Global refining news update: 9 October 2014

Canada

Earlier this week, four protesters blocked the entrance to the Suncor refinery in Montreal. The protesters, three of which chained themselves to the refinery gates, were speaking out against a pipeline that will transport oil across the country from the oilsands in Alberta.

Japan

It was reported earlier this week that JX Holdings has resumed shipments to its refineries across Japan following the recent typhoon. Over the weekend, JX suspended all shipments due to the inclement weather.

Kazakhstan

The Kazakh Energy Ministry has said that it will not build a new oil refinery however, the country is planning on overhauling three of its refineries in 2016 to help the nation become more self reliant. The country is also planning on extending the Shymkent refinery.

Nigeria

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has confirmed its commitment to establishing refineries in the country. The Association has acquired 1000 hectares of land in the country so far for US$ 3 million on which it hopes refineries will be built. The Association has also signed investment deals for the construction of refineries in Itobe, Kogi and Abbe, Bayelsa.

Romania

Sorin Rosca Stanescu and Sorin Pantis have been sentenced at the Bucharest Appeal Court with no parole with regards to a case surrounding Rompetrol. The two were found guilty of using privileged information, stock market manipulation and organised crime groups in the listing of Rompetrol Rafinare on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. The main person involved in this crime was Rinu Patriciu former owner of the Rompetrol group but he died in August 2014 before he could be sentenced.

Russia

Bashneft has commenced pilot operations at the biggest hydrogen production unit associated with a refinery in Russia. The unit is at the Bashneft-Novoil Branch and is a key part of the Ufa refinery upgrade programme. The unit has a rated processing capacity of 420 tpd.

USA

A rail facility at the Bayway refinery is now in operation. The facility at the Phillips 66 plant is now accepting shipments of Bakken crude oil for processing at the plant. The rail infrastructure has the capacity to accept one train a day with a load of 2.9 million gal. of crude oil when running at full capacity.

At the Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery, goats have been enlisted to help fight against shrubs that are becoming overgrown on the refinery’s property. 60 goats are going to be grazing along the refinery land along the Mississippi river where buckthorn is taking over. The goats will also drive native plant seeds in to the ground as the refinery works with the Friends of the Mississippi River and Great River Greening to help remove non-native plants from the area and restore natural bird habitats.

Bank of America has reportedly replaced JP Morgan Chase as inventory and working capital financer to the biggest oil refinery on the East Coast. The agreement between BofA and Philadelphia Energy Solutions gives the business one of the largest financing arrangements in the US. The deal does exclude physical oil trading and logistics operations there were part of the original JP Morgan deal.

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/09102014/global-refining-news-9-oct/