Hy2gen, the global project developer of renewable hydrogen, renewable ammonia and hydrogen-based e-fuels plants, has entrusted the completion of a pre-FEED study for its COURANT project to Technip Energies. The pre-FEED phase started at the beginning of March and is expected to be completed before the end of 2023.

It will provide insights into the configuration of the plant units and technologies, as well as information on the expected capital requirements of the project, ongoing operating costs and the possible initiation of environmental impact assessments and stakeholder engagement steps.

In addition, the results of the project phase will give insights for further partners of Hy2gen and Technip Energies to configure their downstream plants. Assuming a completed FEED and a positive investment decision, Hy2gen expects to have the plant completed by 2028. Production of carbon-neutral renewable ammonia is expected to start shortly thereafter, making it Hy2gen’s first Canadian project.

COURANT will produce renewable ammonia for local partners who will process it into ammonium nitrate, which is used in the fertiliser industry, for example. The hydrogen will be produced via electrolysers and the nitrogen will be produced in an air separation plant. The energy to operate both plants will supplied from hydropower. This makes the production of the ammonia completely climate-neutral. The expected production volume of ammonia is designed for 220,000 metric tonnes, and the planned energy requirement for this is 2.5 TWh per year.

“We are pleased by the trust placed in Technip Energies by Hy2gen to advance the COURANT project by carrying out the pre-FEED phase. This illustrates the relevance of our existing partnership with Hy2gen and we are looking forward to accelerating together the deployment of carbon-free hydrogen and its derivatives at scale,” says Marco Villa, Chief Operating Officer of Technip Energies.

“We very much welcome the opportunity to entrust Technip Energies with the implementation of the pre-FEED phase on COURANT. Technip Energies is a leader in the international carbon-free energy market and it was particularly important for us to place the responsibility in highly professional hands for our first Canadian project,” said Cyril Dufau-Sansot, CEO of Hy2en AG. Furthermore, the project sets an important impulse for the province of Québec and represents an important milestone on the way to a climate-neutral future for the region.

For more information visit www.technipenergies.com/en

Exolum is taking another step forward in its decarbonisation and diversification strategy by becoming a shareholder of H2Vector, a technology start-up based in Asturias which aims to provide energy solutions to enable the decarbonisation and electrification of society, based on renewable hydrogen. Furthermore, the company is conducting research into new forms of storage and transportation of green hydrogen based on the use of organic liquids, a field that coincides with one of the strategic lines of Exolum.

The investment in H2Vector is part of an ambitious Open Innovation plan through which Exolum seeks to establish strategic agreements that will enable it to incorporate new technologies and new talent in its business areas related to decarbonisation.

To this end, the company invests in and cooperates with emerging companies from around the world that offer proposals to add differential value and provide innovative solutions in projects linked to the development of new energy vectors such as renewable hydrogen, biofuels and synthetic fuels, energy storage, sustainable mobility and the circular economy.

For Andrés Suarez, Exolum’s Global Strategy & Innovation Lead, this agreement represents “another step forward in Exolum’s strategy to be a relevant player in the development of new energy vectors, and an opportunity to support Spain’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and specifically a young team set on transforming the energy business with whom we can develop new competences.”

Miguelangel Ocando, CEO of H2 Vector, considers that “the investment by Exolum will allow us to accelerate our technological developments and to attain greater visibility in the green hydrogen energy sector. We are especially pleased to have established this relationship with an industrial partner that has a recognised track record, and with which we share values, mission and objectives.”

Exolum is developing business opportunities related to renewable green hydrogen, both for industrial use and for mobility. The company is building the first integrated plant for the production and supply of green hydrogen for mobility in the Madrid region, Hydrogen Henares – with a production capacity of 60 tonnes per year of this new energy vector.

Furthermore, together with other companies and research centres, Exolum participates in projects that aim to promote the development of new energy vectors while benefitting from existing infrastructures, by researching technologies for the storage and distribution of renewable hydrogen in liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC). Such consortia include Regenera and GreenH2Pipes.

For more information visit www.exolum.com/en/

TGE Gas Engineering GmbH are pleased to announce that Mr. Hongli Sun has been appointed as the new CEO of TGE Gas Engineering GmbH and the TGE Group from April 1, 2023. In addition to his new position, he will continue to serve as Managing Director of the Shanghai CIMC TGE Gas Engineering Co., Ltd.

After graduating as a Master of Mechanical Engineering from South China University of Technology (SCUT) in 1994, Mr. Hongli Sun began his career as a design engineer at CIMC group. In 2008 Mr. Sun participated the acquisition of TGE Gas Engineering and the company’s transition to the CIMC Group. A year later, Mr. Hongli Sun was appointed Deputy General Manager of TGE Shanghai, spent three years in Ningbo site working together with TGE project team and delivered TGE’s 1st EPC project in Chinese LNG Terminal Market, and in 2013, he was appointed Member of the Executive Board and Director of the Board of Directors of TGE and Technodyne Ltd. After spending three years in Bonn office since 2015, He has been managing the Shanghai CIMC TGE Gas Engineering Co. Ltd. since 2018 to now and he has continuously developed our business successfully there in a trend-setting manner.

TGE congratulates Mr. Hongli Sun on his promotion to Managing Director of the TGE Group and they look forward to an even closer working relationship in the coming years.

TGE would also like to thank Thomas Wehrheim, who resigned from his position as CEO of TGE Gas Engineering GmbH at his request. Thomas has shown extraordinary commitment to the interests of TGE over the past three years, and we deeply regret his decision.

For more information visit www.tge-gas.com

Buckeye Partners, L.P. has announced that it is launching BAES Infrastructure, a diversified energy company that will focus on the development, construction, and operation of energy transition projects. BAES Infrastructure will pursue new energy transition-related opportunities, with its seed assets being Swift Current Energy, OneH2, Bear Head Energy, a low carbon hydrogen and ammonia project under development in South Texas, and other advanced-stage solar development projects.

“The launch of BAES Infrastructure represents another step in our energy transition strategy, reinforcing our commitment to investing in growth that aligns with our customers’ current and evolving needs, while facilitating the decarbonisation of the broader economy,” said Buckeye CEO Todd Russo. “This new company will allow us to leverage existing and new relationships and focus on investment and development activity in the energy transition space without compromising our focus on safely and reliably operating our critical petroleum products infrastructure.”

BAES Infrastructure will be led by Jamie Cemm as CEO. Mr. Cemm is the former Chair of Buckeye’s Board of Directors (2019-2023) and has led the strategy to expand Buckeye’s business model into a diversified energy infrastructure business. BAES Infrastructure is an extension of that strategy. Mr. Cemm will be joined by a specialised global team with deep multi-disciplinary experience bringing together elements of development, finance, engineering, and investment.

For more information visit www.buckeye.com

Arabian Chemical Terminals Abu Dhabi are thrilled to announce the opening of their new greenfield liquid bulk terminal in Khalifa Port Abu Dhabi, commencing operations from July 1, 2023.

