-NOVA Chemicals commemorated the first utilization of ethane from the Marcellus Shale at its Corunna cracker in a ceremony in Sarnia, Ontario. The company announced last month it would move forward with the second phase of a long-term strategy that includes upgrading the Corunna unit’s manufacturing capacity by 20%.
-Amid yesterday’s encouraging report on spill reductions among pipeline operators, the Association of Oil Pipe Lines and the American Petroleum Institute announced the launch of a new safety program. The Pipeline Safety Excellence initiative will promote pooling of resources among more than 50 members and will report annually on safety achievements and strategic planning.
-TransCanada CEO Russ Girling said Wednesday if the US rejects the controversial Keystone XL pipeline his company would consider building rail terminals in Alberta and Oklahoma. Girling’s comments may be nothing more than an attempt to increase pressure on the Obama Administration to give Keystone XL its stamp of approval, particularly amid the recent wave of crude oil train incidents in Canada and the US.
-Girling isn’t alone in pressing the administration on Keystone XL. Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said during a visit to Washington on Thursday his country wants a firm “yes” or “no” on the pipeline ASAP. It is the first time a Canadian official has issued such a strong public rebuke to the administration over the project, which Baird said is in a continuous “state of limbo.”
-French oil giant Total’s refining margins, which reached a five-year low in the third quarter of 2013, declined again in Q4, the company said on Wednesday. The bad news underscores the weakness of the European refining industry, and CEO Christophe de Margerie said plant closures are likely to come.
