The Mexican conglomerate, Caxxor Group, is aiming to develop a port and storage facility in Tamaulipas state, along the route of the planned $3.3bn T-MEC corridor linking Mexico and Canada via Louisiana port in Mississippi.

CEO Carlos Ortiz, said: “The US government vision is that its port in Louisiana be part of the [T-MEC corridor] route. We are proposing to develop the Matamoros port. We have not advanced much yet, but our vision is that all development in the Atlantic remains in Mexico.”

The new port adds to previously announced Mexican corridor projects. These include a new floating rail line and four industrial parks totalling around $600m, two of which will be built in Coahuila state and two in Durango state.

Aside from two dredging tenders, authorities have not yet launched another project related to the Matamoros port expansion.

For more information visit www.caxxor.com

No decision has been taken by The Cabinet Committee on Energy on allowing dry-docking of Engro’s LNG terminal. In its place, the committee asked the Petroleum Division to follow priority order of gas curtailment under the load management plan.

The meeting of the CCoE presided over by planning minister, Asad Umar, was presented a legal opinion of the Ministry of Law and Justice on the issue of dry-docking of Floating Storage and Regasification Unit of Engro Elengy Terminal Ltd effective June 29.

A government official said that Dr Arshad Mahmood told the committee that the law ministry’s report had been received at the Petroleum Division at a time that it could not be circulated to members before the meeting. Mr Umar desired to have the participation of law ministry at an appropriate level and perhaps hold a meeting on the subject at the Prime Minister Office to deliberate on the matter in a holistic manner.

The sources said Petroleum Division felt some urgency in the matter but it was observed that members of the committee should need to be given make up their mind so that a well-considered decision could be reached. The CCoE should not be expected to take decision in a hurry without reading the legal opinion.

CCoE noted the progress and directed Petroleum Division to expedite actions to ensure that the project was undertaken as per the already specified timeline.

For more information visit www.cabinet.gov.pk

The Burckhardt Compression Laby^®-GI fuel gas compressor systems play a central role on LNG carriers. Burckhardt Compression’s LNG solutions have been purposely designed to handle gases at low temperature and high pressure while meeting the requirements for operation at sea.

As the liquefied natural gas warms up during storage and transportation, the evaporated boil-off gas must be economically managed by either using it as fuel or re-liquefying it. The dual-fuel engines as well as re-liquefaction plants both require a certain operation pressure, ranging up to 300 bar. The new Laby^®-GI Compressor combines sophisticated cryogenic, low-pressure labyrinth piston design and state-of-the-art ring-sealed high-pressure technology on a single compressor frame.

This allows simultaneous fuel gas supply to low-pressure 4-stroke auxiliary engines and high-pressure gas supply to the 2-stroke main engines and a dedicated high-pressure re-liquefaction system. Burckhardt Compression offers service solutions tailored to customers’ requirements. Well-trained experts deliver maintenance and overhaul services based on service agreements or on request, at sea or in dry dock on all continents.

The sealed design of the compressor helps to avoid significant greenhouse gas emissions by recycling all internal leakages without the need for any further purge gas utilisation. A dedicated global marine team is set up to serve vessel owners and operators in ports all over the world, offering comprehensive customer support to ensure reliable and optimised compressor performance.

For more information visit www.burckhardtcompression.com

Wood Mackenzie has reported that after a slow 2020, LNG demand in Asia returned to growth in the first five months of 2021, with China being the single biggest contributor. With Japan’s LNG demand in decline, China is set to become the world’s largest LNG market this year according to energy intelligence group Wood Mackenzie.

LNG may well become a cost-disadvantaged supply option versus pipeline imports over the next two years. Although spot LNG has been the most competitive gas import opportunity into China for the past two years, rising prices have now brought this competitive advantage to an end.

Rising electricity consumption has been in the spotlight since the start of 2021, pushed by China’s economic recovery. Strong electricity demand has been a main driver for increased LNG imports particularly in southern China. These sectors have all maintained strong LNG demand.

The report showed that domestic production achieved 12 percent year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2021 to ensure supplies during the heating season, while piped gas imports also increased, rising by 5 percent year-on-year.

