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Refinaria processará matéria-prima renovável no RS

  • : Oil products, Petrochemicals
  • 23/05/29

A Refinaria de Petróleo Riograndense (RPR) vai realizar testes industriais para processar matérias-primas totalmente renováveis para combustíveis e petroquímicos no Brasil.

Localizada na cidade de Rio Grande (RS), a refinaria produzirá, principalmente, bioaromáticos para a indústria petroquímica. Além disso, será a primeira na América Latina a ser convertida para operar como biorrefinaria e processar insumos de fontes 100pc renováveis.

A Petrobras, a petroquímica Braskem e o grupo Ultra – empresas que têm participação acionária na RPR – assinarão um acordo de cooperação hoje, disseram.

A Petrobras já negociou um contrato de licenciamento de tecnologia e investirá cerca de R$45 milhões na refinaria.

O primeiro teste está previsto para novembro e durará cinco dias. O segundo acontecerá em junho de 2024.

No primeiro teste, o processo e o sistema catalítico da unidade de craqueamento catalítico fluido serão atualizados para gerar insumos integralmente renováveis.

O próximo passo será testar o coprocessamento de carga fóssil com bio-óleo, gerando propeno, gasolina e diesel, todos com conteúdo renovável a partir da matéria-prima avançada de biomassa não alimentar.

Atualmente, a refinaria, que possui capacidade de produção de 17.000 b/d, produz e comercializa derivados de petróleo como gasolina, diesel, nafta, óleo combustível, GLP (gás de cozinha), entre outros.


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25/03/26

Trump unveils new tariffs on auto imports: Update

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.

Trump to impose new tariffs on auto imports


25/03/26
25/03/26

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.

Vitol bidding for Citgo, seeks 'stalking horse' info


25/03/26
25/03/26

Vitol bidding for Citgo, seeks 'stalking horse' info

Houston, 26 March (Argus) — Trading firm Vitol is a bidder in the auction to buy US refiner Citgo and has asked a federal court for more information about the stalking horse bidder, according to a court document. Vitol is a "competing bidder" in the process, the company said in a 24 March filing to the US District Court for the District of Delaware. A court-appointed official overseeing the Citgo auction picked Contrarian Capital Management's $3.7bn proposal as the stalking horse bid in the sale, setting a price floor. The official cited the likelihood of regulatory approval, the bidder's "financial wherewithal" and certainty of financing, according to court filings. Another bidder, Gold Reserve, is protesting the choice after its own $7.08bn bid was not recommended. Gold Reserve asked the court to publicly release more information about the Contrarian Capital bid, including a "transaction support agreement" with a group of 2020 bondholders of Citgo's parent firm, Venezuelan state-owned PdV. Vitol joined Gold Reserve's request for the information saying that it shares concerns about sealed and heavily redacted documents, according to the court filing. Vitol said that it joined the request to "ensure it receives access to the information necessary to improve its bid during the topping period". The court received a total of four bids this month in the auction. Contrarian Capital was the second-highest bid, according to court filings. Citgo's three refineries, as well as its lubricant plants, midstream and retail assets are being auctioned to satisfy debts owed by Venezuelan state-owned PdV. Last year, Amber Energy was the top bidder in the auction for Citgo with a bid of $7.3bn. But the recommendation did not receive public support from the "sale process parties" or "additional judgment creditors", and the court officer pivoted to another round of bidding, according to court filings. By Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Singapore opens methanol bunkering licence applications


25/03/26
25/03/26

Singapore opens methanol bunkering licence applications

Singapore, 26 March (Argus) — Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) today issued a notice seeking applications for methanol bunkering licences. Successful applicants would be able to supply methanol as a marine fuel in the port of Singapore between 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030. The agreement includes end-to-end bunkering, which means supplying the fuel, barge operations, storage and safe bunkering onto vessels. Licensees would need to have trained manpower for safe handling of the fuel and have at least one IMO Type II barge. The licensees also need to ensure that the methanol they supply "meet the specified carbon intensity on a well-to-wake basis, demonstrate a transparent and accurate chain of custody methodology to track emissions from source to delivery." This implies the methanol supply needs to have reduced carbon emissions, and be produced via carbon capture (CC) technology or from biomass and renewable sources of energy. Methanol participants do not expect this announcement to significantly impact the current regional methanol market in the short term, as they expect initial volumes to be limited. Some methanol traders had hoped that the government would provide financial incentives for the uptake as a marine fuel. "The industry concern is….no financial support from the Singapore government," said a methanol trader. This announcement comes after MPA announced a new methanol bunkering standard earlier this month. Methanol is one of the early alternative marine fuels, with newbuild order books going past 300 as major container liners and other segments booked dual-fuelled methanol vessels, according to Norwegian classification society DNV's Alternative Fuels Insight . Maersk, among other vessel owners, has been leading the use of methanol as a marine fuel in its fleet. But limited supply of green methanol has slowed the process of its adoption in the past year or so, said market participants. By Mahua Mitra Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Dangote to hit full operating capacity in Apr: Source


25/03/25
25/03/25

Dangote to hit full operating capacity in Apr: Source

London, 25 March (Argus) — Nigeria's independently-owned 650,000 b/d Dangote refinery is commissioning its alkylation unit, which will enable it to run its crude distillation unit (CDU) at operating capacity "some time next month", according to a source with knowledge of the matter. The source said CDU capacity is 550,000 b/d currently, although vessel tracking data suggest it is running some way below that. Crude arrivals at the refinery to date in March have fallen to between 175,000-235,000 b/d, according to preliminary data from vessel trackers Kpler and Vortexa, from 405,000 b/d in February . Throughput hit a high of 433,000 b/d in December, according to Kpler. The alkylation line, which produces high octane alkylate for gasoline blending, is the last of Dangote's secondary units to come online. Argus Consulting puts it at a nameplate capacity of 27,000 b/d. Other secondary units could be utilised at their maximum capacity once the alkylation unit is up and running, which would give a boost to gasoline blending component production. Recent lower runs at Dangote could suggest decreased output of gasoline — a key product in the local refined product market. Nigerian gasoline and blending component imports are around 345,000t to date this month, up from 245,000t in all of February. Gasoline imports in the wider west African market will be around 450,000t in April, a European gasoline trader told Argus this week. Nigeria accounts for around three quarters of the region's imports. By George Maher-Bonnett Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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