Located in the Port of Santos, Stolthaven Santos has been named Brazil’s number one bulk liquid terminal by integrated energy company and leader in biofuels, Raízen.

Stolthaven Santos, a Stolt-Nielsen Limited company – global leader in integrated solutions for the transport and storage of bulk liquid products – was elected the best liquid bulk storage terminal in the Best of the Year Award – 20/21 Harvest by Raízen, in the Safety and Productivity Category.

The award recognises the best management performance in the areas of safety, processes, productivity and controls, and supports our ambition to be the most respected global storage provider.

“Stolthaven Santos stands out for the consistency of its management in the areas of safety, productivity and quality, being a benchmark for our ethanol operations over the years”, said Nilton Gabardo, director of business development at Raízen.

Guy Bessant, president of Stolthaven Terminals, added: “This award marks another step on our journey to becoming the world’s most respected global storage provider. We are only able to achieve our aims thanks to our outstanding people across all functions working as a team, not only in Santos, but around the globe. In recent years, we have increased our focus on improving the customer experience and this is beginning to reap tangible rewards.”

The awards ranked a total of 22 terminals across Brazil and recognises those that demonstrate the highest levels of safety, processes, productivity and controls with specific related KPIs. Stolthaven Santos is Brazil’s main export hub for ethanol grade B (human consumption and pharmaceutical use) approved by Raízen, due to non-contamination records and high levels of accuracy and quality, with operational loss below 0.1 percent.

For additional information visit www.stolt-nielsen.com

Jefferson Energy Companies, a subsidiary of Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors LLC, is pleased to announce it has entered into a new contract to expand terminal services to ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of ExxonMobil Corporation.

Jefferson Energy is constructing approximately 1.9 million barrels of new storage capacity at the Jefferson Energy terminal and five connecting pipelines between the ExxonMobil Beaumont refinery and Jefferson Energy terminal that will increase utilisation of its existing marine infrastructure.

The engineering and construction has begun this second phase of the Jefferson Energy terminal master plan buildout and will increase total storage to approximately 6.2 million barrels.

“Combined with the successful completion of the ExxonMobil Cross Channel Pipelines project in February 2021, this project further strengthens the strong relationship between ExxonMobil and Jefferson Energy. We are excited to again be working with ExxonMobil to build a domestic and international refined products hub while providing safe, best in class logistics optionality to ExxonMobil for years to come,” said Joe Adams, chairman and chief executive officer of FTAI.

“The expansion adds strategic value for ExxonMobil and our Beaumont refinery complex,” said Anant Patel, Americas Business Development Manager for ExxonMobil’s fuels and lubricants division. “Increasing our logistics capability will help us better serve our customers.”

The Jefferson Energy terminal is located on the Neches River in the heart of ExxonMobil’s Beaumont, Texas refining complex. The Jefferson Energy terminal has been in operation since 2012 and currently has over 4.3 million barrels of heated and unheated storage servicing both crude oil and refined products. In addition to the terminal’s storage and blending capabilities, the terminal has six rail loop tracks, is triple served by the BNSF, KCS, and Union Pacific railroads and utilises two marine docks for regional and global marine movements.

Following the completion of this project, Jefferson Energy expects to continue developing additional storage, marine and rail capabilities, and pipeline connectivity. Jefferson Energy is primarily owned and funded by FTAI, a publicly traded entity specialising in infrastructure investments globally and across North America.

For more information visit jeffersonenergyco.com

Honeywell has announced that its cloud-based Honeywell Enraf^® Inventory Calculation Module (HEICM) has been integrated into Royal Vopak’s MyService Terminal Management System (TMS).

Developed in cooperation with Royal Vopak, MyService is used at Vopak terminals to facilitate the safe, clean and efficient storage and handling of bulk liquid products and gases.

HEICM was developed using agile software development principles. It accurately calculates inventories and product movement quantities for a massive range of liquid products stored at the sites. All the calculations provided meet major international, recognised standards and publications, including those of American Society for Testing and Materials, American Petroleum Institute and Gas Processors Association.

“Integrating Honeywell’s measurement modules with our bespoke MyService software is creating a competitive advantage for Vopak’s services,” said Leo Brand, CIO Royal Vopak. “Honeywell’s legal metrology expertise and long experience providing compliant, accurate liquid stock accounting made it an ideal strategic partner for our digital transformation programme.”

HEICM will enable Royal Vopak terminals to perform consistent and efficient terminal inventory calculations and compliance-related verifications, contributing to operational excellence.

“We’re pleased our work with Royal Vopak on the HEICM development resulted in a comprehensive calculation engine tailored for the terminal market,” said Rudi van der Kraats, director strategic terminal accounts, Honeywell Process Solutions. “Software-driven, intelligent technologies such as HEICM are part of our strategy to provide a full terminal automation solution.”

Honeywell plans to make HEICM available to other terminal operating companies around the world for similar TMS integrations, as well as a stand-alone/cloud version which can be used by independent surveyors.

For more information visit www.honeywellprocess.com

North American infrastructure giant Kinder Morgan has bought US LNG supplier Kinetrex Energy from an affiliate of Parallel49 Equity.