The researchers were confident that China will likely remain the world’s top LNG importer for several years.

For more information visit www.woodmac.com

The board of directors at NextDecade has appointed Ivan Van der Walt as chief operating officer, effective July 1, 2021, and Vera de Gyarfas as general counsel and corporate secretary, effective July 12, 2021.

Van der Walt also formerly served as chief executive of the Australasian division of the KNM Group. De Gyarfas is replacing Krysta De Lima, who will be leaving the company effective July 7, 2021 to pursue other interests.

Van der Walt has thirty years of experience in the global energy industry, including senior roles with Chicago Bridge & Iron Company and Chevron. Van der Walt joined NextDecade in July 2018 serving as senior vice president, engineering and construction.

NextDecade’s chairman and chief executive officer, Matt Schatzman, said: “I join my fellow employees and directors in congratulating Ivan and Vera on their appointments and thanking Krysta for her six years of dedicated service to NextDecade.”

For more information visit www.next-decade.com

The group behind a terminal project to import liquefied natural gas into Brunsbuettel on the German North Sea, German LNG terminal, said it will file an application to authorities by the end of June for planning permission. 

The application includes a jetty with two berthing facilities for ships up to Q-Max size, the largest LNG carriers worldwide apart from the terminal construction itself.

LNG plans in Germany have been delayed because the region is well supplied with pipeline gas from Russia and Norway and the future of natural gas supply chains has become controversial amid tighter climate protection legislation. Nevertheless, utility RWE said it had alternatives for its envisaged role of placing capacities at the terminal in April. 

The European Union is promoting its use as an alternative to coal and gas-derived hydrogen, and also as a substitute for oil and gas products in manufacturing, heating and transport. The RWE in April signed a memorandum of understanding with an Australian firm to possibly bring solar-derived hydrogen to Europe. 

For more information visit www.germanlng.com

Royal Vopak, the Dutch company with tank storage facilities operating worldwide, has embarked on a new digitisation strategy to create increased transparency, insight, and understanding of their operations.

Royal Vopak said: “We are proud to say that Vopak Vlaardingen now has the largest LoRaWAN based IOT-sensor installation in our terminal network. 

“This is a great step on a digitisation journey with the implementation of these new technologies.”

TWTG utilises the emerging new technology LoRaWAN to provide a versatile, scalable, and affordable solution and will be supporting Vopak on the path into this new era. 

Vlaardingen Terminal in Rotterdam was the first site to use and implement the LoRaWAN sensor technology. 

The virtually unlimited scalability of LoRaWAN allows Vopak to install any number of sensors to the network in the future. The NEON solution provides immediate insight, and should any anomaly occur, an operator is alerted to investigate, saving further time and effort. 

For more information visit www.vopak.com

A renowned advisor for the maritime industry, DNV, has won the contract for the carbon capture and storage pipeline materials study from Neptune Energy. DNV is set to study the fracture and suitability of offshore pipelines for re-use in CO2 transport.

Senior vice president at DNV, Prajeev Rasiah, said: “We see CCS as one of the ways to accelerate the decarbonisation of the energy sector. 

“With the potential to be one of the largest CCS facilities in the Dutch North Sea, at scale projects such as these will be significant for CCS technology advancement and cost reduction.”

The goal of the study is to review plans for a large-scale offshore CCS project at the Neptune-operated L10 area in the Dutch North Sea. The pipeline materials analysis is part of a wider feasibility study launched at the end of 2020 by Neptune Energy.

DNV will determine suitable approaches to ductile fracture assessments in dense phase CO2 pipeline systems and their applicability to welded and seamless subsea line pipe for the first phase of the study. The second phase will use the approach form the first phase to assess the likely suitability of the existing pipelines for dense phase CO2 transport. 

If successful, the project will be one of the largest CCS facilities in the Dutch North Sea and could meet more than 50 percent of the CO2 reduction being targeted by the Dutch industrial sector.

For more information visit www.dnv.com

The Tank Storage Association has published its 2021 Annual Review. 

TSA is an industry-based organisation whose members are engaged in the storage of bulk liquids and the provision of products and services to the sector. 

The review contains important data and information on terminals, process safety, occupational health and safety as well as on the industry’s contribution to the UK economy. 

