End of May downstream news: USA and Europe
USA
California
Tesoro Corp has committed to a US$ 2.5 million purchase of BP Plc’s California assets, including the 240 000 bpd Carson refinery. Once the sale is complete, Tesoro will control 26% of crude oil refining capacity in the state.
New Jersey
Phillips 66 has announced that it will use more domestic shale oil at its New Jersey Bayway refinery. The Bayway refinery already receives Bakken crude, transported by rail to Albany in New York state and then by barge to the refinery. However, current construction of an offloading facility at the plant will allow it to receive additional volume.
The facility is built to accommodate a unit train of 100 rail cars per day; with each rail car able to hold 750 bbl, total capacity will be 75 000 bpd.
Pennsylvania
York County, Pennysylvania, may be forced to refund US$ 7.5 million in taxes if the former owner of the Yorktown refinery wins its two Circuit Court cases, appealing against the taxes levied on the facility in 2010 and 2011.
Washington
Emerald Biofuels LLC, Fulcrum Brighton Biofuels LLC and Natures BioReserve LLC are to draft proposals for new energy refineries as the US Defense Department seeks renewable energy sources.
According to Sharon Burke, Assistant Defense Secretary for Operational Energy, the Pentagon hopes the new refineries will produce 150 million gal, at costs of no more than US$ 4/gal.
Europe
Belgium
Total is to invest e1 billion at its Belgian refining and petrochemical complex, in order to boost its diesel making capacity and cut costs. Plant refurbishment will include the construction of a new, 20 000 bpd hydrocracking unit to transform high sulfur heavy fuels into low sulfur diesel and heating oil from early 2016. Simultaneously, Total will shut uncompetitive units, including a 240 000 t oil based naptha cracker unit and two polyethylene making units.
Edited from various sources by Emma McAleavey.
Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/29052013/end_of_may_downstream_news_usa_europe/
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