Early December: Downstream news from the Americas

Iowa

DuPont have broken ground on a US$ 200 million cellulosic ethanol refinery. The facility will have a processing capacity of 30 million gal./y and is to be online by mid 2014.

Minnesota

Two Minnesota refineries are stating that they should not be expected to pay for a pipeline that they will not use. Enbridge Energy has posed a surcharge to help construct the Sandpiper pipeline from North Dakota to Wisconsin. Flint Hills Resources and Northern Tier Energy who own the two Minnesota refineries are opposing the plan as they will have to pay a surcharge on Bakken crude shipped to their refinery even if it doesn’t go through the pipeline in question.

Peru

It has been announced that the cost of upgrading the Petroleos del Peru Talara refinery will be more than the US$ 1.7 billion originally estimated. The company are now reassessing the upgrade project to gauge a better understanding of the costs involved.

Tennessee

At a Valero refinery in Memphis, a worker has died after being exposed to acid and propane. The worker was exposed after a sight glass on a pump ruptured. A second worker was injured band is being treated for non critical injuries.

Texas

Ecolab Inc. has decided to amend its purchase of Champion Technologies Inc. not to include the unit that sells water treatment chemicals to refineries. Permian Mud Service Inc., the parent company of Champion Technologies Inc. will retain the unit.

NuStar Energy LP has announced that it is very close to securing a buyer for its San Antonio refinery and hopes to secure a deal by the end of the year. The company is selling off its downstream and marketing units to focus on Eagle Ford Shale.

West Virginia 

Ergon Inc., is planning an expansion of the Newell oil refinery. The company is looking to invest US$ 78 million in to the project and will focus mainly on processing equipment.

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/05122012/early_dec_downstream_news_americas/