Executive director of the TSA, Peter Davidson, said: “I am pleased to launch the sixth edition of TSA’s Annual Review. 

“The review continues to provide a comprehensive and timely insight into the bulk liquid storage sector in the UK. As we look ahead, it is clear to us that investing in the next generation today will ensure our sector continues to go from strength to strength.”

For more information visit www.tankstorage.org.uk

OMV Petrom is diversifying its activities on the gas market by entering the LNG distribution market. LNG is seen as a solution for the supply of the areas that are not connected to natural gas transmission networks. 

Liquefied natural gas delivers a cleaner fuel alternative with emissions of up to 15 percent less CO2, 50 percent less nitrogen oxide, and also 50 percent less noise compared with diesel trucks. LNG can also be safely stored and transported on very long distances.

Franck Neel, member of the OMV Petrom executive board, said: “OMV Petrom’s entry on this market is a natural development. 

“Natural gas has multiple applications in power production, transportation and industry, and can also contribute to reducing emissions and strengthening energy security. And LNG represents a cleaner solution for the mobility sector.”

For more information visit www.omvpetrom.com

Russian authorities have granted the Petersburg Oil Terminal in St Petersburg, Russia, to commission a new 40,000 m3 tank. 

Mikhail Skigin, chairman at Petersburg Oil Terminal, said: “The commissioning of a new tank with a capacity of 40,000 m3 will allow us to start the renovation project of the old part of POT.

“Now, the terminal will not feel a reduction in transhipment volumes at the stage of reconstruction, which means that we will still be able to fully meet the needs of our customers, and will remain a reliable employer and taxpayer.”

The new tank has been built using double-walled technology to minimise environmental risks. The tank is able to store light and heavy petroleum products. The terminal overall has a capacity of 437,000 m3 and can receive products by river via three berths – it is the site’s fourth of that size and will increase overall capacity by 10 percent.

For more information visit www.oilterminal.ru

US terminalling firms Enterprise Products Partners and Magellan Midstream Partners have joined forces with US company Intercontinental Exchange to create a new futures contract. The futures contract will use ICE’s industry-recognised, state-of-the-art trading platform. Subject to regulatory approval, the companies plan to launch the contract by early 2022.

Magellan and Enterprise will cease provisions for delivery services under current futures contracts once the Midland WTI American Gulf Coast contract is approved. 

The Midland WTI American Gulf Coast contract was set up in response to demand for a Houston-based index with greater scale, flow assurance and price transparency. 

Chairman of Continental Resources, Harold Hamm said: “When the Cushing, Oklahoma WTI price fell to -$38, it was a ‘wake-up call’ for the industry. 

“We think a futures contract in the most interconnected market centre in the country, with a widely accepted quality spec, which settles with guaranteed delivery of crude oil is an important new alternative for the industry.”

Brent Secrest, executive vice president and chief commercial officer of Enterprise’s general partner, said: “Between Magellan and Enterprise, we offer access to virtually all of the export capacity in the Houston region.”

For more information visit www.intercontinentalexchange.com

Geldof, a solution provider for the storage, handling and processing of bulk solids, liquids and gasses was recently asked to renew two tanks at the Vopak Terminal in Antwerp as part of their repair and tank maintenance programme.

The company built in three positions with maximal plate preparation in their workshop. Every step was carefully considered before take-off and there was short follow-up on site. 

Geldof worked in collaboration with Vopak to ensure that safety measures were adhered to during the project. 

For more information visit www.geldof.com

Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, and a Norwegian carbon capture and storage developer, Borg CO2 AS, have announced a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on a carbon capture and storage project. 

The combined industrial cluster is currently liable for approximately 700,000 tpy of CO2 emissions. After being captured, the CO2 will be liquefied, shipped and stored underneath the seabed of the North Sea. 

Managing director of Borg CO2, Tore Lundestad, said: “A project like this showcases a win-win approach where permanent storage combined with the possibility of sustainable usage of smaller volumes of biogenic CO2 will help to achieve net-zero, and with the industrial facilities potentially receiving revenue by selling negative CO2 emissions.”

