-Chevron Phillips Chemical is expanding its Tessenderlo, Belgium, plant to meet higher global demand for synthetic rubbers and plastics. The company today announced it would add an on-purpose hydrogen sulfide unit and additional sulfur-based products capacity at Tessenderlo. The project, which is expected to be complete by the second quarter of this year, will boost the plant’s production capacity by 40%.
-The Obama Administration today announced it would propose rules to limit methane emissions at landfills and coal mines. Via Bloomberg, the plan calls for the EPA to work with utilities to limit leaks during transport and distribution of natural gas.
-Dow Chemical’s top feedstocks official said at an IHS conference this week the U.S. should not use LNG exports to bail out Europe in the event of disrupted supplies from Russia. Via FuelFix, Dow’s Jim Fitterling noted that European countries have eschewed homegrown energy sources such as nuclear power and horizontal drilling.
-BP on Thursday raised its estimate of the amount of crude oil that was spilled into Lake Michigan after a malfunction at its Whiting, Ind., refinery on Monday. Via the Associated Press, BP said between 15 and 39 barrels oil have been recovered from the lake. Initial reports indicated that between nine and 18 barrels were released.
-Murphy Oil is close to exiting the British refining business, a market that has suffered from general malaise among refiners all over Europe. Via Reuters, Murphy is set to sell its 135,000-barrels-per-day Milford Haven refinery in Wales to Greybull Capital for more than $500 million. The deal is expected to be signed in mid-April.
