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Feyzin bitumen output halted as part of wider stoppage

  • Market: Crude oil, LPG, Oil products
  • 11/02/25

Bitumen production at TotalEnergies' 109,300 b/d Feyzin refinery near Lyon, central France, is halted from 10-20 February as part of a wider shutdown affecting the refinery's crude distillation unit (CDU) and reformer.

Workers at the plant said last week there had been unexpectedly extended CDU works caused by a blockage by unspecified debris. TotalEnergies said at the time it would not comment on operations.

Officials at the company confirmed today the CDU and reformer were among units shut at Feyzin, but said the halt was planned. They said the CDU had suffered no unexpected blockage or damage. Workers reiterated today that debris had been detected in the CDU and that this could result in a shutdown lasting weeks.

Sources familiar with the refinery's operations said today that the bitumen halt would cause no supply disruptions in terms of the usual truck movements, with sufficient stocks held at the plant to meet current low-level requirements during the winter slow activity period in the road paving and other construction sectors.

By Fenella Rhodes and Adam Porter


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27/03/25

UK GHG emissions fell by 4pc in 2024

UK GHG emissions fell by 4pc in 2024

London, 27 March (Argus) — The UK's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions fell by 4pc year-on-year in 2024, provisional data released by the government today show, driven principally by lower gas and coal use in the power and industry sectors. GHG emissions in the UK totalled 371mn t of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) last year, the data show, representing a fall of 54pc compared with 1990 levels. The UK has legally-binding targets to cut its GHG emissions by 68pc by 2030 and 81pc by 2035 against 1990 levels, and to reach net zero emissions by 2050. The electricity sector posted the largest proportional year-on-year fall of 15pc, standing 82pc below 1990 levels at 37.5mn t CO2e. The decline was largely a result of record-high net imports and a 7pc increase in renewable output reducing the call on coal and gas-fired generation, as well as the closure of the country's last coal power plant in September , which together outweighed a marginal rise in overall electricity demand, the government said. Industry posted the next largest emissions decline of 9pc, falling to 48.3mn t CO2e, or 69pc below 1990 levels, as a result of lower coal use across sectors and the closure of iron and steel blast furnaces. Fuel supply emissions fell by 6pc to 28.4mn t CO2e, 63pc below where they stood in 1990. And emissions in the UK's highest-emitting sector, domestic transport, fell by 2pc to 110.1mn t CO2e, 15pc below 1990 levels, as road vehicle diesel use declined. Emissions in the remaining sectors, including agriculture, waste and land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF), edged down collectively by 1pc to 67.2mn t CO2e, some 50pc below 1990 levels. Only emissions from buildings and product uses increased on the year, rising by 2pc as gas use increased, but still standing 27pc below 1990 levels at 79.8mn t CO2e. UK-based international aviation emissions, which are not included in the overall UK GHG figures, rose by 9pc last year to reach pre-Covid 19 pandemic levels of 26.1mn t CO2e, the data show. But UK-based international shipping emissions edged down by 1pc to 6.2mn t CO2e. By Victoria Hatherick Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Virgin, Qatar airlines partner on Australia SAF project


27/03/25
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27/03/25

Virgin, Qatar airlines partner on Australia SAF project

Singapore, 27 March (Argus) — Privately-held airline Virgin Australia and state-owned carrier Qatar Airways will partner with bioenergy firm Renewable Developments Australia (RDA) on a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project near the city of Charters Towers in northern Queensland state. The project seeks to build an alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) facility with a nameplate capacity of 96mn litres/yr of SAF to be supplied to nearby airports, most likely to terminals at Townsville and Cairns city. The refinery is in the pre-final investment decision stage and is aiming to reach first output in early 2029, according to RDA. "Our SAF facility will be a fully integrated production site, generating sustainable fuel from bioethanol derived from locally grown sugarcane," RDA managing director Tony D'Alessandro said on 27 March. SAF by-products will be used to generate renewable power on-site and increase sustainability credentials, RDA said. Qatar last year agreed to buy a 25pc stake in Virgin , Australia's second-largest airline, with plans to increase international flights to Australia using Qatar planes wet leased by Virgin approved last month. The development comes after Virgin last week agreed to a deal with Australian refiner Viva Energy to operate services from the town of Proserpine in north Queensland using a SAF blend for several months this year . North Queensland's sugar industry has attracted interest from other developers of AtJ plants, including Australian bioenergy developer Jet Zero's 113mn l/yr Project Ulysses at Townsville, which has attracted funding from investors including Australian carrier Qantas, Airbus and Japanese energy conglomerate Idemitsu Kosan. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Trump unveils new tariffs on auto imports: Update


