Shell Opening Up Chemical Plants in Qatar

Shell, together with Qatar Petroleum is planning for chemical plants project in Qatar. The two companies already have a gas-to-liquid (GTL) project at Ras Laffan producing 120,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids and 140,000 barrels per day of GTL derivatives.

The chemical project was announced informally by Ben van Beurden, Shell Chemicals' executive vice president duringf the 4th Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) summit.

Timor-Leste Inviting Petronas to Develop Oil Field

Timor-Leste's government will invite Malaysia's Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) instead of Australian energy firm Woodside Petroleum and partners for the development of offshore Greater Sunrise gas field. The decision is expected due to Woodside's earlier plan for development of Greater Sunrise gas filed without an onshore plant for gas liquefaction.

The Timor-Lester ministry has advised that in order to benefit the country and the people by having a pipeline to East Timor instead of going to straight to other areas such as Darwin.

The decision is also believed due to good relations between Timor-Lester and Petronas and its previous experience in the oil sector and LNG plant.

Rule of Thumb: How to Design a Pressure Vessel

When you work at a chemical plant, there is a great likelihood that you will need to know basic design of process equipment. Regardless whether you work in an operation, or technical service, or design office, and project office, this basic knowledge is required so that you can quickly make sense of the numbers and any peculiarity.

Let’s say you are an operation guy, an operating engineer, you see your process gets upset in the production

Where would a chemical engineer be working?

After you finish your chemical engineering course and get that degree, nothing else matters.

What matters afterwards would be how you apply the knowledge that you have gained, nobody will really ask you the very fundamental of things, but rather you would be required to solve simple problems.

There are tonnes of options for a chemical engineering graduate to go to, but in reality, in can be broken

Kuwait Reviving US$14 Billion Refineries

Kuwait will be reviving its US$14 billion project which will see new fourth oil refinery, previously on hald in March due to corruption allegations. The refinery targeting production of 615,000 barrels a day was earlier planned to be built by Japanese and South Korean companies.

The allegation which accuses government officials profiting from the project due to bypassing of central bidding committee was denied by the Kuwait government.

China Increasing Oil Stock

As part of China's third phase strategic oil reserves, the country has announced that it will buildup its reserve capacity as commented by China's National Energy Administration Head, Zhang Guobao. China is planning to be in the league of international standard of developed countries of at least 90 days of oil rerserve.

Given China's hunger for oil, this would be a huge requirement and work will be starting on 5.4 million cubic meter oil reserve in Karamay City for a gross combined storage for the country amounting to 26.8 million cubic meters.

Improving Economy Boosting Oil Demand

The International Energy Agency had revised its forecast for world oil demand on improved Asian economic activity however most likely will still be offset by countries like Russia who are pumping more crude than the added rise in consumption.

The agency which is based in Paris revised the forecast to 83.94 million barrels a day. The world is still having a huge reserve of oil supply with non-Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries producing more supply than previously expected. Russia, the world's biggest oil producer churns out a total of 360,000 barrels a day as new fields being developed in Western Siberia and enhanced oil recovery techniques are used to squeeze out more hydrocarbons from existing fields.

Despite current projection, some analysts think Russia will pump around 9.7-9.8 million barrels a day on average this year rather than 10.07 million barrels a day as expected by the IEA with global crude demand to rise 1.6% next year outpacing non-OPEC supply growth of about 1% in 2010.

Countries like the U.S which is the biggest consumer for oil and energy has 8 days higher average on its inventory which stands at 61.7 days this year. China has indicated a move to follow the same lead.