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Posts in refining

• BP’s “Terrifying” Safety Culture

  Andy Rowell

  Mar20

  The top honchos at BP will be sweating as they await today’s publication of the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board’s report into the Texas fire. By all accounts it will not make for comfortable reading. The ante has been upped by the head of the Board who was she was “absolutely terrified” that…
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• BP Knew of Texas Risk

  Andy Rowell

  Mar19

  Tomorrow investigators for the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) will publish their long awaited report in the cause of fatal explosion at BP’s Texas refinery in March 2005. However it has now emerged that BP board directors were aware of the link between spending cuts and poor maintenance at its Texas City…
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• Sinopec Seals US$3.5b Refinery Contract

  Andy Rowell

  Feb26

  China Petroleum & Chemical Corp – better known as Sinopec – has signed a $3.5 billion contract with Saudi Aramco and Exxon Mobil for a refinery in southern China‘s Fujian province. The refinery in Quanzhou will have a crude refining capacity of 240,000 barrels a day and is expected to be operational in early 2009.

• Lukoil Seeks $12 Billion of Assets in Europe

  Andy Rowell

  Jan25

  Lukoil, Russia’s largest oil company, is slowly buying up influence in Europe according to an article in the Financial Times. Whilst, its rival, Gazprom has often stirred controversy through headline-making projects, Lukoil is quietly concentrating on countries in south-east Europe where Russia is seen with less suspicion than the rest of the continent.

• BP: Report to Heavily Criticise Safety Performance

  Andy Rowell

  Jan16

  A scathing report will be released today that criticizes safety and management practices at BP’s American operations, after an investigation at a Texas refinery nearly two years ago which killed 15 people and injured more than 170 others. The report, by James Baker, the former US Secretary of State, will state: “BP has not always…
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• Persian Gulf Needs Over $500bn in Oil Investment

  Andy Rowell

  Jan12

  The Persian Gulf states need to pump $523 billion over the next 25 years in exploration and production to meet a steady growth in global demand, according to the Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research in a new book.

• BP Punished By Investors

  Andy Rowell

  Jan09

  BP’s shares have declined by over 3 per cent this morning on the news that its oil and gas production fell further than expected in the past three months, partly as a result of its beleaguered Alaskan operations. The news pulled the whole British energy sector down by more than 1%.

• BP Slashed Budgets, Despite Safety Warnings

  Andy Rowell

  Nov02

  The scale of BP’s safety problems have been highlighted with the publication of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board’s (CSB) preliminary findings into the company’s Texas refinery fire that killed fifteen people. The Board found that top officials at BP allowed widespread budget cuts at the refinery even though they were well aware…
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• Carlyle Group Eyes Libya

  Andy Rowell

  Sep25

  US companies are thinking of moving back into the Libyan oil and gas market. US private equity giant Carlyle is in talks to acquire Libya’s state-controlled oil refining and marketing operation, Tamoil. Al-Saadi Gaddafi, the son of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, has confirmed that Carlyle is one of four or five groups involved in an international…
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