Borg CO2’s ‘industrial cluster’ approach delivers a major opportunity for Baker Hughes to test and scale its wide-ranging carbon capture, utilisation and storage technologies portfolio on several types of processes. Borg CO2 and its partners have concluded a first feasibility study, which is scheduled to be finalised by the end of 2021.

Executive vice president of Turbomachinery & Process Solutions, Rod Christie, said: “Our collaboration with Borg CO2 will accelerate development of new energy frontiers like CCUS, and we believe it is critical to help them at an early stage by strategically supporting with our best in class technology.”

The project hopes to capture and store up to 90 percent of the CO2 emissions from the involved industrial sites – playing a significant role in the Norwegian national emissions reduction targets. The project will serve as a hub for the decarbonisation of industrial sites in the Viken region of Norway.

For more information visit www.borgco2.no

New plans to build a €650 million liquefied natural gas terminal in the Shannon estuary are to be submitted to An Bord Pleanála, despite a move by the government last month to prevent Ireland from importing fracked gas.

Eamon Ryan, the minister for the environment, said: “It would not be appropriate to permit or proceed with development of any LNG terminals in Ireland, including the Shannon LNG project.

“This position was pending a review of the security of energy supply for Ireland’s electricity and natural gas systems.”

Shannon LNG, the New York-based global energy infrastructure company had a previous application for the development at its Shannon Technology and Energy Park quashed by the High Court last year. 

Vice president of project development at New Fortress Energy, Sam Abdalla, said: “The project will be transformative for the region.”

The floating storage and regasification unit would be moored at a jetty to receive and store the LNG. The terminal would then regasify the LNG and send the gas to the power plant and to the national gas grid.

For more information visit www.pleanala.ie

In May 2021, the US Virgin Islands refiner Limetree Bay Energy has suspended plans to restart its 200,000 bpd St Croix refinery indefinitely, following a temporary suspension of operations. 

The company will now prepare the refinery for an extended shutdown, including purging gases from all lines and removing residual oil. The associated storage terminal will be unaffected by the shutdown.

Limetree Bay’s CEO, Jeff Rinker, said: “This was an extremely difficult decision for us, and we are truly saddened to announce suspension of our restart plans for the refinery. 

“Our personnel have demonstrated tremendous commitment and dedication in restarting the refinery, and we continue to be proud of their hard work. Unfortunately, this is our only option, given the extreme financial constraints facing the company.”

A flare incident on May 12, 2021 resulted in a release of oil droplets which spread to the surrounding area, affecting local residents and water supplies, as well as resulting in a number of odour complaints. Internal investigations revealed that the incident was caused by ‘an upset’ at the coker unit. Limetree has since been trying to obtain capital to restart the refinery, but has been unsuccessful. 

Albert Bryan Jr, US Virgin Islands Governor, said: “I’m hopeful for a ‘quick resolution’ to the restart of the refinery, for the sake of the workers and vendors who benefit directly and indirectly.”

For more information visit www.limetreebayenergy.com

Fleet Cleaner announces a revolutionary ATEX certified setup for hull cleaning. The first successful demonstration took place at the Vopak Europoort terminal in the Port of Rotterdam with the ATEX certified system which has been operating since the start of 2021.

Hull cleaning for petroleum tankers always poses an operational challenge. The underwater hull of tankers gets fouled, increasing fuel consumption by 5-10 percent. This results in off-hire time, either due to cleaning the vessel at anchorage or at buoys or dolphins in ports. For this reason, hull cleaning unsurprisingly leads to unwelcome and expensive downtime of the vessel.

The Fleet Cleaner novel hull cleaning robot solves this issue by using high pressure waterjets to remove biofouling from the ship’s hull – this is done by capturing the removed fouling and pumping into a containerised treatment system on board the support vessel. The operation is conducted without divers, and the robot is controlled from the support vessel. 

Port authorities of Antwerp and Amsterdam have allowed these operations, and many petroleum terminals have followed in giving approval for these services. Fleet Cleaner is now continuously cleaning tankers at terminals. The company also offers complete hull inspections in the ARAG region, UWILDS and propeller polishing if required.

For more information visit www.fleetcleaner.com

The International Protective Coatings brand from AkzoNobel provides protection for oil & gas, power, infrastructure and mining assets on and offshore in some of the world’s most extreme environments. 