Their state-of-the-art terminal offers unmatched facilities and services for storage and transportation of liquid bulk, ensuring the highest levels of safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

Whether you’re in the logistics and transportation industry or dealing with the oil and gas sector, the facility is equipped to cater to all your bulk liquid storage, distribution and transportation needs. Arabian Chemical Terminals mission is to provide you with unparalleled customer service and expert advice, ensuring your cargo is always in safe hands.

For more information visit www.act-uae.com

As a company, Alkion aims to be a responsible actor that makes a positive and pro-active contribution to the communities and societies that we are proud to be a part of. As part of our continued focus on sustainability, two Alkion terminals have installed car charging stations available to use for free for their employees, as well as switching company cars to either hybrid or electric vehicles. Geertje Kramer, Terminal Manager of Alkion Terminal Amsterdam (ATA), and Fabien Lusson, Terminal Manager of Alkion Terminal Nantes (ATN) and Alkion Terminal Bayonne (ATB), explain.

Fabien Lusson: “Two years ago, we added a car charging station to the Bayonne terminal. It is now possible to charge up to four electric or hybrid vehicles at the same time. This innovation was not only motivated by sustainability, but also by employee wellness: gasoline is getting increasingly expensive, and the car charging station is available to use for free for all our employees.” A similar car charging station will be installed in Nantes this year.

Lusson has also switched his company car from a traditional vehicle to a hybrid: “Because of the distance between the Bayonne and Nantes terminals, a hybrid car is currently the best option. As electric cars start accomodating longer distances, I will hopefully be able to switch to a fully electric vehicle soon.”

At ATA, Geertje Kramer has also taken the initiative to install a car charging station, in order to support employees in making greener choices: “It’s great to be part of a company that wants to take meaningful actions in terms of sustainability.”

Kramer also drives an electrical vehicle herself, although it isn’t a car. Her choice of vehicle is decidedly more Dutch: “I think I am the only Terminal Manager at Alkion to not have a company car, but a company bike! People ask me all the time why I don’t take the car, but taking my electrical bike is actually faster because I avoid traffic. I enjoy processing my thoughts at the end of a busy day with the wind in my hair.”

“We want to facilitate and stimulate the move towards lower-carbon energy alternatives,” Lusson adds, “it’s the only way forward.” Alkion is moving forward, the electric way.

For more information visit www.alkion.com

GE Renewable Energy’s Grid Solutions business have announced that it has been awarded three High-Voltage Direct Current contracts for a total of approximately 6 billion euros as part of a specially formed consortium with Sembcorp Marine for TenneT’s innovative 2GW Programme in the Netherlands. The contracts have been awarded as part of a five-year Framework Cooperation Agreement with the possibility to extend for another three years.

Furthermore, TenneT and a consortium formed by GE and McDermott have entered into an agreement based on which TenneT plans to award two further HVDC contracts in Germany for a total of approximately 4 billion euros to this consortium in April 2023.

The five contracts for the GE consortia are among 11 two-gigawatt (GW) contracts awarded to HVDC suppliers by the Dutch-German Transmission Systems Operator (TSO) as part of its goal to connect 40 GW of offshore wind farms to the high voltage grids in the Netherlands and Germany. TenneT’s large-scale project resulted from the Esbjerg Declaration in May 2022 at the North Sea Energy Summit, where Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium agreed to jointly install at least 65 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 – up from 20 GW today – to accelerate Europe’s energy security following recent geopolitical developments. TenneT plans to install 20 GW each in the Dutch and German North Sea.

The GE consortia projects cover the offshore converter platforms and the onshore converter stations for the two-way conversion between alternating and direct current. The converter stations are based on bipolar Voltage-Sourced Converter (VSC) technology – the most advanced HVDC technology – and will have double the capacity compared to previous monopole grid connection systems, resulting in fewer cables and platforms.

Tim Meyerjürgens, TenneT COO, said: “We are delighted to be working with GE and their consortium partners as part of our task to connect 40 GW offshore wind in the North Sea, one of the most important infrastructure projects of the century. TenneT has the technical know-how, scale, and geographical position to connect wind energy from the North Sea, while GE and its consortium partners have the HVDC expertise. Together, with the GE consortia and other HVDC partners we will accelerate the development of the offshore grid, thereby strengthening Europe’s energy security and putting Europe on track to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050.”

Philippe Piron, CEO of GE Grid Solutions, said: “Together with our consortium partners Sembcorp Marine and McDermott, we are honoured and pleased to play a key role in this critical infrastructure project for European energy security and decarbonisation. These awards confirm that GE’s Voltage-Sourced Converter HVDC technology is now recognised as one of the most advanced in the world.”

For more information visit www.mcdermott-investors.com

Rysco International, a leading provider of corrosion monitoring services for the oil and gas sector, is pleased to announce the launch of its new office in the United Kingdom. The new office will serve as a base for the company’s expanding operations in the region, providing clients with access to state-of-the-art corrosion monitoring technologies and expert technical support.

With over 15 years of experience in the industry, Rysco International has developed a reputation for delivering innovative solutions to help oil and gas companies protect their assets from corrosion. The company’s innovative monitoring technologies and analytics tools enable clients to proactively identify and address potential corrosion issues before they cause downtime or damage to equipment.

The new UK office located within the Aberdeen Energy Park, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen will be staffed by a team of experienced corrosion monitoring professionals, who will work closely with clients to develop customised corrosion monitoring programs tailored to their specific needs. The team will also provide ongoing technical support and maintenance services, ensuring that clients can rely on Rysco Corrosion UK for long-term corrosion protection.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our operations with the launch of our new UK office,” said Ryan Finlayson, CEO of Rysco International. “This new location will allow us to better serve our clients in the region and provide them with the highest level of support and expertise in corrosion monitoring.”

The launch of the new UK office comes at a time of increasing demand for corrosion monitoring services in the oil and gas sector, as companies seek to minimise downtime and optimise production while ensuring the safety and reliability of their assets.

For more information visit www.ryscocorrosion.com

VTX has completed its previously announced acquisition of Delaware Basin Resources and associated surface and water businesses. The assets comprise of 35,000 net leasehold acres and 46,000 surface acres across Reeves and Pecos counties in the Delaware Basin, with current production of approximately 40,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

“This is the starting step of our plan to build a significant producer in the Delaware Basin,” said Gene Shepherd, CEO, VTX. “We are excited to have closed our first acquisition since the launch of our partnership with Vitol. We look forward to growing our asset position, initially focused in the southern Delaware Basin.”

Ben Marshall, Vitol Head of Americas added: “This represents our second scale acquisition in the US shale patch. We believe the investment opportunity in upstream will remain attractive and are hopeful the VTX team can leverage our partnership to target new investment opportunities and build VTX into a sizeable producer.”

For more information visit www.vitol.com

Shell plc has published its latest scenarios: the Energy Security Scenarios. The two new scenarios explore how the world could evolve following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Specifically, they look into the possible energy and climate outcomes that could result from a world that has security as its dominant concern.

