Mid July downstream news update: USA

USA

A group of House Republicans are urging an end to the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).

Members of the Republican House Committee on Wednesday framed the program as an expensive and unwanted federal mandate that Americans do not want and business can’t afford.

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La), the Chairman of the Republican group, has indicated that once the public understands the full repercussions of the program there will be outrage that will demand action from Congress.

The lawmakers heard from industry representatives who argued that a continuation of the program, which is managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), will result in higher prices at the pump and grocery store.

Louisiana

Construction on a US$ 700 million expansion at Valero Refinery’s St. Charles Parish plant is expected to begin sometime in late 2015, early 2016.

The plant occupies approximately 1000 acres along the Mississippi River in Norco. The expansion will include construction of a large methanol unit, designed to compress natural gas into liquid, in order to manufacture chemicals and plastics.

Tennessee

Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) has opened Shelby County, Tennessee’s first compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling station.

MLGW opened the public CNG refueling station to service its own fleet of 52 CNG vehicles and to aid Shelby County residents. The company’s President and CEO, Jerry R. Collins, outlined that natural gas vehicles are good for the economy, the environment and the customer’s bottom line therefore MLGW wanted to ensure that CNG is available to customers in Shelby County.

Texas

Due to federal mandates, Tesoro Refining has announced that it will no longer produce regular unleaded 87 gasoline. They will now produce only 87 octane with 10% ethanol.

MVP Tesoro and Shell locations in Bismarck and Mandan already made the switch earlier this week.

Edited from various sources by Emma McAleavey.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/19072013/downstream_news_update_usa495/