As well as being the leading LNG supplier for the US Midwest, Kinetrex has a 50 percent stake in the largest renewable natural gas in Indiana, US.

It has also signed commercial agreements to construct three further landfill-based RNG facilities. The total RNG production capacity of the four sites, when operational, will exceed 4 billion cubic feet annually. RNG is made from sources such as organic waste in landfills, wastewater treatment plants and agricultural operations.

Kinetrex president and CEO Aaron Johnson will join Kinder Morgan as president of renewable natural gas. Other key members of the Kinetrex management team will also join Kinder Morgan to pursue new projects that expand their successful RNG platform.

“As we looked for the best partner to help grow our presence in renewable natural gas, Kinder Morgan’s Energy Transition Ventures emerged as the clear choice. KMI’s project management expertise, extensive pipeline network and broad customer relationships will undoubtedly help us realise the vision we had in founding Kinetrex eight years ago: to provide holistic solutions for customers seeking to meet emission reduction targets,” said Johnson.

For more information visit www.kindermorgan.com

German energy company Uniper SE has joined HYPORT Duqm, a major project aimed at developing a 250 MW to 500 MW green hydrogen hub in the sultanate of Oman.

Uniper has signed a cooperation agreement with HYPORT Duqm’s shareholders, Belgian contractor DEME Concessions and Oman’s OQ Alternative Energy, to provide engineering services and negotiate an exclusive off-take agreement for green ammonia.

Uniper will contribute by demonstrating a strong business case for the off-take and enable HYPORT Duqm’s partners to secure financing for the project.

The facility will connect to Port of Duqm’s new export terminal, storage infrastructure and liquid jetties. The port will be used as the gateway to deliver competitive green hydrogen and hydrogen-derived products to global markets.

“We need to get hydrogen out of the laboratory and start using it in large scale applications and marketable industrial solutions – we should turn it into a market and exploit its wide variety of uses,” Uniper CCO Niek den Hollander said.

He added: “One way of achieving this is to import green ammonia and convert it into hydrogen, which is something we are looking at for Wilhelmshaven on Germany’s North Sea coast. Germany will be heavily dependent on imports if we want to use hydrogen to help us achieve our climate goals.”

For more information visit www.uniperenergy.com

Clare Charlton has been promoted to inland sales manager at Mabanaft.

Charlton said she is enjoying the challenge and responsibility of her new role and is looking forward to working with the management team as the company develops its supply of more sustainable fuels.

She joined Mabanaft in 2019 as a key account manager and has risen rapidly to take on this new role. The inland sales department is responsible for selling fuel to a diverse range of customers, from resellers, distributors and commercial/end users to bunkering network users and supermarkets. Clare will be working with her team to ensure that all customers’ needs are met and that the high levels of service that the company is renowned for are diligently maintained.

Charlton said: “I am enjoying the challenge and responsibility of my new role at Mabanaft. I love the company ethos of building strong and lasting relationships with customers, it’s something everyone here buys into. I also really like the people, there’s a good team spirit and plenty of positive collaboration which makes for a great working environment.”

For more information visit www.mabanaft.co.uk

Government agencies are set to approve a 1,400-megawatt gas-fired power plant project in Surat Thani this year.

It is replacing two highly contentious coal-fired power plant projects in the southern region.

Due to be built in Phunphin district, the facility is expected to receive the green light in the fourth quarter by the Energy Ministry, the National Energy Policy Council and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Its development will be carried out by state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), following its month-long feasibility study of the project.

For more information visit www.egat.co.th

Kiewit and joint venture partner GIA have completed the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) of three truck unloading stations, two marine loading arms and tank storage at a refined product terminal.

It said the new terminal “helped the region overcome challenges surrounding aging facilities, outdated infrastructure and a lack of hydrocarbon storage”.

The 450,000-barrel loading and storage facility was the first privately held marine terminal constructed in Mexico.

To avoid project delays, its team introduced automated welding equipment to the tank subcontractor, increasing efficiency rates. Kiewit also designed and constructed a unique portable loading arm structure solution for the marine loading facility.

For more information visit www.kiewit.com

Excelerate Energy LP, Snam SpA, and Albgaz Sha have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in Tirana, Albania, to explore potential cooperation for the construction of a natural gas pipeline from the Albanian Vlora Terminal to other natural gas infrastructure opportunities in Albania.

Excelerate, Snam, and Albgaz will explore joint solutions, which could potentially supply underground gas storage in Albania, providing crucial energy security to the region.

“Leveraging our downstream capabilities and working alongside Albania to explore expanding their access to reliable energy, we are able to take an integral step towards energy security for the country,” said Steven Kobos, president and CEO of Excelerate.

Snam is one of the largest energy infrastructure owner and operators in the world and a leading shareholder in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline. Snam and Albgaz’s Albanian Gas Service Co ShA, who maintain the gas transmission network in Albania, could potentially operate and maintain the future pipeline.

“This MoU further strengthens our commitment with Albania initiated four years ago,” said Mario Franchin, senior vice president global solutions commercial at Snam. “It marks another important step forward in the development of Albania’s energy strategy and Snam is pleased to share its experience and know how to support the country and Albgaz in its path in the energy transition.”