Shell Scenarios are not predictions or expectations of what will happen, or what will probably happen. They are not expressions of Shell’s strategy, and they are not Shell’s business plan; they are one of the many inputs used by Shell to stretch thinking whilst making decisions.

The first scenario, called Archipelagos, follows how today’s pressures could play out to the end of the century. National interest remains key and renewables are mainly seen as a way to improve energy security. By 2100, net-zero emissions is within sight, but the world has failed to meet the goal of the Paris Agreement. This scenario is “exploratory”: it seeks to plot a course from where the world stood in 2022.

The second scenario, called Sky 2050, shows just how fast the world must move to meet the goal of the Paris Agreement. Global climate security becomes the primary concern. Nations race to switch to cleaner energy and a competitive landscape emerges for technology, minerals and manufacturing capacity. Competition drives rapid change and the world reaches net-zero emissions in 2050. This scenario is “normative” and extremely challenging: it set goals of net-zero emissions by 2050 and warming restricted to below 1.5°C by 2100, and then worked back to the realities of 2022 to explore how these end points could be reached.

Key points from the Energy Security Scenarios include:

• Fossil fuels lose market share. The energy system is decarbonising, the questions is: how fast?
• There is no realistic path to an instant and steep drop in emissions.
• The average temperature rise is highly likely to breach 1.5°C.
• The future of energy is electricity, although hydrogen and bioenergy have significant roles to play.
• Bringing the temperature rise back down below 1.5°C will require large-scale carbon removal and storage.

Scenarios are informed by data, constructed using models and contain insights from leading experts in the relevant fields. Ultimately, for all readers, scenarios are intended as an aid to making better decisions. They stretch minds, broaden horizons and explore assumptions.

For more information visit www.shell.com/scenarios

IMTT have announced plans to consolidate its existing bulk liquid storage operations in Bayonne, New Jersey, which will free up approximately 130 waterfront acres for redevelopment on its 450-acre property. The consolidation will enable IMTT to serve its bulk liquid customers more efficiently and attract additional economic development opportunities to the Bayonne area. Even after the anticipated reduction in storage capacity, IMTT’s Bayonne terminal will continue to be the largest bulk liquids storage terminal in the New York Harbour area.

“We are pleased to announce that IMTT is consolidating a portion of the Bayonne terminal and embarking on a transformational development process for the eastern portion of the property. This will allow us to continue providing high-quality storage and logistics services on the west side of our property and pursue sustainable development opportunities on the east side,” said Carlin Conner, IMTT Chairman and CEO. “IMTT has proudly been operating in Bayonne for nearly four decades, and we are committed to continuing to provide the safe and dependable services our storage and logistics customers rely on, while also preparing the east side of our property for commercial activity that will support growth in the community for years to come. We are eager to work with the city of Bayonne, the state of New Jersey and other various stakeholders on a plan that will provide significant economic and environmental benefits to Bayonne and the broader New York metropolitan area.”

“We have been working closely with IMTT over the past year regarding the future of its Bayonne facility and I am pleased that this plan will bring economic development and jobs to the city,” said Jimmy Davis, Mayor of Bayonne. “We look forward to working with prospective partners to leverage the significant advantages of locating their businesses at IMTT’s unique property. This is a great day for the city of Bayonne.”

IMTT is actively considering all potential development opportunities for the approximately 130 acres on the east side of its Bayonne property. Given IMTT Bayonne’s unique location within a 15-mile radius of nearly 8.3 million people, the property is well suited for a wide variety of industrial and commercial uses. The property is also within a 3-mile radius of the Port of New York and New Jersey, the largest container port on the U.S. East Coast and one of the three largest in the nation. IMTT is focused on leveraging its property’s unique attributes, including access to the IMTT-owned East Jersey Railroad, multiple deepwater docks, and two interstate natural gas pipelines, to attract innovative and economic development to Bayonne, which is expected to generate a significant number of job opportunities and incremental tax revenue to the region.

For more information visit www.imtt.com

Figures from Puma Energy Aviation signal a strong return in growth across the aviation and tourism sector with fuel sales in many markets nearing pre-COVID-19 levels in 2022. Data from Puma Energy’s Annual Report show overall aviation fuel volumes rose 12 percent compared to 2021.

In Tanzania, where Puma supplies fuel at eight airports, jet fuel volumes grew by 45 percent year-on-year. This is encouraging news for economies which depend on tourism and air travel.

Puma Energy remains committed to supporting growth in the aviation industry through investments in state of the art new facilities and in cutting-edge digital systems.

For more information visit www.pumaenergy.com/en/

Energy Transfer LP and Lotus Midstream LLC have announced that the parties have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Energy Transfer will acquire Lotus Midstream Operations, LLC (Lotus Midstream) in a transaction valued at approximately $1.45 billion from an affiliate of EnCap Flatrock Midstream (EFM). Consideration for the transaction will be comprised of $900 million in cash and approximately 44.5 million newly issued Energy Transfer common units. Lotus Midstream owns and operates Centurion Pipeline Company LLC, an integrated, crude midstream platform located in the Permian Basin. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

Complementary Crude Gathering, Transportation and Storage Assets

Lotus Midstream’s Centurion Pipeline Company provides a full suite of midstream services including wellhead gathering, intra-basin transportation, terminalling and long-haul transportation services. Its expansive system, encompassing approximately 3,000 active miles of pipeline, covers major production areas of the Permian with nearly 1.5 million barrels per day of capacity. Lotus Midstream’s Midland Terminal offers 2 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity and additional supply and demand connectivity. The acquisition also includes a 5 percent equity interest in the Wink to Webster Pipeline, a 650-mile pipeline system transporting more than one million barrels per day of crude oil and condensate from the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast.

Energy Transfer’s acquisition of Lotus Midstream’s Centurion Pipeline assets will increase the Partnership’s footprint in the Permian Basin and provide increased connectivity for its crude oil transportation and storage businesses. The Centurion assets, located across some of the most active areas of the Permian Basin, provide significant gathering volumes from key producers while also enhancing Energy Transfer’s access to key downstream markets with consistent sources of demand. The assets provide direct access to major hubs including Cushing, Midland, Colorado City, Wink and Crane. The system is anchored by large cap producer customers with firm, long-term contracts, and significant acreage dedications.

Additionally, upon closing Energy Transfer expects to begin construction on a 30-mile pipeline project that will allow Energy Transfer and its customers the ability to originate barrels from its Midland terminals for ultimate delivery to Cushing. This project is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024.

For more information visit www.energytransfer.com

Wilma Kelly, HSE Director at Certas Energy, has been elected as the new President of the Tank Storage Association, the trade association representing all aspects of the UK’s bulk storage and energy infrastructure industry. Wilma succeeds Adrian Jackson, Chief Executive of the Oil and Pipelines Agency.

Arun Sriskanda, Managing Director at Oikos Storage, has been elected to the position of Vice-President, and will also join the Board of Directors of the TSA.