26/03/25
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26/03/25

Trump unveils new tariffs on auto imports: Update

Adds details throughout Washington, 26 March (Argus) — President Donald Trump said today he would impose a 25pc tariff on foreign-made cars and trucks imported into the US, but said there will be no tariffs on automobiles assembled in the US. Trump said the new tariffs on imported automobiles marked the "beginning of Liberation Day", the term Trump has used to reference his plan to unveil sweeping tariffs on major foreign trade partners on 2 April. The White House estimates the tariff on imported cars and trucks will generate $100bn/yr in new tariff revenue. Trump said the auto tariff will go into effect on 2 April, providing a financial incentive for automakers to relocate manufacturing to the US. "We'll effectively be charging a 25pc tariff, but if you build your car in the United States, there's no tariff," Trump said in remarks at the White House. "And what that means is a lot of foreign car companies, a lot of companies, are going to be in great shape." The auto tariffs will likely add thousands of dollars to the price of many imported cars and trucks. But the tariffs — the details of which have yet to be released — appears more targeted than Trump's initial plan to impose a 25pc tariff on nearly all imports from Canada and Mexico, because the tariffs would not apply to cars and trucks parts, so long as the vehicles are assembled in the US. "Anybody that has plants in the United States it's going to be good for, in my opinion," Trump said. Ontario premier Doug Ford previously warned that Trump's plan to impose a nearly across-the-board import tariff could have caused auto manufacturing in the US and Canada to grind to a halt within as few as 10 days. Trump eventually delayed those tariffs until 2 April. Earlier this week, Trump said that South Korean automaker Hyundai's decision to invest $5.8bn to build a steel mill in Louisiana offered a blueprint for how companies could avoid tariffs. Trump has already imposed a 25pc tariff on steel and aluminum, and earlier this week said he would announce tariffs on imported lumber, semiconductor chips and pharmaceuticals. Even as a lack of details about the upcoming tariffs has fueled uncertainty for businesses and sharp declines on US stock markets, Trump has continued to announce additional tariffs. On Tuesday, Trump said any country taking delivery of Venezuelan oil or gas would be "forced" to pay an incremental 25pc tariff on any goods imported in the US. US oil executives appear to be growing tired of Trump's chaotic trade policy, particularly his imposition of a 25pc tariff on imported steel that is used in drill pipes, executives said in a survey the US Federal Reserve of Dallas released Wednesday. The uncertainty over tariffs and trade policy is causing "chaos", they said in the survey, and increasing their cost of capital. "Tariff policy is impossible for us to predict and doesn't have a clear goal," an unnamed oil executive said in the survey. "We want more stability." By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Trump to impose new tariffs on auto imports


26/03/25
News
26/03/25

Trump to impose new tariffs on auto imports

Washington, 26 March (Argus) — President Donald Trump will announce new tariffs on the automobile industry later today, the White House said, at a time of significant uncertainty about his trade policies. Trump plans to offer further details on the automobile tariffs this afternoon, less than a week before he plans to announce tariffs against major foreign trade partners on 2 April, which Trump has dubbed "Liberation Day". Trump has already imposed a 25pc tariff on steel and aluminum, and earlier this week said he would announce tariffs on imported lumber, semiconductor chips and pharmaceuticals. Trump last month threatened to impose 25pc tariffs on most imports from Canada and Mexico, starting on 4 March — including imported automobiles and vehicle parts — but he eventually offered a one-month reprieve for US automakers before delaying those tariffs entirely until 2 April. The scope and timing of the upcoming automobile tariffs remains unclear, and the White House has yet to provide further details. But Ontario premier Doug Ford previously warned that steep tariffs on Canada could cause auto manufacturing in the US and Canada to grind to a halt within as few as 10 days. Earlier this week, Trump said that South Korean automaker Hyundai's recent decision to invest $5.8bn to build a steel mill in Louisiana offered a blueprint for how companies could avoid tariffs. "This is the beginning of a lot of things happening," Trump said. Even as a lack of details about the upcoming tariffs has fueled uncertainty for businesses and sharp declines on US stock markets, Trump has continued to announce additional tariffs. On Tuesday, Trump said any country taking delivery of Venezuelan oil or gas would be "forced" to pay an incremental 25pc tariff on any goods imported in the US. US oil executives appear to be growing tired of Trump's chaotic trade policy, particularly his imposition of a 25pc tariff on imported steel that is used in drill pipes, executives said in a survey the US Federal Reserve of Dallas released Wednesday. The uncertainty over tariffs and trade policy is causing "chaos", they said in the survey, and increasing their cost of capital. "Tariff policy is impossible for us to predict and doesn't have a clear goal," an unnamed oil executive said in the survey. "We want more stability." By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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UK eyes 80pc maritime emissions cuts by 2040


26/03/25
News
26/03/25

UK eyes 80pc maritime emissions cuts by 2040

London, 26 March (Argus) — The UK is aiming to reduce fuel lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its domestic shipping by 30pc by 2030 and 80pc by 2040 compared with 2008 levels, reaching zero by 2050. The goals are "intentionally ambitious", the UK government said, and will be supported by both domestic and international policy measures as set out in its new maritime decarbonisation strategy. The first phase of the strategy "will rely on existing IMO regulation" to improve vessel efficiency this decade, the government said. The second phase will centre on larger vessels. One key policy in the strategy is pricing maritime emissions, which the government expects to do through a combination of pushing for the IMO to introduce a global shipping GHG levy from 2027, and the government's existing plan to extend the UK emissions trading scheme (ETS) to domestic maritime emissions from next year. The government will "work to understand how these schemes interact, and to avoid any double charging of emissions", it said. It is still to consider the feedback to its recent consultation on technical elements of the sector's inclusion in the UK ETS, it added. The government also intends to regulate maritime fuel use, both by pushing for IMO-level standards this year on the GHG intensity of fuels, and implementing domestic UK fuel regulations on which it plans to consult in 2026. Calls for evidence were also published alongside the strategy on both potential requirements for zero or near-zero at-berth emissions, with a formal consultation on this planned next year, and on measures to support the decarbonisation of small vessels and targeted maritime sub-sectors. For the latter, the government expects to focus on vessels "with a clear route to decarbonisation". "Measures for harder-to-decarbonise vessels may not be required until the mid-to-late 2030s," it said. Maritime emissions accounted for 8pc of the UK's transport emissions in 2022, despite having declined by 30pc compared with 1990 levels, government data show. By Victoria Hatherick Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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