Arber Avrami, CEO of Albgaz, added: “This is a unique opportunity for Albania, to cooperate with such big actors that can provide essential knowledge and experience in order to deliver benefits not only from gas transmission activities, but also to exploit an important natural asset such as Dumrea underground gas storage. This can offer energy security options not only for Albania, but also reliable energy supply for international gas networks.”

For more information visit www.excelerateenergy.com

M&G has become the first UK-headquartered financial institution to invest in Storegga, the company behind plans for a carbon capture and storage facility in Scotland.

The FTSE-100 listed savings and investment business with £367 billion in assets under management and administration, is Storegga’s fourth external shareholder, alongside Macquarie Group’s Commodities and Global Markets Group, GIC, and Mitsui & Co.

Storegga is the lead developer of the Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage and Hydrogen Project at St Fergus in north east Scotland.

Acorn is expected to be operational in the mid-2020s and is designed to meet the UK government’s ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution by 2030.

In the UK, Storegga has a licence agreement with DAC technology partner Carbon Engineering, a company backed by Bill Gates. Unlike capturing emissions from industrial flue stacks, DAC technology captures CO₂ directly out of the air.

This can help counteract today’s CO₂ emissions, and remove the large quantities of CO₂ emitted in the past that remains trapped in the atmosphere.

On June 24, Storegga and Carbon Engineering announced that they had begun engineering and design of a DAC facility that will permanently remove between 500,000 and one million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually.

The St Fergus gas terminal in north east Scotland, where the Acorn CCS infrastructure is being built, is the first landing point for around a third of all natural gas used across the UK.

The proposed facility will be the first large-scale facility of its kind in Europe and the partners are aiming for it to be operational by 2026.

Once complete, it will be a model for how this clean infrastructure can be deployed across the continent to help achieve critical net zero targets, while also creating thousands of local jobs and businesses.

Nick Cooper, Storegga CEO, commented: “As a major UK institutional investor, M&G’s investment strengthens our ability to develop carbon reduction and carbon removal projects globally and will help shape Storegga into a leading, independent, UK-based carbon reduction company.

For more information visit www.storegga.earth

The demand for alternative fuels has risen considerably, especially owing to the mandatory targets for the emission of greenhouse gases in the industrialised countries.

The use of bioethanol might be one possible approach, however, this presents new challenges to the tank storage operators, in as much as the substance may form an explosive mixture in combination with atmospheric oxygen or other substances.

In addition, bioethanol is water soluble and may form methylesters when reacting with water (for example from the atmospheric humidity). Methylester is hygroscopic and can severely damage the concrete tank foundations in a highly aggressive way.

To avoid such a detrimental reaction, tank blanketing is used for the storage of fuels. The void volume in the tank head space is filled with inert nitrogen in order to permanently maintain a slight overpressure. In doing so, the air is prevented from getting into the tank inner space.

The tank ‘breathes’ as a result of temperature or weather influences and fluctuating filling levels, as these factors can mean the inert gas pressure within the tank may vary. Consequently, the predominant task of the tank blanketing system is to continually maintain the inert condition independently of how the volume change in the gas chamber occurred.

To solve such problems technically, Mankenberg GmbH developed the pressure reducing valve RP 840 in close co-operation with its customers.

A millibar valve proven for decades acts as pilot valve and controls a main valve adapted to the plant. Thanks to the large diaphragm of the pilot valve, very low set pressures are possible. Thus the valve’s high control precision at very low pressures (~5 mbar(g)) is combined with the volume flow required for large tanks and pumps.

The medium-controlled pressure reducing valve is made of deep drawn stainless steel with excellent corrosion resistance. This is particularly important for the intended use in the highly corrosive atmosphere of tank farms. Thanks to the low set pressure and the high control precision, the investment costs (thinner tank walls) as well as operating costs (less inert gas consumption) are considerably reduced for the plant.

For more information visit www.mankenberg.com

StocExpo, the leading event for the bulk liquid storage industry, has released an updated Trends Report ahead of its return to Rotterdam, Netherlands on March 8-10, 2022.

The 2020 report, which surveyed the opinions of hundreds of industry leaders to get their views on what the next year had in store for the sector, was published in March 2020, days before the world went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The updated Trends Report, which will be released in five parts from today, provides an in-depth look at the landscape changes in the oil and gas market, the accelerating adoption of automation, and how the importance of digitalisation is skyrocketing in a post-COVID-19 world.

Rikki Bhachu, StocExpo’s head of marketing, said: “In 2020 we surveyed a vast number of high-profile industry contacts to get a view on how the year was anticipated to shape up.

“Understandably, things changed drastically immediately after the report was published and many of the predictions within it are still yet to happen, have come to fruition much faster than anticipated, or have completely fallen by the wayside. So, we have brought together some of the sharpest minds in the industry to give us their updated views on the industry trends identified in the original report, post-COVID-19.

“This update gives a clear indication of how the industry is coping with the pandemic and will hopefully provide the sector with useful and actionable insights that could help with post-COVID-19 business recovery.”

The update includes news and views from oil and gas experts Charles Daly, chairman of Channoil Consulting, Nadine Herrwerth, commercial director of TWTG, and E&V Houston.

