Downstream news updates

KT-Kinetics Technology has participated in the ceremony for the completion of the Rijeka Refinery Upgrade Project in Croatia, having completed the engineering, procurement and construction activities.

With 15 million bpd of Gulf supply suddenly offline, global oil demand will need to fall to rebalance the market – a process that could require prices to reach US$150/bbl, according to new Wood Mackenzie analysis.

At the end of February 2026, NETZSCH Pumps & Systems inaugurated a new, state-of-the-art production facility in Goa, India.

Axens has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus to strengthen their cooperation in the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

In 2025, US exports of major petroleum-based transportation fuels were about the same as the previous year, reports the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

ProSep has received an order for two of its Annular Injection Mixers (AIM) to support an LNG facility in South Texas, US.

BASF’s Intermediates division has introduced new product variants with a reduced product carbon footprint (rPCF) for butanediol (BDO), tetrahydrofuran (THF), polytetrahydrofuran (PolyTHF®), and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) produced at its Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany.

DNV's annual Energy Transition Outlook (ETO) for the UK finds that the energy transition risks being delayed by a lack of 'whole system' thinking.

When a Petroineos refinery experienced a critical equipment failure, a bespoke air production solution delivered in record time helped the plant’s owners avoid extremely costly unplanned downtime.

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.