International Coatings has now partnered with Qlayers to automate their coating application process. 

Qlayers offers coating systems, knowledge and experience to achieve a reliable and cost-effective maintenance solution and maximise plant performance. 

Now customers can coat up 200m² per hour, to create “an experience that is faster, smoother and safer than any other coating process”.

For more information visit www.international-pc.com

Lukoil held a commissioning ceremony for the PENEX isomerisation unit at the Nizhny Novgorod refinery in Russia. Investment in the project cost 12 billion roubles.

The unit will permit low temperature isomerisation to be applied to light naphtha in order to produce high-octane blending fuel. 

The commissioning of the PENEX unit will allow the refinery to create a high-octane blending component for motor petrol and increase annual production of commercial petrol by 400,000 t. 

Lukoil also disclosed the completion of the construction of a petroleum residue recycling facility at the refinery. The new facility should permit annual fuel oil output at the Nizhny Novgorod refinery to decrease by 2.6 million t. The project will lower Lukoil Group’s total fuel oil output to less than 4 percent and increase light products yield to 75 percent. 

For more information visit www.lukoil.com

The European Commission has approved the Greek government’s proposal to award €166.7 million in state aid to the LNG import terminal in Alexandroupolis, Greece. 

The planned floating storage and regasification unit is being built by Gastrade, a partnership between Greece state gas firm DEPA and Bulgaria’s gas transmission system operator Bulgartransgas. 

Executive vice president at the European Commission, Margrethe Vestager, said: “This will contribute to achievement of the EU’s goals in terms of security and diversification of energy supply. The Greek support measure limits the aid to what is necessary to make the project happen and sufficient safeguards will be in place to ensure that potential competition distortions are minimised.”

The terminal will be located 17.6 km from Alexandroupolis, 10 km from the nearest shore. It will have a delivery capacity of 5.5 billion m3 per year. 

The European Commission decided that the terminal will contribute to security and diversification of energy supplies in Greece and the wider region of southeast Europe. The Commission approved the aid under EU state aid rules.

For more information visit www.gastrade.gr

Vopak has been awarded a contract for storage and services of a liquid products terminal in China by Huizhou QuanMei Petrochemical Terminal Co Ltd. 

The planned terminal would be constructed and operated as part of ExxonMobil’s proposed Huizhou chemical complex project.

The contract award is subject to customary conditions, including closing of the transaction and obtaining regulatory approvals, whereby Vopak obtains an ownership interest in the terminal.

This greenfield industrial terminal is located in Guangdong province in the southern part of China, approximately 100 kilometres from Hong Kong. 

The terminal will serve a world-scale flexible feed steam cracker project to be constructed and operated by ExxonMobil (Huizhou) Chemical Co Ltd. (EMHCC). The project, which remains subject to final investment decision, is situated in Dayawan Petrochemical Industrial Park, which is one of the seven national petrochemical bases in China.

Vopak will have ownership of 30 percent of the 560,000 cubic metre terminal, including the pipelines to connect the terminal to the jetty and EMHCC plant. Vopak will also provide services for the terminal and jetty through a separate wholly-owned Vopak entity.

“We are excited for this opportunity to serve ExxonMobil via this greenfield industrial terminal in a safe, sustainable and efficient way,” said Eelco Hoekstra, chairman of the executive board and CEO of Royal Vopak. “This project fits perfectly into Vopak’s growth strategy for industrial terminals. We are very proud of our expertise and long track record of storing vital products with care for our customers and our drive to continue to invest.”

For more information visit www.vopak.com

Oiltanking Karimun and Matrix Global Holdings have announced a partnership to develop an auction programme for storage capacity at PTOTK’s facility on Karimun Island in Indonesia. 

PTOTK will offer refined product storage capacity for amounts and terms to be determined by PTOTK using Matrix’s proprietary auction platform.

This auction was the first of its kind by Oiltanking to sell a term contract for individual refined products tank capacity through a competitive bidding process. Contingent on the outcome of the examination and the traction from the market, PTOTK and Matrix aim to run the first auction for fuel oil storage capacity by the end of 2021. The auction date, auctioned capacity, terms and process will be announced as soon as the parties agreed to proceed with the project. 