The Presidency and Vice-Presidency transferred at the TSA’s Annual General Meeting, which was held virtually yesterday.

Wilma Kelly said: “I am honoured to take on the role of President of the Tank Storage Association and I would like to thank Adrian Jackson for all his hard work, dedication and support over the past two years. I look forward to building on his success and taking the Association forward. The Tank Storage Association plays a leading role in several industry, regulatory and Government forums and works to ensure that members’ interests are at the top of the agenda. My priorities will be to continue to boost our connections whilst championing the value and benefits of this vital industry. I will be focusing on supporting the energy transition and ensuring the skills and resources for the future, particularly at a time of transformational progress for our sector.”

Arun Sriskanda said: “I am delighted to be taking on the role of Vice-President at this important time for our sector. I look forward to working together with the Association’s membership on the issues that matter most to us and helping to deliver the exciting new initiatives we are setting out for the months and years ahead. Thank you for the warm welcome from the existing TSA Board Members.”

For more information visit www.tankstorage.org.uk

Matrix Service Company have announced its subsidiary, Matrix Service, has been awarded the greenfield engineering, procurement, and construction of a second 600,000-barrel cryogenic ethane storage tank for a subsidiary of Enterprise Products Partners L.P. along the Texas Gulf Coast. The project, which was taken into Matrix’s backlog in the second quarter of Fiscal 2023, supports a continued demand for ethane in the global marketplace. Engineering for the storage tank will be completed by Matrix PDM Engineering.

“We value our long-standing relationship with Enterprise and appreciate their trust and confidence in us to engineer and construct this critical infrastructure,” Matrix Service Company President and CEO John R. Hewitt. “The global need for ethane continues to account for an increasing share of total U.S. production for its value as a petrochemical feedstock that can be broken down into ethylene, used in a wide variety of industrial, agricultural, and other applications. This greenfield infrastructure helps support that demand.

“With more than 65 years of legacy expertise in the engineering and design of cryogenic infrastructure, and as a leader in cryogenic storage and terminal solutions, Matrix is fielding a growing number of downstream project opportunities, including those for both ethane and ethylene, LNG, hydrogen, ammonia and propane.”

For more information visit www.investors.matrixservicecompany.com

BlastOne is pleased to announce the acquisition of VertiDrive B.V. located in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

BlastOne is a leading global provider of blasting and painting equipment and supplies and has been acting as a sales partner for VertiDrive, for more than five years.

The acquisition of Vertidrive will enable BlastOne to improve support for customers and provide innovative solutions for automating their blasting and painting processes.

The addition of VertiDrive’s robotics technology will enhance BlastOne’s ability to serve a wide range of industries, including shipbuilding, ship refurbishment, chemical industries, heavy fabrication, and infrastructure.

Blastone’s industry-leading experience and Vertidrive’s superior technology are a natural fit and complement the Superior Performance customers have come to expect from BlastOne solutions
“We are excited to welcome VertiDrive to the BlastOne family,” said Matthew Rowland, CEO of BlastOne. “Their cutting-edge robotics technology is a perfect complement to our existing product line, and we believe it will be a valuable asset as we continue to grow and serve our customers.”

“We are thrilled to join forces with BlastOne and bring our robotics technology to a larger audience,” said Stefan van Diessen, Managing Director of VertiDrive. “We believe this partnership will allow us to accelerate the development and deployment of our robots, and we are looking forward to working with the talented team at BlastOne.”

For more information visit www.vertidrive.com

Energy efficiency and environmental compliance once again have put Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) in a select group of US companies. MPC earned its fourth consecutive ENERGY STAR^® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR programme. MPC is one of only two companies in the petroleum refining industry to receive the Sustained Excellence Award this year.

EPA chooses Sustained Excellence Award winners at its discretion. Winning companies must go above and beyond the criteria for Partner of the Year recognition by showing continuous improvement over time in organisation-wide energy savings and environmental performance, demonstrating best practices and actively promoting the ENERGY STAR programme.

“As we accelerate historic efforts to address climate change, public-private partnerships will be essential to realising the scale of our ambition,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I applaud this year’s ENERGY STAR award winners for working with EPA to deliver a clean energy future that saves American consumers and businesses money and creates jobs.”

MPC’s award reflects company achievements in 2022, including:

• The refining organisation’s Focus on Energy programme reduced energy consumption by about 20 billion Btu per day from baseline levels. This reduction amounts to conserving 14 tanker trucks of gasoline every day and avoiding 31,700 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions per month.
• Six refineries (Anacortes, Washington; Canton, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Garyville, Louisiana; Robinson, Illinois; St. Paul Park, Minnesota) received 2022 ENERGY STAR certifications for energy efficiency performance in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide. This was a record for the most certified refineries from a single petroleum refining company in one year.
• Four terminals (Cincinnati, Ohio; Jackson, Michigan; Lansing, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana) in MPC’s midstream company, MPLX, achieved the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry in 2022 by reducing their energy intensity at least 10 percent within a five-year period.
• A joint venture partnership with Neste was finalised to progress conversion of MPC’s Martinez, California, refinery into a renewable fuels facility. It joins the company’s fully operational Dickinson, North Dakota, renewable diesel facility, which is the second largest facility of its kind in the US with a production capacity of approximately 184 million gallons per year.

MPC received the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award in 2018 and 2019 before earning the company’s first Sustained Excellence Award in 2020. For a complete list of 2023 award winners and more information about the ENERGY STAR awards programme, visit energystar.gov/awardwinners

For more information visit www.marathonpetroleum.com

Wood has completed carbon capture and transportation studies for more than half of the 300 carbon-capture facilities being planned worldwide.

From the US Gulf Coast of Louisiana and the oil sands of Canada to the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, Wood’s experts are advising and engineering the design and digitalisation of more than 175 carbon capture projects.

Daniel Carter, Wood’s President of decarbonisation, explained: “The technology to capture carbon emissions is critical to energy transition and achieving net zero. Our top five clients have committed to invest over $100 billion in decarbonising their assets, which presents a significant opportunity for Wood.

“Our focus is on helping clients achieve their net zero goals through investments in decarbonisation projects with attractive returns. In the US, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) means US producers can receive $85 per ton of CO2 captured which exceeds the cost of CO2 capture. That’s why we’re seeing an increasing demand to design Carbon Capture & Storage hubs.

“Importantly, we need to digitalise assets before we can decarbonise. Existing technologies could cut three-quarters of methane emissions from oil and gas production at no net cost to operators. It starts with focusing on the simple stuff like the ability to actively identify and manage sources of greenhouse gas emissions in real time using digital tools, and harnessing data to identify the optimum pathway for an asset to achieve its carbon reduction goals.”

For more information visit www.woodplc.com

Essar is pleased to announce that Mike Mackay has been appointed to the role of Chief Transformation Officer at Essar Oil UK. Mike will also join the company’s Executive Leadership Team.

Mike has over 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He also has extensive knowledge of refining and the downstream oil sector in the UK. He recently returned to Essar from a successful secondment in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero as the UK downstream oil sector’s advisor to Government.