Also included are automation transformation specialists Manuel Arroyo, director of Oil and Gas Industry Programs at Emerson Automation Solutions, Rhys Davies, general manager at Ex-Online, QGE Australia, and Terra Inspectioneering.

Speaking on digitalisation are Joe Nassif, president of Noon Advisory Group, Sam Reid, CEO of Dearman Systems, Thomas Fahland, head of product management at Implico, and CEA Systems.

During the lead up to the March 2022 event, StocExpo will launch a series of regular content initiatives, putting the focus on the key issues that the industry currently faces and its solutions.

For more information visit www.stocexpo.com

Shell has sold its minority 37.5 percent stake in the 220,000 PCK Schwedt refinery in Brandenburg, Germany, to Alcmene, the Austrian subsidiary of Estonian oil terminal operator Liwathon.

It said this is in line with its continuing refinery divestment strategy.

The sale includes the hydrocarbon inventory, which will be valued at closing based on volumes and prevailing market prices.

Based on current market prices, historic inventory volumes and normal operating conditions, the value is estimated at $150–250 million. Alcmene will provide energy and commodities trading from its headquarters in Vienna, Austria.

PCK is independently managed. The other shareholders are Rosneft (54.17 percent) and Eni (8.33 percent). Shell does not operate the refinery so its employees will not be materially affected. The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2021, subject to partner rights and regulatory approval.

Shell said Germany remains a key country towards its goal of achieving net-zero emissions, and that the sale does not affect any other activities in the country.

“This is yet another milestone in our journey towards a reduced refining portfolio,” said Robin Mooldijk, Shell’s EVP for manufacturing. “This sale supports the shift of Shell’s refining portfolio which includes the development of the high-value Energy & Chemicals Park Rheinland.”

For more information visit shell.com

The Republic of Panama and US midstream company Energy Transfer have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to study the feasibility of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline project.

The project, if it goes ahead, will expand Energy Transfer’s international markets, and establish Panama as a global petroleum products distribution hub.

The non-binding MOU was signed in Dallas, US, by Energy Transfer executive chairman Kelcy Warren and the president of Panama Laurentino Cortizo Cohen.

The proposed project includes the development, construction and operation of an LPG terminal on the Pacific side of Panama and another on the Atlantic side of the country, connected by a pipeline, for the receipt, transportation and export of LPG to international markets.

The partners will carry out feasibility studies and an economic analysis for the transport of LPG through Panama and any final decisions will be based on these.

For more information visit www.energytransfer.com

Koole Terminals recently completed the FSSC 22000 certification programme for the terminals in Nijmegen, Pernis, Amsterdam and Zaandam.

FSSC 22000 stands for Food Safety System Certification. This international standard in food safety including food fraud and food security focuses next to the storage sector on the logistics sector.

“Koole’s responsibility towards its customers is to always proactively work on quality, safety, hygiene, and food safety”, said Klaas Verburgt, HSEQ manager at Koole Terminals.

“The food safety system represents an all-round methodology for hazard analysis and risk management based on HACCP principles, therefore continuously improving the effectiveness and efficiency of food safety. With this extensive and global standard, our national and international renowned customers have guaranteed assurance of an excellent, integrated and reliable food safety system.”

Dominique Timp, lead auditor DNV added: “This FSSC 22000 certificate is confirmation of the performance of the food safety management system of Koole Terminals.

“By achieving this certificate, Koole proves that they meet the highest standards in the area of food safety and set great value on continuous improvement. What has impressed me during the audit is the enthusiasm and the high level of involvement of the employees. They remain modest as an organisation, but work hard and set the bar high.”

For more information visit koole.com

GTT has received an order from its partner, the Korean shipyard Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) for the fuel tank design of five very large LNG-fuelled container vessels, able to carry 15,000 containers each.

The order is on behalf of the Asian ship-owner Seaspan Corporation, the world’s largest independent owner and operator of container ships, a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlas Corp and the Israeli charterer ZIM.

The fuel tank of each vessel will offer a capacity of 12,000 m3 and will be fitted with the Mark III membrane containment system. These tanks will include unique features to facilitate a potential conversion of these vessels to ammonia.

The Mark III membrane technology tank has been adapted for compatibility with ammonia, offering both Seaspan and ZIM, greater operational flexibility in case of changes in environmental regulations.

In addition to the engineering services and on-site technical assistance, GTT will assist Seaspan through every step of their first LNG-fuelled project: commissioning of the LNG tank, first LNG bunkering operations, as well as further specific LNG operations and maintenance of the vessels.

Moreover, GTT will provide LNG training for the crews, supported by its proprietary G-Sim^® training simulator, which replicates the future LNG operations of the vessels. Seaspan will also benefit for the availability of the HEARS^® emergency response service with 24/7 technical assistance.

The vessels will also be fitted with GTT digital platform for monitoring and optimising their operational performance and their environmental footprint.

Vessels deliveries are scheduled to occur between the third quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024.

For more information visit gtt.fr

Iraq increased the price of its Basra Light crude to Asian customers from August to $2.25 a barrel above the average of the Oman/Dubai crudes.

This is up from $1.45 a barrel above the Oman/Dubai average in July.

