Oil & Gas Refining

They announced on Thursday that Brazil's Raizen, and Mexico's Femsa, have decided to end their partnership, established in 2019, through the joint venture Grupo NOS, which operates an extensive network of convenience shops across Brazil. In response to operational challenges and high levels of debt, sugarcane processor Raizen has embarked on a divestment plan. The Brazilian company said that the agreement, which was described by both parties as amicable, did not include any cash considerations. Raizen will also receive 1,256 Shell Select convenience stores and Shell Cafe convenience shops. Femsa will receive 611 Oxxo shops, a distribution centre located in...

SK On, a South Korean company, announced on Thursday that it had signed a contract with Flatiron Energy Development in the United States to supply lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP) for energy storage systems. SK On will be supplying up to 7.2 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in ESS batteries from 2026 to 2030. This is its first order of LFP batteries for energy storage systems. The company didn't disclose the value. SK On announced in a press release that it would begin mass production of LFP batteries dedicated to ESS in the second half next year. It also plans to convert a...

Two sources with knowledge of the situation said that repairs are expected to take two weeks. The catalyst leaks at Nigeria's 650,000 barrels per day Dangote refinery have caused the unit to be taken offline. IIR Energy, a company that monitors the industry, said in a Tuesday note that the refinery's Residue Catalytic Cracking unit (RFCCU), which produces 204,000 bpd of catalytic residue, has been off-line since August 29. Sources requested anonymity in order to discuss confidential information. Dangote didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment. Since its opening last year, the massive Dangote refining plant has dramatically increased...

The election commission of Guyana announced on Wednesday that the ruling People's Progressive Party had won 123,923 total votes in an incomplete tally for general elections. This translates to five districts. The official tallies of four additional districts are still pending. However, the figures look good for President Irfaan Ali who is running for reelection on behalf of the PPP. The partial results showed a shakeup in the opposition of the South American nation. The newcomer We Invest in Nationhood party (WIN), founded only three months ago by Azruddin Mohammed, came in second in the vote count, with 50,829 votes...

According to documents filed by the officer overseeing sale, a $5.89 billion offer from an affiliate hedge fund Elliott Investment Management was recommended as the winning bid in a U.S.-court-organized auction for shares of the Venezuelan-owned refiner Citgo Petroleum. Robert Pincus, a court officer, made the recommendation despite an attempt by a Gold Reserve subsidiary to sweeten their $7.4 billion deal earlier in the week. Pincus, in a ruling earlier this month said that an improved offer from Elliott's subsidiary Amber Energy was superior. The court then gave the Gold Reserve Group three days to match the bid. Pincus stated...

California's Energy Commission decided on Friday to set aside for a temporary period penalties for excessive refinery profits, which were adopted in response to the rise of gasoline prices over $8 per gallon by 2022. The delay of five years in implementing penalties comes at a time when Phillips 66 Los Angeles refinery prepares to start shutting down production next week, ahead of a complete closure. California's Democratic governor Gavin Newsom proposed the penalties but has now changed direction due to fears of price spikes after 2026 following the closure of a Phillips 66 plant and a Valero Energy Corp....

Mukesh Ambani is the chairman of Reliance Industries. It is India's largest company. He said that Indian companies need to collaborate to protect the South Asian country from geopolitical and external shocks. Why it's Important Reliance operates the largest refining facility in the world, located in Gujarat, the western state, and is India's leading buyer of Russian oil. The United States doubled the tariffs it imposes on Indian products to 50% as a punishment for purchasing Russian oil. This is among the highest rates Washington has ever imposed and on par with Brazilian products. Economists warn that this could have...

Reliance Industries, led by Mukesh Ambani, plans to list its Jio Platforms digital and telecoms arm, which is owned by Reliance Industries, in mid-2026. This will be one of India's biggest listings. Reliance announced at its annual general meeting held on Friday that it would create an artificial intelligence unit, with Alphabet’s Google and Meta serving as strategic partners. Mukesh Ambani, the billionaire chairman of the group, first announced plans to list Jio in five years. He told shareholders on Friday at the AGM of Jio that it is preparing for an IPO in 2019. Exclusively, in July, it was...

