(BOE Report) – Saudi Arabia has been cranking up oil refining operations to capture strong profit margins, helping the kingdom offset revenue lost from declining crude prices and exports. The world’s top oil exporter has in recent years invested heavily in expanding and modernizing its refining and petrochemical capacity at home and overseas to meet growing demand for fuel and
(Oil Price) – U.S. refining giant Phillips 66, which will close its LA refinery later this year, will lay off in December most of the workers at the plant, Reuters reports, citing sources with knowledge of the plans. Last October, Phillips 66 said it would shut down its refinery in the Los Angeles area in the fourth quarter of 2025, due to “market dynamics.”
(Oil Price) – On the heels of my recent article outlining how California’s unique fuel regulations — not corporate price gouging — are driving up gasoline prices in the state, new developments have added urgency to that conversation. On May 6, California Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom sounding the alarm over what could become an
(Oil Price) – Despite slumping oil prices, global refiners are turning in strong first-quarter earnings, thanks to a sharp rebound in profit margins, Reuters reports, with U.S. Gulf Coast refiners processing Mars crude enjoying a doubling of margins to some $16 per barrel, $7 margins in Singapore for Dubai crude, and a 36% margin jump in Asia for Arab Light crude. All in
(Oil Price) – U.S. refiner Phillips 66 told shareholders on Monday that they should keep in mind that activist investor Elliott, which wants to break up one of the biggest U.S. refiners, may not necessarily act in Phillips 66 shareholders’ interests as it is pursuing an acquisition of Citgo, a direct competitor of Phillips 66. Activist hedge fund Elliott Investment Management
(World Oil) – PetroChina Co.’s profit hit record levels last year, as increased production offset lower energy prices and a weaker performance from its refining operations. Net income at China’s biggest oil and gas producer climbed 2% to 164.7 billion yuan ($22.7 billion), according to a filing on Sunday, although the result missed expectations. Revenue slipped to 2.94 trillion yuan
(Oil Price) – U.S. gasoline prices have resumed their uptrend, with AAA reporting the national average at $3.161 per gallon of regular compared to $3.139 a week ago and $3.115 a month ago. The national average price of diesel has increased 0.8 cents and now stands at $3.632 per gallon. “The national average has inched higher, driven primarily by sharp gas price increases
(Oil Price) – PBF Energy (NYSE: PBF) on Thursday reported a loss for the fourth quarter amid falling refining margins, booking widening losses for the third consecutive quarter. PBF Energy said that its adjusted fully converted net loss for the fourth quarter of 2024, excluding special items, was $324.5 million, or a loss of $2.82 per share. The loss was in
(Investing) – HOUSTON – LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE:LYB) will begin the permanent closure of its 263,776 barrel-per-day Houston refinery this coming weekend, said people familiar with plant operations. Layoffs of up to 400 employees at the refinery are scheduled to begin two months after the shutdown begins, the sources said. A Lyondell spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
(Oil Price) – Diesel prices in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. jumped this week as the latest U.S. sanctions on Russia’s oil industry added to colder winter weather to boost futures prices and margins amid expectations of reduced diesel and crude supply from Russia. On January 10, the outgoing U.S. Administration imposed the most aggressive sanctions on Russia’s oil yet, designating two
(Oil Price) – Declining refining margins, slowing global fuel demand growth, and uncertainty about tariffs under the incoming U.S. administration are expected to continue challenging American refiners this year, analysts reckon. Following record refining margins and booming profits in 2022 and early 2023, the U.S. and global fuel markets started to normalize in the latter half of 2023 and refining margins
(World Oil) – Saudi Aramco is moving closer to building a giant carbon capture and storage project at its main refining and chemicals hub at Jubail, on the kingdom’s Gulf coast. The oil producer signed a shareholders’ agreement with partners Linde Plc and SLB to develop the facility, which aims to capture and store 9 million tons of carbon dioxide