The August OSP for Basra Medium crude was set at $1.35 a barrel above Oman/Dubai for Asia, and the August OSP for Basra Heavy crude was set at a discount of $0.65 to the Oman/Dubai average.

For more information visit www.reuters.com

Mabanaft subsidiary Petronord has bought shares in family-run company Runes, a fuel marketing and distribution company based in Emmaboda, Kalmar län, Sweden.

Runes AB has commercial and end-user customers and mainly focusses on diesel, but also operates a service-station network with seven automatic filling stations and one classic filling station, as well as selling heating oil and lubricants.

Petronord said: “This new acquisition is an excellent addition to the sales territory of PS Energi AB and will further strengthen the group’s market position in southeast Sweden. It marks another step in Petronord’s solid growth in Sweden.”

Petronord will hold its Runes shares through subsidiary PS Energi. The remaining Runes shares will be held equally by Alf Johansson, the previous owner, and Anders Rungegård.

For more information visit www.mabanaft.com

South Korea’s energy ministry said it had signed a 20-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply agreement with Qatar for the next 20 years, starting in 2025.

South Korea’s state-run Korea Gas Corp will buy 2 million tonnes of LNG annually from Qatar Petroleum.

“This long-term contract is considered to have favourable contract conditions, which would help stabilise LNG supply as well as to significantly drop fees,” the ministry said in a statement. It did not provide financial details of the agreement.

The energy ministry added that KOGAS buys 9 million tonnes of LNG annually from Qatar through long-term contracts and a contract worth 4.9 million tonnes of LNG is expected to end in 2024.

For more information visit www.mofa.go.kr/www/index.do

Global energy-infrastructure company New Fortress Energy Inc (NFE) has begun commercial operations at its liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the port of Pichilingue, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

The terminal features NFE’s proprietary ISOFlex system, which allows LNG carrier vessels to transload LNG into ISO storage containers on offshore support vessels with a specialised manifold.

The ISO storage containers can be easily offloaded at container ports onto trucks, reducing time, permitting and capital-cost requirements for the development of NFE’s terminals.

The terminal’s truck loading operations were designed for the supply of LNG to local hotels and industrial customers. The first industrial customers in Los Cabos are expected to begin operations with natural gas in the next couple of months.

In addition, under the terms of an agreement signed in March, NFE will supply natural gas to the CTG La Paz and CTG Baja California Sur power plants through the terminal.

NFE has also nearly completed construction of its own gas-fired power plant in Baja California Sur with a capacity of approximately 135 MW that is anticipated to begin operations and the supply of power to the local grid later this quarter.

“We are proud to have deployed the first-of-a-kind ISOFlex system at our terminal in Baja California Sur,” said Sam Abdalla, the company’s VP of project development. “This is a big achievement for NFE and will enable us to deliver critical energy infrastructure and logistics solutions much more quickly and less expensively.”

For more information visit www.newfortressenergy.com

Stolthaven Terminals said: “We welcome the announcement by the Australian Federal Government confirming the success of our Newcastle terminal in the Boosting Australia’s Diesel Storage Programme (BADSP) tender process.”

It added: “We are pleased to be able to support the government’s commitment to improving fuel security through investment in additional infrastructure. We will now work with the Department to develop and deliver against a Grant Agreement.”

The Australian government is investing up to A$260 million to expand Australia’s diesel storage capacity as part of its commitment to boost long-term fuel security, create jobs and keep prices low.

Through the Boosting Australia’s Diesel Storage Programme, the government is backing ten projects across Australia that will support around 1,000 new jobs and a 40 percent increase in Australia’s diesel stockholdings.

For more information visit www.stolt-nielsen.com

Australia’s federal government is funding up to A$260m to build ten storage facilities following last year’s pledge to assist the expansion of domestic diesel storage capacity by 780m litres (4.9m bl) to meet its IEA strategic reserve commitments.

Many of the projects are located in strategic regional locations, which will help minimise shortages of diesel during peak demand periods and lead to more than A$636m of public and private-sector investment into these areas, Australian energy minister Angus Taylor said.

The projects will also deliver 202m l of additional gasoline and jet fuel storage funded by the private sector.

The government funding will help meet the new minimum stockholding obligation (MSO), which requires the industry to hold gasoline, jet fuel and diesel stocks at or above pre-COVID-19 national average levels from mid-2022, Taylor said. The MSO from mid-2024 will require importers to hold a 40 percent increase in diesel stocks.

The government grants will cover up to 50 percent of total eligible project expenditure. The new storage projects are expected to start construction from mid-2021 and be completed within three years.

A 126m l facility in Newcastle, New South Wales (NSW) will be operated by Stolthaven Terminals, a subsidiary of Norwegian listed logistics and fuel storage group Stolt-Neilson.

A 100m l plant at Kwinana, Western Australia (WA) will be operated by Australian privately owned bulk liquids fuel storage firm Coogee Chemicals. A 90m l facility at Geelong, Victoria will be operated by Australian refiner Viva Energy, which operates the 128,000 b/d Geelong refinery.

Australia’s privately owned Park Fuels will receive grants to build two storage facilities of 30m l at the ports of Newcastle and Port Kembla, NSW where Park already has fuel storage facilities.