Head of commercial at Oiltanking, Andy Loh, said: “Oiltanking has achieved another important milestone in its digitalisation and innovation roadmap, thereby supporting Oiltanking’s vision of being the preferred partner in energy logistics. 

“We will continue to develop innovative ways, together with partners, that will allow us to even better serve our valued customers around the world.”

The Karimun facility is strategically located within the Straits Hub. It has a total storage capacity of 730,000 cbm, and serves the growing demand for petroleum products in Asia. With this partnership Oiltanking intends to build on the company’s first successful online electronic auction for Jet Fuel/USLD storage capacity at Oiltanking’s Copenhagen facility in November 2020, using Matrix’s auction platform.

For more information visit www.oiltanking.com

Industrial Realty Group, a real estate development and investment firm, has acquired a 23.8 acre piece of land along the Houston Ship Channel in Houston, Texas.

A piece of the land was swiftly leased to MTF Holdings, a company providing cutting edge technology for the energy sector. 

Stuart Lichter, president of IRG, said: “MTF is a great fit for this project. We are working together to invest into the site and develop a state-of-the-art processing plant with storage and terminal operations.”

The remaining acreage is accessible for other industrial and commercial opportunities and features multi-modal potential.

Founder and president of MTF Holdings, Paul Perez, said: “We’re excited to be partnering with IRG to bring our hydrogen-based technology to the petrochemical capital.”

For more information visit www.industrialrealtygroup.com

A world leader in robotic tank inspection, Square Robot Inc and its subsidiary, Veritank Inc, have announced a global agreement with ExxonMobil to deploy and develop in-service robotic inspection services in above ground storage tanks around the world.

Square Robot is an autonomous robotic solution that delivers in-service inspection – which potentially helps with minimising vapour and chemical releases while maintaining tank operations.

David Lamont, Square Robot CEO, said: “Square Robot is honoured to partner with ExxonMobil as it looks to benefit from our robotic services across its global tank inventory.”

Tim Westhoven, ExxonMobil technology scouting and ventures senior advisor, said: “Square Robot in-service tank inspection technology improves safety for our personnel, provides the data we need to manage our assets, and saves on operating costs.”

The early phase of the agreement will see Square Robot’s industry-leading robots used to provide services to ExxonMobil throughout the US, UK, Europe and the Far East. ExxonMobil is supporting Square Robot’s development programme for next generation robots. ExxonMobil’s support will fast-track this programme, with first deployments due for field trials later this year.

For more information visit www.squarerobots.com

Datuk Sazali Hamzah, senior vice president, managing director, and CEO of Petronas Chemical Group, has been nominated to the advisory panel of an international carbon emissions research project.

Hamzah said: “I look forward to bringing my expertise to this international team of highly experienced professionals and playing my part to help shape the future of the petrochemicals industry.”

Alongside other panel members, Hamzah will provide the project team guidance using his expertise which spans 30 years in the petroleum refining and petrochemical industry. 

C-THRU is a three-year international research project which aims to deliver the world’s most comprehensive, reliable and transparent account of current and likely future emissions from the petrochemicals sector. 

C-THRU principal investigator and project lead, Dr Jonathan Cullen, said: “We’re very excited to have such broad expertise on C-THRU’s international advisory panel to support our ambitious vision.”

For more information visit www.petronas.com

Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation is selling its Hawaii businesses to an affiliate of Argo Infrastructure Partners LP. 

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2022, with the expected consideration of $3.83 per unit. Argo will pay the merger consideration to unitholders and fund transaction costs and a disposition payment to MIC’s external manager of approximately $82 million if the merger closes on or before July 1, 2022. 

Lazard and Evercore acted as financial advisors and White & Case LLP acted as legal advisor to MIC. The terms of the merger agreement correspond to an enterprise value for MIC Hawaii of $514 million including assumed debt and transaction costs. 

For more information visit www.micinc.com

India’s H-Energy, a natural gas company, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bangladesh’s state-run Petrobangla for the supply of re-gasified liquefied natural gas.

H-Energy said that it has been authorised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board to build, own and operate the pipeline. 

