Roundup: Chevron sale, Aker contract, NGC upgrades

Chevron (NYSE: CVX) has agreed to sell its fuels marketing and aviation businesses in Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Dominica, St Lucia, St Vincent, Guyana, St Kitts, French Guiana, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Trinidad, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Belize to Vitogaz, a subsidiary of international downstream oil company Rubis. The transactions are expected to close by the third quarter of 2011 following receipt of required local regulatory and government approvals, the US major said in a statement. Rubis will acquire 174 Texaco brand service stations, an equity interest in an associated refinery operation, proprietary and JV terminals and aviation facilities, and Chevron's commercial and industrial fuels business. "This sale is in line with our ongoing effort to concentrate downstream resources and capital on strategic global assets," said Chevron's downstream and chemicals executive VP Mike Wirth. *** Norway's Aker Solutions signed a contract to design, build and supply heavy oil separation equipment to the OSX-1 FPSO vessel operated by Brazilian chartering, shipbuilding and offshore services company OSX for some 40mn kroners (US$6.67mn). The vessel will operate for oil company OGX in the Waimea field offshore Brazil, Aker said in a release. The work will be performed by Aker Solutions' process systems divisions in Norway, Canada and Scotland. *** And Trinidad & Tobago's National Gas Company ( NGC) said the Environmental Management Authority deferred until next month a decision on the issue of the environmental clearance certificate for a project to expand existing facilities at Point Lisas. NGC also announced a design-build contract was awarded to the GLF/JAN De Nul joint venture to modernize Galeota port.