Australian owned logistics firm Qube will also receive grants for two diesel storage plants, a 110m l site at Lumsden Point at Port Hedland in WA and a 73m l venture at Port Kembla.

Australian refiner Ampol will receive a grant for a 60m l facility at Newport in Victoria. An 80m l facility will be built in the Northern Territory’s Darwin to be operated by Airport Development Group that has the lease to operate Darwin airport. Another 80mn l facility will be built at the Outer Harbour in Adelaide, South Australia to be operated by a firm called Terminals.

For more information visit www.australia.gov.au

US oil and gas mergers surged last quarter with the greatest $1 billion plus combinations since 2014, as rising energy and share prices led to larger oilpatch deals.

Producer are consolidating in US shale as oil and natural gas prices recover from last year’s crash due to the pandemic and this month traded at multi-year highs. Smaller producers also are snapping up unwanted properties in a bet on continued demand for oil and gas while some big oil companies shift their acquisition emphasis to renewables.

Total value of the 40 reported deals last quarter was $33 billion, estimated energy data provider Enverus Inc, up from $44.5 billion for all of last year.

The quarter’s seven $1 billion plus deals were mostly in Texas and Colorado oilfields but a fifth of the total value was spend on natural gas properties in the US east.

Natural gas shot into the spotlight with US prices rising 40 percent this year, helping spark Southwestern Energy’s $2.7 billion acquisition of Indigo Natural Resources and EQT Corp’s $2.9 billion deal for northeast gas producer Alta Resources.

For more information visit www.enverus.com

New Fortress Energy Inc has signed a framework agreement with the government of Sri Lanka to construct a new offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving, storage and regasification terminal.

The terminal will be located off the coast of Colombo and will supply gas to the country’s power plants, primarily located in the Kerawalapitiya Power Complex.

“We are excited to support the transition of Sri Lanka to clean, reliable and affordable energy,” said Wes Edens, chairman and CEO of New Fortress Energy. “This investment in Sri Lanka’s first LNG terminal will advance the country’s clean energy transition and support sustainable development for this vibrant economy. This is the first of what we think will be a number of investments in power and infrastructure in the country.”

This investment in Sri Lanka, a diverse and vibrant island nation with over 21 million people, represents New Fortress’ first LNG terminal in Asia.

This terminal will introduce natural gas to the country of Sri Lanka for the first time and will assist the transition to lower-carbon energy sources.

The Kerawalapitiya Power Complex consists of 300 MW in operation today and is ultimately expected to grow to over 1,000 MW by 2025.

As part of the agreement, New Fortress will supply natural gas to the existing 300 MW Yugadanavi Power Plant and is negotiating the purchase of the Government’s 40 percent stake in the company that owns the power plant.

This power plant is currently under a long-term power purchase agreement to provide electricity to the national grid that extends through 2035. The plant consists of General Electric turbines and was configured to run on natural gas in combined cycle.

As part of the agreement, the government will facilitate the obtainment of necessary permits and entitlements by New Fortress to construct the LNG terminal. The terminal is expected to begin operations by the second half of 2022.

For more information visit www.newfortressenergy.com

Limetree Bay Refining LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Houston after the US Environmental Protection Agency closed its Caribbean oil refinery.

The refinery sought bankruptcy “due to severe regulatory and financial constraints” that forced it to suspend its refinery operations indefinitely, and has lined up to $25 million of so-called debtor-in-possession financing that will help it maintain the refinery through the Chapter 11 process, according to the statement.

The St Croix US Virgin Islands-based company issued a statement that it plans to use the court protection process to negotiate with creditors and equity holders and weigh options including asset sales.

In May, the refinery was forced to halt operations following emissions incidents that included contamination of drinking water.

Limetree’s parent company, Limetree Bay Ventures LLC refinery, now owned by EIG Global Energy Partners, will continue to operate the firm’s related oil storage terminal business. That unit is working with financial and legal advisers to navigate financial strains associated with the shuttered refinery.

On June 21, the company said it was suspending plans to restart the refinery and cutting more than 270 workers after efforts to raise capital foundered.

It’s the refinery’s second trip through bankruptcy court.

The bankruptcy comes at a time when the industry is struggling with shrinking profitability, excess production capacity and rising competition from mega-refineries in Asia amid a push by the Biden Administration to move the US away from fossil fuels.

For more information visit www.limetreebayenergy.com

Moisture (liquid and vapour) and fire, are two major threats to industrial insulation performance, and prominent in the engineering of liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities, says Owens Corning FOAMGLAS^® Industrial Insulation

It said: “These are of course not the only limiting factors that affect the choice of insulation material that is specified for LNG projects, a wide range of other key factors should be considered as well.”

LNG is a mixture of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurised storage or transport. Multiple critical factors should be evaluated to determinate whether an insulation system should be considered for LNG service.

The recent surge in demand for energy, clean energy in particular, catalysed a positive series of events for companies specializing in the manufacture, fabrication, and installation of high-performance industrial insulation systems. The sheer volume of insulation required to protect the high investment in these facilities has been inspiring.

