Mid April construction and maintenance news from North America

Texas

Stabilis

Stabilis energy LLC has contracted Chart Energy & Chemicals, Inc. to perform advanced engineering work for five planned LNG liquefaction facilities in North America. The work will commence immediately.

GE

GE and Lufkin have reached an agreement for GE to acquire Lufkin Industries Inc. for approximately US$ 3.3 billion.

Kinder Morgan

Kinder Morgan Enterprises, L.P. has agreed a long term contract with Methanex Corporation to assist in the construction of a methanol storage facility near KMC’s Geismar Liquids Terminal (GLT) in Geismar. 

The terminal infrastructure is anticipated to be operational by late 2014, to coincide with the startup of the relocated plant.

KMC has also recently acquired Quality Carrier Inc.’s terminal, located in Chester, South Carolina. This is a 19 tank facility that currently provides storage of approximately

35 000 bbl.

California

Chevron has completed repair work to its Richmond refinery following fire damage. However, it will not reopen until late June, due to the need to attain regulatory approval.

The fire, which broke out in late January, led to 25 citations being filed against Chevron by a state division of Occupational Safety and Health. Chevron was also issued with a US$1 million fine (the highest amount allowed by state law).

Oregon

Portland based Oil Rerefining Company has been ordered by the US Environmental Protection Agency to dispose of 150 000 gal of PCB contaminated oil, or face a

US$ 450 000 penalty.

PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are carcinogenic, and have been banned in the US since 1979.

Oklahoma

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced that a south Oklahoma refinery will be fined US$ 281 000 for an explosion that killed two workers last year. The refinery is owned by CVR Energy, and was described by the OSHA as having been in breach of several regulations.

Edited from various sources by Emma McAleavey.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/15042013/mid_april_refining_and_maintenance_news/