14 May: Global downstream update

India

Phase 3 of the expansion project at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd is online. The coker heavy gas oil hydro treating unit has a processing capacity of 0.65 million tpy and has warranted investment of R 443 crore.

Saudi Arabia

SABIC has announced that it expects operations at its proposed oil to chemical plant to begin by the end of 2020. The plant is expected to process 10 million tpy of feedstock and is the equivalent of a 200 000 bpd refinery.

Taiwan

The Taiwan National Development Fund has announced plans to encourage spending of US$ 666 million to encourage companies to merge that are economically important to the country. The fund’s key priorities reportedly lie with petrochemicals and semiconductors.

USA

Collins Bus Corporation is now accepting order for its new compressed natural gas (CNG) model school bus. The model has an estimated range of 250 – 300 miles and decreases GHG emissions by up to 15% as well as reducing operating costs.

The location of the Texaco refinery in Lawrence County is now no longer recognisable as a refinery site. The plant was closed in 1995 and then sat empty until 2000 when the EPA took over the land and formed a partnership to restore the natural landscape. The future of the land is currently unknown however, it is thought that it could be returned to industrial use.

Wales

Last weekend, to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pembroke refinery, a spring fayre was held at Pembroke Castle. All proceeds from the event went to the Paul Sartori Foundation which is Pembroke’s only hospice at home care service. This is Valero’s charity of the year. 

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/14052014/14_may_downstream_news_roundup524/