The two biggest enemies of industrial insulation performance, moisture (liquid and vapour) and fire, are prominent in the engineering of liquefied natural gas (LNG) handling facilities. These issues need to be taken on separately with engineering of materials, but the good news is that the issues can be integrated for solutions.

It stands to reason that with most of these plants existing in hot and humid climates, the need for moisture vapor transmission (MVT) resistance is paramount. MVT can be excessive in these design conditions.

The pipe or vessel may be at a continuous operating temperature of nearly-270°F (-168°C), and the ambient conditions are at 90°F (32°C) or more with humidity of 90 percent. In these conditions, the opportunity for moisture to be driven into the insulation is at its highest possible level. Since the natural moisture drive is from heat to cold, one can see how the material and application selections can make or break the system.

For more information visit www.foamglas.com

Private equity-backed operator Neptune Energy has signed a series of new agreements to move forward with its proposed blue hydrogen and carbon dioxide transport and storage scheme on the east coast of England.

The company entered into a memorandum of understanding with an unnamed organisation specialising in industrial gas generation for the development of the blue hydrogen plant, which would be located at the former Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal (TGT) site in Lincolnshire.

It has also signed a separate MoU with private equity-backed PX Group, which would operate a newly constructed powerplant for the blue hydrogen facility, and would act as an investor in the development.

Already serving CO₂ emitters in the South Humber area, Neptune has introduced the option to ship CO₂ to several blocks in the Southern North Sea.

Using the working title of “DelpHYnus”, Neptune said its proposed development is well placed to deliver an operational carbon capture and storage (CCS) hub by 2025 for shipped CO₂ and large-scale blue hydrogen generation as early as 2027.

Furthermore, it has signed further MoUs with Carbon Collectors, a company specialising in the collection, transport, and storage of CO₂ using marine-based solutions, and with a power generation company that would have its emitted CO₂ stored by Neptune.

The company submitted an application to the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) regulator in May this year, covering several blocks in the southern North Sea located to the south and south-west of the Neptune-operated Cygnus gas field.

Pierre Girard, Neptune’s director of new energy, said the project had evolved: “Our experience in delivering offshore projects which are technically similar to the CCS offering at DelpHYnus is complemented by the expertise of our partners and, as one of the UK’s lowest carbon gas producers, we are well placed to develop this project at pace with the potential to deliver an operational CCS hub as early as 2025 for shipped CO₂ and large scale blue hydrogen as early as 2027, helping meet the ambitions set by the UK government in its 10-point plan.”

For more information visit www.neptuneenergy.com

Brooge Energy Ltd, a midstream oil storage and service provider strategically located outside the Strait of Hormuz, in the Port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Brooge Petroleum and Gas Investment Company FZE (BPGIC), has applied for a permit to commence testing and commissioning for its Phase II storage facility.

This is the final step in order to secure regulatory approval to open the facility. Phase II is fully contracted, and the company has already commenced receipt of advanced income for Phase II storage fees, which are anticipated to contribute to its revenues in the second half of 2021.

When opened, BPGIC is expected to be the second largest independent storage operator in the region with capacity of approximately one million cubic metres, or 6.3 million barrels, built to the same exacting and award-winning standards as the company’s phase I facility.

CEO of Brooge Energy and BPGIC, Nicolaas L Paardenkooper, said: “We are very pleased to have substantially completed all construction work on our Phase II storage facility and doing so under the challenging environment that the pandemic presented.  We are now moving into the final stages before opening the facility.

“Phase II will significantly expand our storage capacity to include crude oil along with fuel oil.  Additionally, the opening of this facility further strengthens our leadership position and is expected to generate significant new revenue for the Company.

“Oil storage is in high demand at the moment, with all the existing storage units in Fujairah at full capacity. Our strategic location, automated terminals, and comprehensive ancillary services such as blending, heating, and inter-tank transfers, make us exceedingly well-positioned to leverage this opportunity to build value for shareholders.”

For more information visit www.broogeenergy.com

Classification society DNV has issued a verification statement allowing global survival technology specialist Survitec to use its game-changing fire foam testing process onboard maritime vessels or offshore structures.

The live test method uses ultrasound technology to verify the effectiveness of fire-fighting foam, according to the mandatory requirements set out in IMO MSC.1/Circ.1432 9.2.4.

Foam proportioners or other mixing devices need to be tested every five years to confirm that the mixing ratio is within +30 to -10 percent of the nominal mixing ratio defined by the manufacturer.

The ruling applies to any vessel or offshore structure that has a deck foam system, a high expansion foam system (engine room) or Heli-deck foam system.

While ultrasonic flow meters are commonly to measure fluid flow in pipework, it is thought to be the first time ultrasound technology has been used to quantify the exact water/foam ratio. Two ultrasonic flow meters are used to compare both values.

Jan-Oskar Lid, technical sales manager, Survitec, said: “We have developed a safe, environmentally sound and predictable test method removing a lot of the time and expense involved in foam sampling and testing. It delivers peace of mind to ship operators and crews.”

Unlike existing techniques, the Survitec method means testing can be performed while the vessel is berthed alongside, without having to discharge any foam overboard or send samples to testing labs.

Current test methodologies have to run the fire-fighting system with foam for at least two minutes, so there is a heavy consumption of costly concentrate, often resulting in the need to replace the entire tank volume. The produced foam is discharged overboard.