India, which is the third largest oil consumer in the world and also the biggest buyer of Russian crude oil by sea, has been caught up in the diplomatic negotiations between Russia, and the United States, to end the conflict in Ukraine. Why has Trump imposed additional tariffs on Indian goods? In retaliation against New Delhi's increased purchases of Russian oil, President Donald Trump has added an additional 25% to the tariffs already in place on Indian goods. This is among Washington's most severe. Peter Navarro, White House's trade adviser, said that India's purchases were funding the war of Moscow...

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch their accuracy. A senior Exxon Mobil executive talked with Rosneft in Russia this year about returning the Sakhalin Project if the U.S. gave the greenlight as part of the Ukraine peace process. Elon Musk’s SpaceX has launched its giant Starship for a 10th test flight, aiming to overcome setbacks in development and achieve long-awaited technical milestones that are key to the Mars Rocket's reusable construction. Cracker Barrel has announced that it will keep its old logo and scrap plans...

According to a report by the Italian-American automaker and the government, Chrysler's parent Stellantis was fined $190.6 Million for failing to meet U.S. fuel efficiency requirements. In an annual report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that Stellantis had paid $112.3 in June and $78,3 in March as payments for shortfalls in 2019 and 2020 models. Stellantis paid a total of $773.5 Million since 2018. NHTSA informed automakers last month that they would not be fined for failing to meet fuel-efficiency rules going back to 2022, as per a law signed into law by President Donald Trump. Stellantis confirmed...

China Concord Resources Corp. has started developing two Venezuelan oilfields. The company plans to invest over $1 billion into a project that will produce 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day by the end of 2026. The project is a rare investment made by a Chinese private firm in an OPEC nation that has been struggling to attract foreign capital because of international sanctions against the Maduro administration. This is the first time that the investment amount and production plan have been reported. Beijing is a major ally of Maduro, as well as his predecessor, late President Hugo Chavez. It...

Two analysts and a trader reported on Tuesday that Chinese refineries had purchased 15 cargoes for delivery in October and November as Indian demand for Moscow’s exports has declined. India is the largest buyer of Russian oil by sea. It has been sold at a discounted price since Western nations have shunned purchasing and placed restrictions on Russian exports due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Indian state refiners stopped buying Russian oil last month as the discounts shrank. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, has also threatened to punish countries that buy Russian crude. Richard Jones, an Energy Aspects...

Peter Magyar, the leader of Hungary's opposition party, has asked Russia to refrain from interfering in its politics. He said that there was no way for meaningful co-operation without respecting his country's sovereignty. The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service published a statement earlier this week in which it described Magyars as loyal to the "globalist elites", and claimed that the European Commission is considering "regime changes in Budapest." Magyar's Tisza Party, which is ahead of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz at the polls in the majority of polls before the parliamentary elections next spring, has published an open-letter to Russia's ambassador...

Reliance Industries will likely return to its Middle Eastern oil sources if India succumbs to the pressure of U.S. president Donald Trump, who wants to reduce Russian imports. India is being heavily pressured by Washington to cut off its energy ties with Russia after Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022. Reliance, India's largest buyer, operates at Jamnagar, Gujarat, the world's most advanced refining facility. It can process 1.4 million barrels of oil per day. Due to their geographic proximity, Reliance will likely switch to Middle Eastern crude suppliers if they stop buying Russian crude. Anh Pham is a senior analyst with...

After the latest round European Union sanctions, Indian private refiners who have used cheap Russian crude in order to boost their margins will need to find ways to work around it and depend more on traders for finding new markets for products. In recent years, refiners like Reliance Industries or Nayara Energy have benefitted from the pressure that sanctions imposed on Russia's crude oil prices due to its invasion in Ukraine. Many of these refiners have exported their refined products to European buyers. In its 18th package against Russia, which was approved on Friday by the European Union, it banned...