Mike has a Master of Arts and Master of Engineering degree from Cambridge University, is an alumnus of the London Business School and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineering.

In his new role, Mike will develop and implement strategies to improve business performance and reliability as Essar transforms for tomorrow.

Essar Chief Executive Officer, Deepak Maheshwari, said: “We would like to welcome Mike back after his secondment. This is an important appointment to a senior position within the company. Mike will work closely with me to improve business performance and reliability across Essar Oil UK.”

For more information visit www.essaroil.co.uk

Discussions on the future of the LNG sector were held during two days at the 9th International LNG Congress (LNGCON) in Dusseldorf, Germany on March, 6-7, 2023. The Congress gathered key players of the industry to highlight topics of LNG’s role in energy transition, latest developments and asset solutions technologies, small-scale LNG facilities, automation technologies in LNG processes, alternative fuels, and sustainable production, transportation and liquefaction of natural gas.

Since 2016, the International LNG Congress (LNGCON) has welcomed gas majors, EPC companies, local gas companies, service and equipment providers, terminals, ports, truck and fleet owners, and governmental bodies to look through trends of the LNG industry and share innovative solutions.

In 2023 the 9th edition of the International LNG Congress assembled its participants in the Hilton Hotel, located in Dusseldorf. The Congress was supported by the Host Regional Partner – Hanseatic Energy Hub (HEH) that launched the Stade LNG terminal in Germany. These days Stade LNG terminal for liquefied gases “diversifies Germany’s import options for meeting affordable energy needs and contributes to a secure and sustainable supply”. Danielle Stoves, Commercial & Regulatory Director at HEH, shared an update on the LNG terminal project in Stade at the closing panel of LNGCON 2023. Danielle emphasised: “An emission-free terminal for LNG will commence operation at the Stade industrial park, whose infrastructure is also approved for bio-LNG and synthetic natural gas (SNG). Stade will also be the site of one of the five FSRUs chartered by the German government, a floating LNG terminal that is set to begin operations at the end of 2023”.

As for the audience, among the delegates were representatives from BP, Chevron, Naturgy, Shell, Repsol, Gasunie, Eni, Titan, Wood, and other LNG experts.

LNGCON 2023 began with an executive opening panel covering the topic of energy transition and LNG role in this process. Natalya Kusnetsova, Project Director of LNGCON, and Bertrand Leroy, Group GAS Director at Cryostar SAS, welcomed all the participants and gave the floor to Martin Cartwright from DNV to present the forecast to 2050. Then Alessio Torelli, Chairman & Managing Director at Snam4Mobility, shared Snam plans to put in operation small-scale LNG services and to increase its fueling stations network to meet the bio-LNG increase in demand. Other speakers from LIQVIS, Hoegh LNG, and PT Pertamina Gas gave an outlook to the LNG market of today and tomorrow.

The rest of the first day of the Congress delegates attended panel discussions and technical sessions dedicated to decarbonisation, bunkering, transportation, and terminal technologies. To round off the day, delegates visited the gala dinner, held in Seifenfabrik Dr. Thompson, which used to be the famous soap powder factory. Those days the fashionable restaurant opened its door to the Congress delegates to continue networking and then to feel an atmospheric ambience both indoors and outdoors.

The second day of the Congress started with a technical session on small-scale LNG case-studies and a panel discussion on LNG as an alternative to hydrogen. For instance, Julia Turner from McDermott gave a review of a number of concepts, highlighting the key drivers for small scale LNG projects and appropriate market conditions that help drive an economic and pragmatic solution. Also, Christian Hoellinger from Shell gave a speech on co-existing bioLNG and hydrogen together in the heavy duty road transport sector.

Moreover, delegates participated in the roundtable dedicated to the potential of alternative fuels. They brought up questions and expressed opinions on new approaches and implementation of bio-LNG and synthetic LNG.

LNGCON 2023 was finished by the closing panel where delegates reviewed the topics of countries expanding on the LNG market, trading and pricing strategies, and new projects in the LNG industry.

However, the LNGCON 2023 wasn’t only about discussion on LNG projects and insights. LNGCON 2023 had a closed door format that provided its participants with an opportunity to network only with top management and key technical representatives of the LNG industry. More than 380 delegates attended the Congress and the total number of meetings was 280.

The next, 10th anniversary edition, of the International LNG Congress is going to take place in Italy on 4-5, March, 2024. Do not miss the chance to join LNG industry leaders!

For more information visit www.sh.bgs.group/i2

TWTG and Thermo-Electra are excited to announce they have formed a partnership, which will combine the expertise in wireless temperature measurement solutions. The partnership will enable both companies to collaborate and leverage each other’s strengths to create new business opportunities and provide improved services to their customers. Customers will also benefit from bespoke tooling and improved operational safety and efficiency, the latter because of the increased accessibility of wireless temperature sensors. Thermo-Electra, established in 1962, is an independent Dutch manufacturing company specialised in designing and building thermocouple and Pt100 temperature sensors for industrial customers. Dutch scale-up TWTG is at the vanguard of Industrial IoT solutions and has become market leader in LoRaWAN®-based sensors with IECEx / ATEX certification. Both companies aim for growth and have a roster of international clients in the Energy sector and related industries.

The collaboration will combine the renowned expertise of Thermo-Electra in temperature measurement and TWTG’s proficiency in wireless IoT solutions to provide industrial customers with an end-to-end, one-stop-shop for wireless temperature measurement. Both companies will exchange know-how and support. This bundling of expertise will improve support to customers looking to add temperature measurement to their approach of monitoring operations. It also makes bespoke tooling in thermocouples and temperature sensors available to an increased customer base.

Growth is one of the aims behind the partnership. The changing Industrial IoT landscape, part of what is known as Industry 4.0, is the strongest enabler of that growth. The digital transformation sought by industrial customers in most notably the Energy sector, ensures increasing interest in wireless data acquisition and condition-based monitoring. Wireless I-IoT sensors, such as TWTG’s LoRaWAN®-based NEON product family, make that digital transformation and the reaping of benefits such as increased safety and efficiency, possible for larger customer groups than ever before. Besides temperature measurement, the NEON range also encompasses valve, pressure, and contact measurement and the ability to connect a temperature transmitter to specified thermocouples. Due to the cooperation, the design and manufacturing options for Thermo-Electra temperature sensors and the applications of TWTG equipment are almost infinite.

“I am glad Thermo-Electra and TWTG forged a partnership, one that opens new opportunities and is future-proof. While we are geographically in close proximity, both companies have a clear global reach. With the added expertise and the possibility of bespoke tooling, customers looking for wireless temperature measurement are in very good hands.” said Nadine Herrwerth, CEO of TWTG.

Claudia van Leeuwen, CEO of Thermo-Electra, explains: “We are very excited about the cooperation with TWTG. While we focus on manufacturing customer designed temperature sensors, TWTG focuses on the development of instrument digitalisation. The continuous pursuit of innovations and growth are characteristic for both of our companies. Alone we are strong but together we are stronger.”

