18 June 2014: downstream global oil and gas news

Finland

Neste Oil has announced that it will be replacing all its current systems at the Porvoo refinery sulfur plant with modern automation and flow control technology from Metso. The company believe that with these new solutions, it will be able to more accurately control the process of turning sulfur recovered from the refining process into elementary sulfur.

Iraq

It was reported on 17 June that the Baiji refinery had been shutdown and all foreign staff evacuated. However, it was reported that domestic employees were still in place and military was in control of the plant. However, on 18 June it was reported by the BBC that Islamic militants have invaded the refinery after attacking it with mortars and machine guns from two directions. It has been further reported that militants now control 75% of the plant.

Nigeria

The Dangote Group has announced that it has secured a loan worth US$ 300 million for construction and operation of a refinery and polypropylene plant. The African Development bank apparently approved the loan on 13 June 18, 2014.

Oman

Prequalifying companies for the engineering, procurement and construction of the new Duqm refinery is expected to start in the third quarter of this year. The US$ 6 billion investment is a joint venture between Oman Oil Company SAOC and IPIC.

Philippines

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. has confirmed plans to upgrade the Bantangas refinery this year. It has been suggested that confirmation of the plans indicate a confidence in the sustainability of refining operations in the Philippines.

Russia

On June 15 an explosion and fire occurred at the OAO Roseneft Achinsk refinery. The 7 million tpy facility is in the Bolshoy Uluy District, Krasnoyarsk Territory in Eastern Siberia. The explosion reportedly occurred in a distillation column.

USA

GE has supplied GEL Utility Limited with three 25 MW gas turbines to help generate uninterrupted power at the Port Harcourt refinery. These actions have been taken as part of the effort to overcome recent power outages at the plant. In the past grid outages have reduced the refinery’s output to 30% of its 210 000 bpd capacity.

The US Department of Energy has approved the export of LNG to Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries by Texas LNG. Under the export approval, the company can export 2 million tpy of LNG to any current and future FTA country for the next 25 years. The company is currently building a US$ 1 billion terminal in the Port of Brownsville, South Texas.

Following a release of powder from the HollyFrontier owned Cheyenne oil refinery, residents in the surrounding area have made complaints. The complaints claim that an ash like powder has settled on property. The power is apparently a catalyst used at the refinery and was not released expectedly.

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/18062014/18_june_2014_global_processing_news/