Franklin Mining, Inc. Chairman and CEO William A. Petty is pleased to announce that E-MetaVenture, Inc. has joined Franklin in the capacity of advisor on technical and commercial matters as related to GTL, CTL, and other related gas processing technologies.
“E-MetaVenture, Inc, Houston, Texas provides independent consulting, design, and training services to the refining, gas processing [...]

Saudi Arabian Oil Co., or Saudi Aramco, and ConocoPhillips approved continued funding for development of a refinery in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, on the Red Sea.
The project will create a 400,000 barrel-per-day refinery to process Arabian heavy crude. Startup is set for 2013. Both companies will be responsible for marketing one-half of the refinery’s production.
Initial evaluation [...]

Alcan announced that it has signed a Heads of Agreement with Saudi Arabian mining company Ma’aden to develop a proposed US$7-billion integrated aluminum “mine-to-metal” project including bauxite mining, alumina refining, power generation and aluminum smelting. Alcan would hold a 49-percent stake in the project and would provide technology and operating management support, with Ma’aden holding [...]

Crude oil dropped on speculation that supplies from OPEC and other producers are sufficient to meet increased heating demand caused by a cold snap in the U.S.
Temperatures in the U.S. Northeast, where 80 percent of the nation’s heating oil is consumed, will be below normal through Feb. 21, the National Weather Service said. OPEC may [...]

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., a unit of the Royal/Dutch Shell group, has shelved plans to expand its 110,000-barrel per day refinery in the Philippines due to increased costs, its spokesman said on Monday.
Shell has decided to stop studying an expansion to its refinery in Tabangao, Batangas near Manila, said Bobby Kanapi, general manager for external [...]

Saudi Aramco will acquire a 9.96% strategic shareholding in Showa Shell, a publicly traded Japanese refining and marketing company.
The transfer of shares is expected to be completed in August this year, subject to obtaining regulatory approvals.
Saudi Aramco has also agreed in principle to acquire an additional 4.99% of Showa Shell from the Royal Dutch/Shell GroupRoyal [...]