It also added that both firms will finalise a long-term supply agreement to start the supply of LNG to Bangladesh through a cross-border natural gas pipeline. The unit is planned to be capable of handling four million tonnes per year. 

The company mentioned that it will commission its floating storage and regasification unit at the Jaigarh port in Maharashtra in July of this year. H-Energy is also constructing LNG re-gasification terminals on the east coast of India at Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh and at Kukrahati, West Bengal.

For more information visit www.henergy.com

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding with Hambantota International Port Group to build a strategic energy centre with a petroleum products terminal, for Sri Lanka.

Sumith Wijesinghe, Chairman of CPC, said: “With new investment and development in Sri Lanka, CPC’s product portfolio needs to be managed to suit the energy mix of the country if the company is to remain competitive.

“The partnership with HIPG will increase the storage facility of CPC to the expected capacity; thereby the impact of global fuel price fluctuations can be mitigated and it will drive CPC to minimise and save additional foreign currency outflows. Taking all these factors into account, I believe this partnership will put an end to the negative external factors of the country’s fuel market.”

CPC wants to build enough storage to supply Sri Lanka for three months. CPC’s existing storage facility can only store enough refined petroleum products to supply the country for one month, which currently does not meet the energy security requirements of the country. It identified a 50-acre site around 15 km from the port, which will be used for domestic and export purposes.  

The port will deliver port and terminal facilities and services, with stevedoring services for the import, export and transhipment of petroleum products and crude oil. HIPG will sublease land in the port area for the construction and operation of the pipeline, with approval from the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

For more information visit www.ceypetco.gov.lk

Israel’s National Infrastructure Committee would like to exempt the Europe Asia Pipeline Company, Ashkelon Pipeline, from carrying out the usual environmental impact survey of its installation in Ashkelon. 

The pipeline company operates two oil ports and two oil terminals with a storage capacity of 3.7 million cubic metres for crude oil and petroleum products. 

The Association of Cities for the Environment called on the committee to require an environmental survey and noted that it was necessary considering the number of environmental concerns over the pipeline in the past years. 

Meital Amitay, the association’s director, said: “The Europe Asia Pipeline Company had never been required to prepare an environmental impact survey of their activities. It is therefore insufficient.”

For more information visit www.eapc.com

Pembina Pipeline Corporation and TC Energy Corporation TRP have announced a plan to develop a world-scale carbon transportation and sequestration system together. 

The system, when fully built, will be capable of transporting more than 20 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Pembina and TC Energy are uniquely positioned to take a leadership role in the transportation of CO2 given their collective skills and extensive network of pipeline infrastructure. 

For Canada to achieve its enhanced climate targets, including a 40-45 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 2005 levels by 2030, CCUS technology and infrastructure will need to play a vital role. Designed to be an open-access system, the ACG will serve as the backbone of Alberta’s emerging carbon capture utilisation and storage industry.

ACG will open the way for Canada to meet its emissions reduction objectives and provides a tangible example of Pembina and TC Energy’s commitment to energy diversification, industry collaboration and a lower carbon future.

For more information visit www.pembina.com

DB Schenker and Volocopter are developing solutions for the fast and emission-free transport of goods. Volocopter’s heavy-lift drone was presented to German federal politicians at the National Aviation Conference at Berlin Brandenburg Airport today. 

The aircraft is autonomously and electrically operated and can transport up to 200 kilograms of cargo with a range of up to 40 km. The VoloDrone displayed at the National Aviation Conference is a test aircraft from Volocopter with a sample transport container from DB Schenker. 

Future logistical applications for the heavy-lift drone include places that are difficult or slower to reach, such as islands, land-to-ship deliveries, transport to mountainous regions, or places isolated from road networks following natural disasters. 

CEO of Volocopter, Florian Reuter, said: “Our VoloDrone will be put to use, where classical ground transportation meets its limits in logistics, construction, or agriculture.

“We have ten years of flight experience and our advanced status in the certifications process with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency bears tremendous synergies for all our aircraft. DB Schenker is a leading logistics partner, with whom we are readying our VoloDrone specifically for the commercial use in different logistics applications.”

