Global refining and petrochemicals news: November 28 2014

Brazil

Some workers from Petrobras could be punished because of irregularities at the company’s refinery in Pasadena, Texas. An internal corruption probe has been on going within the company and the results are due to be presented on December 12, which include an investigation in to the Abreu e Lima refinery. The investigation into the Pasadena refinery purchase was opened this year and so far after internal discussions one employee has been arrested and 15 others have been identified as being involved in corruption.

Canada

It has been reported that the Liberals government could be looking at US$270 million in environmental damage at the Come by Change oil refinery, however it has also been reported that the exact figure isn’t known. The facility was sold in September this year to SilverRange and the company said that as part of the deal it would retain jobs as long as the government took responsibility for the preexisting environmental issues at the plant. Now, a report is being carried out at the facility to determine the full extent of the damage at the facility in hope of determining the total cost to the government. Some areas of the facility have not been regularly inspected since their instillation 40 years ago.

India

Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) are looking for government approval on a Memorandum of Understanding to start discussing the development of a new petrochemical project in Paradip. The plant will be part of the PCPIR hub which is planned to span 284 m2 across the Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts.

USA

The city of North Pole has begun proceedings to sue two recent owners of an oil refinery. Flint Hills Alaska Resources are the current owners of the facility and are being sued along with previous owners Williams Alaska Petroleum for releasing hazardous substances into the groundwater below the refinery. There is sulfolane present in the water which makes it unfit for consumption and also endangers human health as well as the welfare of wildlife in the water. The filed suit is reportedly claiming that the water contamination has damaged the local real estate market as well as development efforts which have resulted in revenue losses across the community. The suit is asking the companies to pay for a clean up operation and restitution.

The Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota have said that they are going to revise plans for a new refinery in the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. The facility has been on the drawing board for over 10 years whilst the tribe looks at environmental measures and procedures. The group is now looking at what exactly will be required of the facility and what is going to be produced and how the facility is going to be managed. The original facility was to have a capacity of 20 000 bpd of Bakken crude processing.

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/refining/28112014/oil-petchem-news-28-nov-14/