By Martin Vladimirov Czechia, on April 7, has the infrastructure, reserves and access to other suppliers that it needs to stop importing Russian oil. Three years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine on a large scale, the Czech Republic has continued to delay a strategic shift despite viable alternatives. According to a Center for the Study of Democracy analysis, Czechia imported Russian crude oil worth 1.5 billion euros in 2024. The volume was down 30% compared to 2023. However, this wasn't due to a proactive strategy to phase out Russian crude. It was mainly the result of 3 major disruptions in...

According to three trading sources, and shipping data, Turkey's biggest oil refiner Tupras is now buying Russian Urals crude after stopping earlier this year because of stronger U.S. Sanctions against Moscow. Tupras didn't immediately respond to a comment request. Three sources confirmed that Tupras had resumed purchases following the price of Urals crude falling to its lowest level since 2023 earlier this month. The price was comfortably below the $60 per barrel G7 cap. The price cap imposed on Russian oil by the Group of Seven, the European Union, and Australia prohibits the use of Western services like insurance, flagging,...

On Monday, the price of Russia's ESPO blend oil fell below $60 per barrel Western cap for the first ever time as Brent international benchmark dropped to its lowest levels in many years. Calculations based on data from three trading sources showed this on Tuesday. Brent futures dropped $1.37 or 2.1%, to settle at $64.21 a barrel on Monday. This is the lowest price since April 2021. According to three traders who were involved in the market for ESPO blend oil, the price of the grade was a few dollars below $60 per barrel at the Kozmino port loading basis....

LSEG data and market sources showed that the decline in Russian seaborne diesel and gasoline exports was due to unplanned maintenance at local refineries. In January and February, drone attacks targeted Russian refineries owned and operated by Rosneft in Ryazan, Syzran, and Saratov as well as Lukoil Volgograd. The traders said that the fall in oil processing in March was due to the resultant decline in processing. Calculations based on LSEG data and other market sources showed that the total diesel and gasoil exported from Russian ports dropped to 3.8 million metric tonnes, a 5% drop from February. According to...

China's oil demand will increase by 1.1% to 765 millions metric tons in 2025, a think-tank affiliated with the state energy company China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) announced on Tuesday. This is due to a better than expected growth of the economy and an increasing demand for petrochemicals. According to Wu Mouyuan of the CNPC Economics and Technology Research Institute, China's plastic consumption per capita is still around 60% less than that of developed nations. Wu said that China's booming electric vehicles (EV) sector will also drive the consumption of plastics. Plastics are used more in EVs than gasoline vehicles....

Kherson, a Ukrainian city on the frontline of the conflict with Russia for three years, has more reasons than others to want to see an end to it. They are wary of talks because they have experienced occupation and constant attacks after Russian forces were pushed out. Serhiy (64), a security guard, is lying in a hospital with his foot bandaged. He claimed he was on his way to work as a security guard, when he was struck by a grenade that was dropped by a drone operated by Russian forces. He refused to reveal his family name, and asked...

On Wednesday, Russia accused Ukraine of trying to sabotage the 30-day moratorium against striking each other's infrastructure. This came a day after Russian president Vladimir Putin and U.S. president Donald Trump agreed on such a temporary stop. Ukraine also accepted the proposal for a moratorium, but claimed that Russia knocked out electricity to some of their railways as well as hospitals and homes on Wednesday. Moscow claimed that a Ukrainian drone hit an oil depot located in southern Russia. Russia has repeatedly cut off Ukraine's power grid during the three-year conflict, causing frequent blackouts. Ukraine has responded with drone attacks...

Next week, the Russian Deputy Premier Alexander Novak will be in charge of a meeting between government officials and oil companies to discuss an possible ban on gasoline exports for fuel producers starting March 1. Novak's Office declined to comment. One source said that the meeting could take place either on Tuesday or Thursday. The TASS news agency reported last week that the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service could impose a one-month export ban on gasoline by large producers to stabilize wholesale prices before the planting season. A measure that was originally implemented in March last year prohibits traders and resellers from...