DB Schenker is presently testing numerous innovative and forward-looking technologies worldwide in order to make its services for customers even more flexible and climate-friendly and to further reduce noise emissions and pollution.

For more information visit www.volocopter.com

AB Orlen Lietuva, a subsidiary of Polish oil company Orlen, has bought UAB Mockavos Terminals. 

Daniel Obajtek, AB Orlen Lietuva president, said: “Acquiring the terminal will enhance the security and ensure stable supplies of products to Poland, benefitting the company and the economies of both Poland and Lithuania.

“A project of strategic significance to the future of AB Orlen Lietuva has been accomplished successfully. Up until now, we have been using the services of Mockava Terminal under a cooperation agreement. 

“Taking over the control of the terminal will allow us to save considerable funds and increase business flexibility as well as independence. Eventually, we will be able to implement ambitious terminal development plans.”

Mockavos Terminals is the only liquid products loading terminal on the Lithuania-Poland border. The terminal can also reload liquid products from Russian railway gauge to European gauge, making it the only terminal available for direct transhipment of liquid oil and chemical products from Russia and the Baltic states to western European countries within the EU. 

For more information visit www.orlen.pl

Spectrex has announced the launch of its next-generation SharpEye 40/40D and C series flame detectors. 

This new series can be used in a variety of industries and applications, including oil & gas installations and pipelines, petrochemical and chemical plants, storage tank farms, power generation facilities, fuel and gas processing and storage facilities. 

Emil Cohen, Spectrex’s senior product and customer support manager, said: “The first step to battling a blaze is to quickly recognise it is happening while avoiding false alarms.

“The enhanced SharpEye fire detectors minimise immediate fire consequences by decreasing fire size as well as the risk to personnel, the environment, and facilities. As the industry leaders, we are very proud that the 40/40D and C series continue Spectrex’s tradition of providing innovative, field-proven products that are used throughout the world.”

The improved design makes it easy to install and maintain, ensuring flawless operation, Spectrex’s next-generation detectors offer top protection for people and property. The new detectors provide early warning of fires at long distances in record time, with high immunity to false alarms.

For more information visit www.spectrex.net

Crown LNG Holding AS, a Norwegian group which specialises in developing LNG infrastructure for harsh weather conditions, has begun development of an LNG terminal offshore in Kakinada, India. 

CEO of Crown, Gunnar Knutsen, said: “We will build an LNG terminal that will be operational 365 days per year, including during the monsoon season, for 25 years following the completion of the terminal.”

The LNG terminal will be built with an annual re-gasification capacity of 7.2 million tpy. It will support India’s gas initiative and help to reduce carbon emissions. 

Chairman of Crown, Jørn Husemoen, said: “The Indian government is dedicated to safeguarding the energy supply to domestic industry and consumers, while also facilitating a responsible energy transition. The Kakinada LNG project is proof of this.”

Not only will such a solution be able to withstand the harsh weather conditions the Indian monsoon season presents, it will also contribute towards decongesting busy ports and keeping hazardous substances away from populated areas. 

The company is working towards a final investment decision for the end of 2022, with terminal operational approximately three years after making a final investment decision for the project.

For more information visit www.crownlng.com

The Sri Lankan government is considering maintaining a stable price for liquefied petroleum gas by allowing a public and private partnership to maintain LAUGFS terminal jointly between LAUGFS Gas and state-owned Litro Gas for storage, with the aim of reducing costs.

LAUGFS’s chairman said this proposal was made by him along with two other suggestions at a meeting held with the president along with several top officials. He noted that he has also proposed to allow a price increase or government subsidy for the two companies to supply LPG cylinders at the present price of Rs.1,493. According to some reports, he mentioned there was no plan to merge the two companies.

The president has appointed a committee to study the proposal of jointly operating the LAUGFS terminal to maintain stocks of LPG for the use of two companies he explained. 

The transport cost of two companies’ could be reduced by around $70 per metric ton by using LAUGFS Hambantota facility with a capacity of 30,000 and its other 3,000 MT terminal at Mabima. 

The other benefit was the possibility of purchasing LPG at a low price for both companies via a joint procurement committee by LAUGFS Terminals Ltd. 

For more information visit www.laugfs.lk