For more information visit www.twtg.io

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has selected Orbital Sidekick (OSK) for its latest focus area study of commercial space-based hyperspectral imaging (HSI) capabilities under the agency’s Strategic Commercial Enhancements (SCE) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The SCE BAA contracts aim to evaluate and integrate emerging commercial remote sensing capabilities for their ability to support IC and DOD mission areas.

“This is an exciting step for OSK that strengthens our relationships with the defence and intelligence communities, and it comes just in time for the launch of the very first constellation of commercial space-based HSI systems,” said Dr. Katie Corcoran, VP of Government Affairs at OSK.

OSK’s first six-satellite hyperspectral constellation (GHOSt) will launch during 2023. Each satellite in the constellation will capture 472 spectral bands across the visible to shortwave infrared range (VSWIR, 400 – 2500 nm) at 8 m (HSI) and 3 m (panchromatic) GSD, and with a target revisit rate of up to daily for certain locations.

Orbital Sidekick’s vision is to build the most robust remote sensing and analytics capability in existence. OSK’s proprietary analytics platform and hyperspectral payload architecture will provide persistent space-based monitoring solutions powered by Spectral Intelligence™. This unique radiometric speciation and change detection capability will enable unparalleled target monitoring services for both commercial and defence users on a global scale.

For more information visit www.orbitalsidekick.com

Today two British businesses have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the development of the UK’s first ‘Rail to Zero’ carbon capture rail corridor, that would enable dispersed industrial sites to permanently store their emissions.

enfinium, one of the UK’s largest energy from waste operators, will work with Navigator Terminals, the UK’s leading bulk liquid storage provider, to develop options to transport carbon dioxide (CO2) captured at enfinium’s Ferrybridge waste facilities in West Yorkshire to Navigator’s storage facilities in Teesside using rail freight. The CO2 would then be transported safely offshore from Navigator’s facilities for permanent storage. Bechtel, a global leader in engineering, construction, and project management, has been selected to support the feasibility work underpinning the concept.

The announcement follows the decision by the Chancellor in the Spring Statement on 15 March to support the scale-up of the UK carbon capture and storage industry with up to £20 billion of investment.

The pioneering project would enable enfinium to decarbonise the UK’s largest, and one of the most efficient (R1) energy from waste sites in the UK. By permanently storing the biogenic emissions captured from its waste stream, the Ferrybridge site would also generate around 700,000 tonnes of ‘negative emissions’ or ‘carbon removals’ every year – making a significant contribution towards the UK Government’s target to produce 23 million tonnes of negative emissions per year by 2035 to remain on track to achieve a ‘Net Zero’ economy by 2050.

With enfinium’s Ferrybridge site as an anchor project, the project could unlock access to Navigator’s storage facilities to additional dispersed industrial emitters throughout the North of England.

Mike Maudsley, CEO of enfinium, said: “Our facility at Ferrybridge is the single largest energy from waste site in the UK and transforms non-recyclable waste into homegrown energy to power nearly 400,000 British homes. By installing carbon capture technology at Ferrybridge we could go one step further and remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than we release. In doing so we could generate carbon negative electricity, support Yorkshire’s climate change targets and deliver high-quality jobs in an exciting new green industry”

Jason Hornsby, CEO of Navigator Terminals, added: “The UK is a world leader in decarbonisation solutions, but it is clear that there is a need to develop alternative transportation and storage solutions for CO2 if we are to meet the country’s net zero ambitions. We have worked with enfinium to explore the opportunities for them to realise their decarbonisation plans by harnessing the rail network in the North East and connecting with our Terminal on Teesside before permanent sequestration of the carbon. This is an exciting UK first project, and we hope it can prove the concept of carbon transportation by rail opening up huge potential for further decarbonisation of British industry.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Seeing Navigator Terminals and enfinium come together to develop net zero infrastructure here in Teesside is yet more proof that our region is the best place in the UK to invest in industries of the future like carbon capture. We have the workforce with world leading industrial experience to make net zero a reality. Breathing new life into our regional rail infrastructure to deliver carbon capture is an exciting step in cementing our status as a pioneer in clean energy and reinforces that Teesside is a great place to do business.”

For more information visit www.enfinium.co.uk

ENDEGS Group, an expert in industrial emissions reduction, has participated in an innovation competition in Malaysia. At the event hosted by oil company PETRONAS (Petroliam Nasional), ENDEGS presented its innovative technologies and services in Kuala Lumpur from March 12 to 16. ENDEGS finished in the top 20 of the competition, for which a total of more than 500 companies and organisations submitted over 3,000 ideas.

Under the slogan Race2Decarbonise, state-owned oil company PETRONAS Malaysia has launched a programme for decarbonisation and emissions reduction. The company’s short-term goal is to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for scope 1 and scope 2 emissions to 49.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2024. In the long term, PETRONAS is targeting a 50 percent reduction in methane emissions by 2025. It also aims to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. In order to achieve these goals, emissions from its own processes are to be reduced, customers are to be supported in reducing emissions with clean energy solutions and remaining emissions are to be compensated.

To achieve this, PETRONAS Malaysia wants to work more closely with companies that offer emission reduction solutions. Therefore, the Race2Decarbonise competition was launched. Over 500 companies have applied in four categories to take part in the competition. From all participants, 32 companies were selected in a thorough evaluation process to present their technologies in Kuala Lumpur. ENDEGS was represented by founder and managing director Kai Sievers and David Wendel, Managing Director of ENDEGS Operations GmbH. In the category Prevention of flaring and venting, ENDEGS presented its innovative solutions for mitigating industrial emissions.

“We are proud that we were one of the initial 500 applicants that got the chance to participate in the final round in Malaysia. That shows how future-proof our technologies and services are”, says Kai Sievers, Founder and Managing Director of ENDEGS Group. “We want to thank our local partner for the great support in Malaysia.”

“In addition to our successful participation in the competition, we have also received generally positive feedback from operational executives in Malaysia”, says David Wendel, Managing Director of ENDEGS Operations GmbH. “We therefore see an opportunity to offer our services in Malaysia as well, after we have already expanded to the Arabian Peninsula.”

Reducing emissions and contributing to health and environmental protection

ENDEGS solutions can make an important contribution to reducing global industrial emissions. Too often, hazardous gases and substances are still released untreated into the atmosphere, subsequently harming both people and environment. In 2008, ENDEGS has enabled the mobile treatment of emissions for the very first time ever world-wide and has extensive experience with more than 1,400 successfully completed projects. The mobile incinerators can destroy all types of gases, gas mixtures and vapours of explosion groups IIA, IIB and IIC – without open flame and with a combustion rate of more than 99.99 percent. ENDEGS thus enables mobile and environmentally friendly degassing of tanks, pipelines, containers, ships and all other components applied in industrial plants.

