Pilipinas Shell to expand refinery by 50%

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation is considering the possibility of expanding the capacity of its refinery in Batangas province by at least 56%, as part of efforts to strengthen its operations. Shell Country Chairman Edgar Chua said that although the company hopes the government will grant enough incentives, the expansion could still proceed, even as the fate of the controversial proposed streamlining of fiscal incentives hangs in the balance in the Senate. Chua said Shell is looking at the possibility of increasing the capacity of the refinery by as much as 100,000 liters per day to 150,000 liters, which will require Shell to invest US$1-1.5 billion for the expansion. (September 28, 2006)