BASF, Nalco Water enter agreement to provide gas treatment solutions to US processing and refining industries

MOSCOW (MRC) – BASF Corporation entered an exclusive distribution agreement with Nalco Water, an Ecolab company, to provide gas treatment solutions to the U.S. gas processing and refining industries, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Under the agreement terms, Nalco Water will combine BASF’s gas treating amines portfolio with its industry-leading technology and on-site expertise to offer customers solutions to drive operational efficiency and value.

"As a leader in water and energy technologies and services, Nalco Water is an ideal partner to support our midstream and refining customers with amine systems,” said Heidi Alderman, Senior Vice President, Intermediates, for BASF Corporation. “Nalco Water’s expertise and comprehensive network of industry technical consultants will help ensure customers receive consistent delivery of services and support."

"This combined offering will enable gas processors to improve their amine systems' operational performance and efficiency by benefiting from the advanced technologies and customer-focused service model that comes with BASF’s extensive experience in gas treatment,” said Jeff Bulischeck, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Global Heavy Industry and Mining, for Nalco Water. “Through this agreement, we will provide customers with a step-change in amine unit reliability and performance."

With more than 40 years of experience, BASF offers its customers efficient solutions for the treatment of various gases such as natural gas, synthesis gas and biogas. Worldwide, these solutions have been proven and demonstrated in more than 400 reference plants. BASF markets its range of technologies, gas treatment agents and complete technical services under the brand OASE - Gas Treating Excellence by BASF.
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MOSCOW (MRC) - AFPM: The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers’ (AFPM) President and CEO Chet Thompson testified before the U.S, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment involving the challenges and opportunities of high octane fuels and high-efficiency vehicles.

AFPM believes that a transition in the United States from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to a fuel-neutral, 95-RON octane performance standard could better address the needs of all stakeholders, most importantly consumers.

Thompson testified, “U.S. fuel and transportation policy is at a crossroads. The auto industry faces enormous challenges in meeting increasing fuel efficiency targets, the refining industry is dealing with an expensive, inefficient and unworkable Renewable Fuel Standard, and fuel marketers and the biofuel industry are faced with constant uncertainty and never-ending debates about the RFS, making for a very challenging business environment.

“A 95-RON octane performance standard, if done correctly—with a sunset of the RFS, a reasonable phase-in and robust market competition—has the potential to benefit consumers and all stakeholders, compared to the status quo.

“Although we believe this option has the most potential, we know that it would raise many challenges and require a significant investment for our industry, which is why it cannot be considered in addition to the RFS. We are, however, committed to better understanding and exploring all of these issues and welcome the opportunity to start the conversation with other stakeholders to move forward on this path.”
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- ExxonMobil announced it has signed a new distributor agreement with Zestcor, an experienced sales, procurement and supply chain management company in South Africa, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The agreement is designed to support an efficient and reliable supply of high-quality base stocks in South Africa and the sub-Saharan region.

Zestcor has a distinct local business footprint in the South African petrochemicals industry as a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Company. This commercial relationship will expand ExxonMobil’s global presence and provide local customers additional access to base stocks capable of meeting a broad range of blending needs.

“We are committed to providing a reliable supply of high-quality products to our valued customers around the world,” said Julia Ruessmann, EAME Basestocks and Specialties Sales Manager at ExxonMobil. “Zestcor not only complements ExxonMobil’s position in South Africa by providing local supply chain solutions but supports our long-term commitment to meeting customer demands in country."

Zestcor is uniquely equipped to receive bulk ExxonMobil shipments and handle both truck loading and delivery, as well as pipeline transfers, with their strategically placed bulk onshore tank storage facilities at Bidvest Tank Terminals in Island View, Durban.

“At Zestcor, product integrity and quality control are at the forefront of what we do,” said Nic Dunn, Director at Zestcor. “Partnering with a global leader like ExxonMobil, who not only shares these values, but promotes them as a pillar of their business operations, makes perfect sense for us. We also believe that South Africa will benefit by having additional local access to high-quality base stocks."

As a distributor of ExxonMobil base stocks, Zestcor must adhere to the company’s product integrity systems to ensure product quality and consistency.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Fluor Corporation announced that it was selected by a division of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) to execute the engineering and procurement scope for MPC’s South Texas Asset Repositioning (STAR) program at its Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City, Texas. Fluor booked the undisclosed contract value into backlog in the first quarter of 2018, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

“This project will continue the development of MPC’s Galveston Bay refinery into a world-class refining complex,” said Mark Fields, president of Fluor’s Energy & Chemicals business in the Americas. “Fluor and MPC have a proven track record of delivering similar programs, most recently in Detroit and Garyville, Louisiana. Fluor values its strong working relationship with MPC and is excited to be part of the STAR program.”

The STAR program further integrates MPC’s former Texas City refinery into the adjacent Galveston Bay refinery, which is now the second largest refinery in the U.S. It will improve the refinery’s efficiency and reliability by increasing the residual oil processing capabilities, upgrading the crude unit and integrating facility logistics.

Fluor has been engaged in the STAR program since 2013, performing the feasibility studies and early engineering work. The program is scheduled to be completed in 2022.

Fluor is also currently providing engineering, procurement and construction management services on the reconfiguration that will enable the Galveston Bay refinery to achieve updated U.S. Environmental Protection agency Tier 3 gasoline sulfur standards.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Chinese refineries processed a record of more than 12.1 MMbpd of crude oil in March, boosted by ample government import quotas and steady margins, reported Reuters.

The world's second-largest oil user processed 51.51 million tonnes of crude last month, equivalent to 12.13 million bpd, according to the National Statistical Bureau. That beat the previous record of 12.03 mln bpd, set last November, the bureau's data showed.

Last month's number compared with an average of 11.56 MMbpd for the first two months, and 11.19 MMbpd in March last year.

Throughput for the first quarter gained 7.5 percent on-year to 148.72 million tonnes, or 12.06 MMbpd. That represents an increase in runs of 841,600 bpd during the period.

The record March refinery output echoes bumper crude oil imports into the world's top buyer, which made its second-highest purchases on record last month.

At the end of last year, China issued 121.3 million tonnes of crude oil import quotas under its first batch of allowances for 2018, mostly to independent plants. That compared with a total of 93.2 million tonnes of quotas issued to independents in 2017.

But crude runs are now expected to head lower as refiners enter the peak maintenance season.

At least three major state refineries, with a combined crude processing capacity of 860 Mbpd, have kicked off overhauls that will last 40-60 days between April and May. Four independent plants with a combined capacity of 200 Mbpd also started maintenance this month.

Meanwhile, the statistics bureau data showed China's March crude oil output stood at 15.96 million tonnes, or 3.76 MMbpd, flat compared with the average levels in the first two months and near the lowest since June of 2011.

While higher-cost producers like top state giants PetroChina and Sinopec may be slower to ramp up production as benchmark Brent crude tops USD70 a barrel, lower-cost offshore producer CNOOC Ltd is set to pump more.

CNOOC, which reported all-in per barrel development costs of USD32.50 last year, aims to speed up development projects this year. The offshore oil and gas specialist has targeted output of 470-480 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) this year, up from 469 million boe in 2017.

China's natural gas output last month came in at 13.5 billion cubic meters (bcm), up 0.2 percent from the same month a year earlier, the statistics bureau said. That compared with a total of 26.2 bcm in the first two months of the year.

The world's No.3 consumer of the fuel last week began injecting gas into 25 underground storage units as demand drops after the peak heating season ended in March.
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