras Tanura refinery

Saudi Aramco has let a turnkey contract to Tecnicas Reunidas SA, Madrid, to provide engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) on two packages of a clean-fuels project at Aramco’s 550,000-b/d Ras Tanura refinery in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, along the Persian Gulf. Source: News

BHI: US rig count posts first decline in 2 months

The US drilling rig count dropped by 6 to 659 active units during the week ended Jan. 13, marking its first decrease since Nov. 11, 2016, and largest since the drilling rebound began at the beginning of June, according to Baker Hughes Inc. data. Source: News

Norman becomes UK energy minister

Jesse Norman has been named UK parliamentary undersecretary of state, minister for industry and energy, a position that includes regulation of oil and natural gas. Source: News

Malaysia’s Petronas lets technology contract for RAPID

PRPC Polymers Sdn. Bhd., a subsidiary of Petroleum Nasional Bhd.’s (Petronas) majority-owned Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd., has let a contract to LyondellBasell Industries NV to deliver polyethylene process technology for a grassroots unit at Petronas’s refinery and petrochemical integrated development (RAPID) project at the Pengerang integrated complex (PIC) in southeastern Johor, Malaysia. Source: News

Survey: Central US producers optimistic

Oil and gas operators in the central US show growing optimism in a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Source: News