US light, sweet crude oil prices for February delivery gained modestly on the New York market Jan. 14, closing at above $31/bbl while Brent prices on the London market closed just above $31/bbl within days of both benchmarks briefly dipping under $30/bbl. Source: News
FTC issues final amendments to ethanol-gasoline blends labeling rule
The US Federal Trade Commission adopted rating, certification, and labeling requirements for certain ethanol-gasoline blends as it issued final amendments to its automotive fuel ratings, certification, and posting rule. Source: News
Expanding domestic energy is 2016 priority, US Chamber president says
The US Chamber of Commerce is making domestic energy expansion one of its top 2016 priorities, its president announced. It also intends to fight runaway government regulation, push for more American trade globally, and promote entitlement reform discussions, Thomas J. Donohue said in his 2016 State of American Business address. Source: News
Cheniere expects delay for first Sabine Pass LNG cargo
Cheniere Energy Partners LP reported that it expects to export the first LNG commissioning cargo from its Sabine Pass liquefaction project in Cameron Parish, La., in late February or March. The first commissioning cargo was initially expected to occur by late January. Source: News
WoodMac: Growing list of deferred upstream projects reaches 68
Final investment decisions on 68 large projects globally totaling $380 billion in capital expenditures were deferred from when crude oil prices first plunged in 2014 to yearend 2015, according to a report by research and consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie Ltd. Source: News
Magellan, TransCanada to build Houston crude pipeline connection
Magellan Midstream Partners LP and TransCanada Corp. reported definitive plans to connect TransCanada’s Houston tank terminal to Magellan’s East Houston terminal. Source: News
Oklahoma Corporation Commission asks disposal well operators to reduce volumes
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s Oil & Gas Conservation Division (OGCD) asked operators of 27 oil and natural gas wastewater disposal wells to reduce disposal volumes following recent earthquakes in the Fairview area. Source: News
HollyFrontier lets contract for Cheyenne refinery
Cheyenne Refining LLC, a subsidiary of HollyFrontier Corp., Dallas, has let a contract to a division of Honeywell International Inc., Des Plaines, Ill., to provide technology for removing contaminants from industrial wastewater in order to meet stricter environmental discharge requirements at the 49,400-b/d (52,000-b/sd) Cheyenne, Wyo., refinery. Source: News
MARKET WATCH: Brent crude oil briefly dips below $30/bbl
Crude oil prices for February delivery waffled in Jan. 13 trading with the closing for US light, sweet crude up 4¢ at $30.48/bbl on the New York market. Brent crude oil prices for February briefly dipped to a low of $29.96/bbl but ended Jan. 13 trading at $30.31/bbl, down 55¢, in London. Source: News
Petrobras cleared to boost crude runs at Rnest
Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) has received approval from state regulators to lift crude oil throughputs to levels nearing full design capacity at the first 115,000-b/d production train of its Abreu e Lima refinery (Rnest) at the port of Suape, near Recife, the capital of Brazil’s Pernambuco state. Source: News