Refining and petrochemicals news from the Americas: 18 December 2014

Brazil

Petrobras has announced that it is going to postpone its plans to leave the Argentinean petrochemicals business. The company has made this decision as it is reportedly looking to focus on the current investigation in to contractors that are alleged to have bribed officials at the company. Also, it has been said that the investigation is limiting Petrobras’ access to finance markets and is slowing the signing of new contracts. Petrobras had originally received an offer for the 34% stake in Cia. Mega SA from YPF and Dow Chemical.

It has also been reported that Brazil’s CGU has found that Petrobras over paid for the Pasadena refinery when it bought the Texas facility in 2008. The CGU has said that 22 people could be responsible for the over payment, including former senior executives from the company.

Canada

It has been reported by the Ministry of Environment that the number of leaks and spills at the Regina coop refinery has increased over the past year. In 2013 there were only eight spills/leaks at the facility and this year there have been 24. Three of the incidents happened in November and one incorporated a fire.

USA

The Phillips 66 owned Bayway refinery is partnering with The Gateway Family YMCA, Rahway Branch to help fund an early learning readiness program that will help children prepare for Kindergarten. The funding is part of Phillips 66’s Strategic Community Initiative which is active globally.

Joseph Israel will become the new President and CEO of Hawaii’s largest refinery from 5 January 2015. Israel will be replacing William Monteleone. Previously Israel was Senior Vice President of Hunt Refining Co., and COO at Alon USA Energy.

Lawsuits have been filed against the proposed addition of a waxy crude processing facility at the Tesoro owned Salt Lake City refinery. Multiple groups have appealed the plans after the Utah Division of Air Quality approved a permit modification for the project. Those who filed the suit have reportedly said that the decision needs to be reviewed, as it was not accompanied by a proper analysis.

Motiva Enterprises has withdrawn a permit request to expand a hydrocracker and diesel hydrotreater unit at its refinery in Texas. The reason for this request has not been made public and was not reported to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Source: CBC, NJ Today, Biz Journals, Deseret News, HP, Reuters.

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/refining/18122014/refining-petchem-the-americas-18-dec/