The ENDEGS portfolio also includes other sustainable and effective technologies. The fleet of mobile vaporizers with nitrogen tanks can be applied to purge and render inert systems and system components containing flammable liquids and gases. This enables the degassing of components containing complex, liquid and highly flammable substances such as LNG/CNG, ammonia, hydrogen or propane. The remote-controlled ATEX Zone 0 robot as a rental service ensures greater safety during tank cleaning. ENDEGS has been awarded the TOP 100 seal 2023, making it one of the most innovative medium-sized companies in Germany for the third year in a row.

For more information visit www.endegs.com/en/

Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, announced it has been awarded an order by Bechtel to supply two Main Refrigerant Compressors (MRCs) for Sempra Infrastructure’s Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 project in Jefferson County, Texas, following the positive Final Investment Decision (FID) announced March 20.

Through the Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 project, Sempra Infrastructure aims to deliver critical new export infrastructure in the US, which will help meet continuing growth in demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG). In total, Baker Hughes will supply four Frame 7 turbines paired with eight centrifugal compressors across two LNG trains – for a nameplate capacity of approximately 13 MTPA – as well as two electric motor driven compressors for the plant’s boosting services.

“We are delighted to be working with Bechtel and Sempra Infrastructure to supply critical equipment for this innovative LNG project,” said Baker Hughes Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli. “Baker Hughes has been committed to LNG for over 30 years, and today’s announcement builds on our track record of delivering high-availability and reliable LNG technology, with low total cost of operations, further enabling increased exports of LNG from the U.S. Gulf Coast to meet global energy needs.”

Baker Hughes’ proven gas technology solution chosen for Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 provides Sempra Infrastructure with the highest production levels for the plant’s design, as well as operational flexibility, high availability, and lower emission footprint. The Frame 7 turbine is well-proven for its energy efficiency, availability, reliability and maintainability.

Packaging of the turbine/compressor train, a unique Baker Hughes offering, as well as manufacturing of the compressors and testing of the trains, will take place at Baker Hughes’ facilities in Italy. The expected commercial operation dates for Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 Train 1 and Train 2 are 2027 and 2028, respectively.

For more information visit www.investors.bakerhughes.com

Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), the leading representative body for the offshore energy sector, has today responded to the results of a leasing round that will enable companies to utilise offshore wind energy to power oil and gas installations.

The Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) initiative is a seabed leasing round, which is designed to enable offshore wind energy to directly supply offshore oil and gas platforms with renewable-generated electricity.

Crown Estate Scotland has today offered 13 successful applicants lease agreements, which will enable companies to get started on the innovative offshore wind developments.

Currently, platforms in the UKCS are primarily powered by gas turbines, or in some cases diesel generators. Electrification has an enormous potential to cut the emissions associated with operating offshore assets.

Commenting on the announcement, OEUK CEO David Whitehouse said:

“By the mid-2030s oil and gas will still provide half our energy needs, so supplying as much of this demand as possible from domestic production will help to control import emissions while protecting the critical skills and jobs needed for the energy transition.

“It’s therefore essential that the oil and gas we use during that time is produced as sustainably as possible, and electrification will be one of many solutions needed to make that happen.

“The projects selected in today’s announcement will play a big part in the transformation of the North Sea – providing low carbon electricity to power oil and gas installations and help decarbonise the sector.

“This is a particularly significant milestone as it will not only help the sector achieve the emissions reduction goals set out in the North Sea Transition Deal, but will also kickstart the floating wind market at scale – positioning the UK as a centre for excellence in low carbon solutions.”

For more information visit www.oeuk.org.uk

Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia has announced a new order for its first High-Efficiency (HE) upgrade for the GT26 fleet to be selected in Australia. In 2024, GE will modernise EnergyAustralia’s Tallawarra A power plant, powered by a GT26 gas turbine installed nearly thirteen years ago, with the HE upgrade, a proven solution that was first introduced for the GT26 gas turbine in 2019. This solution aims to provide the Tallawarra A power plant, located in Yallah on the western shore of Lake Illawarra in the state of New South Wales (NSW), with a leap forward in efficiency and output, supporting the expected energy demand following the closure of the coal fired 1,680-megawatt Liddell plant in the Hunter Valley region.

NSW requires fast-start gas-fired generation to support renewables growth as coal plants phase out of operations. Before the Tallawarra gas-fired power station commenced operations in January 2009, the site was a 320MW coal-fired power station which operated between 1954 and 1989. Now, it is a combined cycle station with fast-start capability, which produces less carbon emissions than conventional coal-fired power stations. The gas-fired power station’s generation capacity is 440 MW – which is the equivalent power to supply up to 200,000 Australian homes.

“We recognise the value of constantly evolving technology. With this innovative upgrade, Tallawarra A will benefit from improved efficiency and reduce carbon emitted per MWh, in line with our goals to accelerate the clean energy transition” said Michael Heazlewood EnergyAustralia project leader for the HE Upgrade. “EnergyAustralia has a great relationship with GE. We are working with GE to construct the adjacent Tallawarra B plant that will operate as Australia’s first peaking plant capable of using a blend of natural gas and hydrogen in its operations. In the future, we envisage the modernised asset powering Tallawarra A may also leverage the infrastructure and hydrogen supply powering the Tallawarra B plant and be able to operate on blends of hydrogen and natural gas as we transition to a lower-carbon energy future.”

GE’s HE upgrade for the GT26 blends cutting-edge technology from GE’s industry-leading F and H class fleets with additive manufactured parts and innovations in aerodynamics, material science and combustion dynamics. The significant performance improvement that the HE solution delivers is attributable to technology breakthroughs across every major component of the GT26 frame – turbine, compressor and combustor, that will help decrease fuel costs while increasing full-load output and extend maintenance intervals. In addition, Tallawarra A power plant maintenance intervals will be extended to 32000 weighted operating hours which translates to up to 44000 equivalent operating hours for a typical daily start and stop operating profile, among the longest interval in the industry for this platform.

“We are proud to be building on the strength of our long-standing relationship with EnergyAustralia, to improve and modernise assets to support the energy transition in the country,” said Ramesh Singaram, President and CEO of GE Gas Power in Asia. “The upgrade, GE’s first order for the HE in Australia, will help produce more power, while reducing CO2 emissions per MW. We are excited by the expected additional efficiency and dispatchable power that this solution will provide to support the growth of intermittent renewables in the country.”

The upgrade is expected to be operational by mid-2024.

For more information visit www.ge.com

MOL Group is transporting crude oil produced at its co-owned oilfield, the Azeri–Chirag–Gunashli in Azerbaijan, to Slovnaft Refinery in Bratislava. This is a major step for the company’s efforts to increase its crude sourcing flexibility. In addition, the arrival of the Seavelvet tanker from the Port of Ceyhan in Turkey to Omisalj in Croatia, and then transporting the 90,000 tonnes of crude oil to Bratislava through the Adria pipeline is a success story for MOL Group: it constitutes well-to-wheel integration of its value chain as it will process and sell petroleum products refined at one of its own refineries using crude oil produced at a field it co-owns. The shipment is transported from the Sangachal oil terminal near Baku to Ceyhan via the BTC pipeline, also co-owned by MOL Group.