Survitec’s Produced Foam Live Test does not need to use the concentrate or produce foam in the test, using only seawater, which is more environmentally friendly than alternative solutions. The method has already been used by several well-known gas carrier operators.

For more information visit www.survitecgroup.com

GMA Garnet Group has announced the appointment of Grant Cox as CEO, effective July 15, 2021.

Over the course of the last year, Grant has been continuing his role as group CFO whilst also performing the role as acting CEO.

In his role as CEO, he will be leading and supporting GMA as it pursues significant business growth through the full development of its international garnet resources and expands its market footprint globally.

For more information visit www.gmagarnet.com

Croatia’s state oil storage and transport company Jadranski naftovod (JANAF) has signed two new contracts with Croatian multinational oil company INA-Industrija nafte.

One contract is for the transport of crude oil from JANAF’s Omišalj Terminal, on the island of Krk in northern Croatia, to INA’s nearby Rijeka Oil Refinery. The contract runs from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.

Under the terms of the second contract, JANAF will store petroleum products for INA at its Žitnjak Terminal in Zagreb, Croatia. The contract runs from August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2024 and may be extended for a further two years.

“Despite the current challenges in the oil market, the conclusion of contracts with INA is yet another confirmation of the significance of JANAF as the backbone of Croatia’s energy independence. The strategic importance of JANAF for the Republic of Croatia is further underlined by continuous business successes and admirable results of our extremely stable operations,” said JANAF’s management board in a statement.

It added: “Indicators of JANAF’s strong presence and stable position in the oil market are also a result of a proactive approach to business partners resulting in new or extension of existing storage contracts, despite strong competitors in the Mediterranean spot market.”

JANAF has also signed contracts in recent months with OMV and Delta-Oil.

For more information visit janaf.hr/en

EncounterCare Solutions Inc has announced its wholly owned subsidiary, CyberFuels Inc, has completed a binding Purchase and Sale Agreement in connection with the purchase of 65+ acres of real estate at the Port of Tampa, inclusive of its on-going businesses there.

After closing, Cyberfuels intends to build its new environmentally friendly, state-of-the-art fuel blending and distribution terminal on this excellent site, previously used as a major oil company’s tank terminal.

CyberFuels has completed its due diligence and is moving to close the transaction as soon as possible, on or about August 3, 2021, subject to certain conditions to closing. The company expects to begin permitting as soon as possible with construction to begin once those permits are obtained.

John Lawrence, president of Cyberfields, said: “We are very excited about achieving this Definitive Agreement to acquire these properties and the businesses necessary to develop our state-of-the-art terminal which will greatly expand the opportunities for CyberFuels throughout Florida, the US and abroad.”

Through partnerships, the company plans to develop portions of the property to accommodate CyberFuels corporate office as well as planned commercial office and storage space suited to regional companies conducting business at the terminal and in markets around Florida.

The plan is to complete its first set of large-scale liquid contracts for the new terminal and has a goal for phase one of the overall programme to include more than 580,000 barrels (which is over 24 million gallons) of storage and ultimately grow to approximately 1,500,000 barrels (63+ million gallons) of storage.

CyberFuels’ programme is intended to include large-volume liquid storage built upon long-term contracts for cleaner fuels including bio-advantaged and renewable fuels for gasoline, diesel, jet A, and marine bunker fuel for delivery to markets in Florida.

The company’s business plan is to generate approximately 750,000 barrels (31+ million gallons) per month of throughput in Phase 1 and ultimately generate up to 2,900,000 barrels (over 120 million gallons) of throughput by Phase 3 of Jet A, diesel fuel, gasoline, and biofuels including the CyberFuels branded products.

The management team is committed to creating and operating the new CyberFuels facility as a world-class energy complex.

For more information visit www.cyberfuelsinc.com

The Main Department of State Expertise has approved the project documentation and engineering studies for the first stage of the new tank farm which is to be built on the territory of the condensed gas terminal in the port of Ust-Luga in the Russian Baltic.

The project involves building four steel tanks with a capacity of 40,000 cubic metres to store condensed gas as well as light and heavy naphtha made from it.

Other infrastructure to be developed includes a cable overpass, a pumping station for condensed gas and products, drainage tanks and other engineering structures and communications.

Additional roads connected to the road accesses to the port will be built, and the existing engineering network is to be modernised.

January-May 2021 the terminal operated by Novatek Ust-Luga handled 2.87 m tons, down 1.1 percent year-on-year.

For more information visit www.novatek.ru

Gpi Group has that announced Gerard Blok is to be newly-appointed as commercial director, as of July 1, 2021.

Together with CEO Fred Boere and COO Arno Rodenburg he will now be responsible for the commercial strategy of the company.

“Gerard has been closely involved in the development of Gpi into the company we are today. With his commercial and operational experience within Gpi he is a good addition to the management team and a good sparring partner for both customers and management of the various Gpi companies,” said Boere.

Blok has worked at Gpi for approximately 10 years and has held various positions within Gpi. For the past two years he has been managing director of Gpi De Gouwe, which he combines with his new position for now.

For more information visit www.gpi-tanks.com