Siemens completes mega-train for Qatargas
Siemens Industry, Inc. has completed the world's largest onshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) compressor "mega-train" for Qatargas. The last of the 72 Siemens ROBICON Perfect Harmony Variable Frequency Drives (VFD) has been installed and brought online. As Qatar holds the world's third largest gas reserves, these new LNG projects have allowed the country to raise its overall LNG production capacity to 77 million tns/yr, meeting the demands of global LNG buyers. Ecopetrol gives green light for refinery project
The Board of Directors of Ecopetrol have given the green light to Phase 3 of the Modernization Project of the Barrancabermeja Refinery (PMRB) worth a total investment of USD 3.386 billion. Operations will officially begin on the construction phase of the project, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2016. This project will allow the refinery to increase the conversion factor from 76% to 95%, resulting in the ability to obtain more products, including gasoline and diesel. Technip awarded frame agreement by Statoil
Technip has been awarded a frame agreement for engineering studies by Statoil Brasil Óleo & Gàs Ltda. The scope of this 3 year contract includes feasibility, concept and front-end engineering design studies for Statoil’s existing offshore production fields and future developments in Brazil. All work will be executed by Technip’s operating center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with support from the Group’s European centers MHI to build turbine manufacturing facility
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is constructing a USD 325 million gas turbine manufacturing and servicing facility in Georgia. The facility will be located in a 500,000 sq/ft area at Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas's (MPSA) new Savannah Machinery Works. The facility will produce Mitsubishi G- and J-class gas turbines. Assembly of the unit is scheduled to begin in 2012.
Allegheny Tech completes Ladish Merger
Allegheny Technologies Inc. has completed its acquisition of Ladish Co. Inc., a USD 883 million cash and common stock purchase. The Milwaukee-based company is now an operating unit of ATI’s High Performance Metals division, which includes superalloy and titanium metal producer ATI Allvac and refractory/reactive metals producer ATI Wah Chang.
Lincoln Electric will become the industry’s first international welding equipment manufacturer to add 2D Microsoft® Tag barcodes to its welding products. The Microsoft Tag codes will be featured on the product nameplates of some of Lincoln Electric’s most popular equipment. With a simple scan from a web-enabled camera phone, these codes will help consumers in the pre-sale distributor showroom environment 
The Usina Termelétrica Luis Carlos Prestes power plant, owned and operated by Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras), is expanding its generation capacity. When it began operation in 2003 as a 240MW simple-cycle power plant, the facility utilized an Alstom generator and four GE 6FA turbines fired by natural gas. Now, the plant is being converted into a 2x2x1 combined cycle facility 
SunPower will design and construct solar power systems totaling 1.7MW for Ranch California Water District (RCWD), at two RCWD facilities. The systems are expected to save the district approximately USD 8.5 million in electricity costs over the next 25 years. As per the contract, SunPower will build a 1.1MW SunPower T0 Tracker system at the district's Senga Doherty Pump Station in Murrieta. The Tracker positions SunPower solar panels to follow the sun's movement during the day
OAO Severstal has acquired a 25% stake in the Brazilian company SPG Mineração. SPG owns highly prospective iron ore exploration licenses in Amapa, Brazil. The total cost of the deal is USD 49 million, payable in performance related installments with a portion of the amount to be directed to finance the first stage of geologic exploration which aims to re-confirm the attractive geologic potential of the target’s properties. 
Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state ordered ThyssenKrupp to halt its plan to expand its USD 6.5 billion Rio de Janeiro slab mill until work on pollution control systems is complete. The state's environment secretary, Carlos Minc, announced the work embargo on 11 May 2011. The company has been given one month to cover a pit used to hold hot metal, coal and gases in an emergency.