Downstream news updates

MAIRE has announced that Tecnimont S.p.A. has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract relating to the implementation of a petrochemical project.

thyssenkrupp Uhde has been awarded a contract by Nova Sustainable Fuels (NSF) to perform an integration and optimisation study for NSF’s biomass-to-methanol project in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Penspen has opened a new office in Newcastle’s Time Central facility (UK) as it plans further growth in the European asset integrity market.

Wood Mackenzie warns Middle East conflict threatens 200 million tpy of Asian LNG demand growth over next decade as Qatar declares force majeure on shipments.

Clariant has announced a strategic collaboration with Vertimass LLC aiming to accelerate the development and commercialisation of advanced zeolite catalysts for the catalytic conversion of biobased alcohols.

KBR has announced that it has been awarded a 10-year catalyst supply contract by Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals FZE for its entire ammonia plant portfolio.

Shintech Louisiana, LLC has announced a US$3.4 billion investment to bolster its manufacturing capabilities, with the construction of a second ethylene unit and a fourth chlor-alkali and vinyl chloride monomer unit.

ITT Inc. has announced the closing of its acquisition of SPX FLOW, Inc., a provider of highly engineered equipment and process technologies serving industrial and chemical markets.

Neil Crosby, AVP Oil Analytics at Sparta, Michael Ryan, Freight Commodity Owner at Sparta, and Philip Jones-Lux, Senior Analyst for Sparta, comment on freight, refining margins, and Hormuz disruption.

US developers signed sale and purchase agreements for 40 million tpy of LNG in 2025 from planned export facilities, according to US Department of Energy and company website data compiled by the US Energy Information Administration.

Neil Crosby, AVP Oil Analytics at Sparta, provides commentary on the potential impact of continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.

EnerMech has secured a five-year contract to deliver integrated mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation (ME&I) maintenance services at Ampol’s Lytton Refinery in Brisbane, Australia.

Escalating conflict in the Middle East and restrictions at the Strait of Hormuz are disrupting critical global flows of chemicals, plastics, and energy, the ICIS has reported.

Moeve has reached the final investment decision to begin construction of Southern Europe’s largest green hydrogen project, located in Andalusia, Spain.

Venture Global, Inc. and Trafigura have announced the execution of an agreement for the purchase of approximately 0.5 million tpy of US LNG for five years commencing in 2026.

ICIS has provided analysis and context on the evolving situation in the Middle East and its impact on energy markets.

VAROPreem has launched Preem Redefine HVO100, a Nordic Swan-Ecolabelled fuel, in Norway.

Jaison Davis, Economic Research Analyst at GlobalData, provides commentary on GCC exports, with global energy markets in flux.

The International Gas Union (IGU) has released a statement on the escalating conflict in the Middle East and its impact on global energy security.

TotalEnergies has signed a preliminary agreement with Glenfarne for the long-term offtake of 2 million tpy of LNG from the Alaska LNG project over 20 years.

AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson sent a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to urge EPA to avoid a repeat of 2025’s 11th hour emergency RVP waivers for summer gasoline sold in the Midwest.

The US Secretary of Energy has signed an export authorisation for a 12% expansion?in exports at Cheniere Energy’s Corpus Christi LNG terminal.

Higher oil and gas prices are certain as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz threatens to disrupt 15% of global oil supply and 20% of global LNG supply if tanker flows are not quickly restored, according to Wood Mackenzie.

Feedstock availability poses a critical barrier to SAF scale-up. JM’s FT CANS technology, developed with BP, enables flexible feedstock strategies and a proven route to commercial-scale SAF.