US refinery news

Axens has announced that it has been selected by America First Refining (AFR) as the technology licensor for its large-scale refining facility at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, US.

Crude oil and petroleum product prices increased significantly in 1Q26, particularly following military action in the Middle East on 28 February and the subsequent de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, reports the EIA.

Daniela Hathorn, Senior Market Analyst, Capital.com, offers commentary on the latest developments in the Middle East, and how this is likely to affect global oil markets.

The US Energy Information Administration published its April Short-Term Energy Outlook this week, examining the implications of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Fluor Corp. has announced that it has been selected by America First Refining (AFR) to execute the front-end engineering and design for their large-scale refining facility in Brownsville, Texas, US.

In 2025, the US imported an average of 490 000 bpd of crude oil from the Middle East Gulf region – Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, the US EIA has reported.

BASF is launching Butyl acrylate RE and 2-Ethylhexylacrylate RE, two new products that are manufactured at BASF’s Freeport, Texas site, US, with attributed electricity from renewable sources.

Integrated solvent dewaxing and deoiling systems gradually replace conventional wax separation units in refineries. The combination of solvent dewaxing and solvent or solvent-free deoiling improves operational efficiency and final products qualities. It reduces investment and operating costs. Refineries are unlocking additional value while meeting increasingly stringent market and regulatory requirements.

Atlas Copco Gas and Process industrial heat pumps help to upcycle low-temperature waste heat sources (such as river water and sewage water). With the use of a fraction of the electric power to drive the heat pump (typically 20 - 40%), and with no CO2 emitted, this upgraded waste heat can be re-used in a process with the lowest environmental impact possible.

The API has issued a statement on the US EPA’s final Renewable Fuel Standard “Set 2” rule, establishing volume obligations for 2026 and 2027.