Test production of petroleum products using the Azeri Light produced at the Azeri–Chirag–Gunashli oil field – of which MOL Group owns 9.57 percent – will begin in April. This comes after successful testing at Slovnaft Refinery of several types of oils from Middle East and Caspian region. This is another important milestone in MOL Group’s journey toward greater crude sourcing flexibility amid European sanctions prohibiting the export of petroleum products from EU member states.

“The arrival of this shipment of Azeri Light crude oil is an extraordinary event for us, as it further demonstrates our flexibility in crude oil sourcing. It also marks a new opportunity for us to cover the entirety of the value chain in our production, from well to wheel, which is always a major accomplishment. MOL Group has a regional security supply mindset, therefore we are especially delighted to contribute to supplying the CEE region with our own crude”, pointed out Gabriel SZABÓ, Executive Vice President of Downstream at MOL Group.

MOL Group is keen to become an increasingly important economic link between Azerbaijan and Central and Eastern Europe. In 2020, the company acquired 9.57 percent stake in the ACG oilfield, one of the flagship fields of the Azerbaijani economy, and 8.9 percent in the BTC (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan) pipeline.

“This shipment marks a milestone as it justifies once again our decision to become a major shareholder in the ACG oilfield in Azerbaijan. The capability to supply our refineries with crude sources from outside Europe gives us additional resilience during a period of rapid change. We have the flexibility to decide whether to sell our share of the oil produced at ACG or to bring it to our core region to contribute to the European energy supply security. Furthermore, it’s a great opportunity to strengthen the cooperation between MOL Group’s key divisions, Upstream and Downstream” – said Zsombor MARTON, Executive Vice President of Exploration and Production at MOL Group.

MOL Group is the third largest investor in the ACG project, after BP and SOCAR. This field represents 15 percent of MOL Group’s total production and 25 percent of its total reserves. The BTC pipeline has the potential to play an important role in MOL’s supply of oil to MOL Group’s refineries in Bratislava, Slovakia as well as Százhalombatta, Hungary.

For more information visit www.molgroup.info/en

Stolthaven Terminals is pleased to announce it has joined the Ammonia Energy Association (AEA), a global non-profit industry association that promotes the responsible use of ammonia as part of a sustainable energy economy.

Stolthaven believes low and zero-carbon new energies have a critical role to play as the shipping, storage and logistics industries move from traditional petroleum-based marine fuels to greener alternatives. The company is involved in a number of projects worldwide that are exploring the transition to green and blue energy, and the AEA provides essential resources, insights and industry connections to support further progress in this area.

Pim van den Doel, Commercial and Business Development Manager, EMEA, said: “As an infrastructure company with terminal assets and facilities in strategic locations, we believe we can complement other AEA members, many of which are technology companies or producers.

“We look forward to working with member organisations to develop projects that continue to drive the reduction of emissions and promote increasingly sustainable operations across the supply chain.”

Stolthaven Terminals is currently involved in projects to provide storage solutions for hydrogen, ammonia and green methanol, including its new joint-venture terminal in Taiwan, a potential ammonia import facility at the Advario Stolthaven Antwerp terminal in partnership with Fluxys, and a potential project in partnership with the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex in Brazil to develop a terminal focused on storing and handling green hydrogen and associated products such as ammonia.

Stolt Tankers is also exploring the potential of ammonia as a fuel alternative.

For more information visit www.stolt-nielsen.com

Koole Terminals are proud to announce that Koole Terminals has won the Bronze Global Tank Storage Award in the Terminal Innovation category. A great recognition for our pilot with an autonomous drone that can detect leaks and spills at the terminal, which we started together with our partner Falcker Innovations B.V. Innovations.

Marc Hordijk, Innovation Manager of Koole Terminals, says: “First of all, I would like to thank everyone for voting. We are now going to test with simulations and focus on refining the drone. In the future we also want to explore other ways of using the drone, for example for security or maintenance of tanks.”

The prestigious Global Tank Storage Awards 2023 are organised by Tank Storage Magazine and StocExpo for companies excelling in safety, innovation, or overall storage.

For more information visit www.koole.com

Odfjell Terminals Korea (OTK) is announced as the winner of Tank Storage Awards’ 2023 Safety Excellence Award in recognition of its impeccable safety record and ability to adhere to best practices to ensure the safety of all employees.

More than 200 colleagues from around the world convened at the 6th Global Tank Storage Awards to honour industry peers for their excellent contribution to safety, innovation and sustainability in the tank storage sector. OTK came out on top with the gold award in the category of ‘Safety excellence’!

“CEO Jong-Soo Kim, the management team, and the rest of the OTK organisation have all reason to be proud of their outstanding safety track record. OTK serves as a benchmark and resource in our safety work across the broader Odfjell Terminals portfolio.”

– Adrian Lenning, Managing Director Terminals.

The award winner was chosen by a combination of industry votes and feedback from the Terminal & Port Judging Panel. The judges were impressed with how the terminal has gone beyond conventional lagging indicators and has moved to embrace leading indicators. They also noted that Odfjell Terminals Korea had made a work permit required for all maintenance or operational activities that have no written process – a truly best-in-class practice.

The panel also highlighted the following factors:

OTK has high environmental and safety standards as well as a strong safety culture.

With no LTI for more than seven years (between 2015 and 2022), no leaks outside of primary containment in the previous two years, and no fatalities since operations began in 2002, the terminal has demonstrated exceptional safety records.

OTK has received safety awards from regional governmental organisations for 2019 and 2022.

The terminal handles safety proactively through safety improvement activities (e.g. life saving rules in 2022) in addition to the effective safety management tools and processes (such as observation rounds, last minute risk assessment, training, lessons learned).

OTK was nominated alongside GPS Chemoil, Indian Oiltanking Limited, ITC Rubis Terminal Antwerp, Oiltanking MOGS, and Odfjell Terminals (Chile), which all represented formidable rivals for the gold medal for the safety achievement.

For more information visit www.odfjell.com

Tecam continues to establish itself in the environmental projects sector in Europe, with the awarding of 3 new projects for emissions removal in relevant industrial sectors.

Tecam announces that it has been awarded 3 new projects for the removal of polluting emissions derived from the industrial processes generated at technically leader industrial sectors in Norway, Germany and France.

Once these projects are installed, polluting emissions are expected to be eliminated up to 99.9 percent at the industrial sites where the equipment will be placed.

This is a short overview of some technical details of each project:

Project 1 – Norway: design, manufacturing, installation and commissioning of a Thermal Oxidation (TO or also known as Direct-Fired Thermal Oxidation) unit, with a capacity of up to 3,500 Nm3/h of polluted gases, for a graphite production site.

Project 2 – Germany: design, manufacturing, installation and commissioning of a Regenerative Thermal Oxidation (RTO) package of 5,000 Nm3/h capacity + quench + gas scrubber for a petrochemical plant in north east Germany.

Project 3 – France: engineering services for emissions treatment for a tyre manufacturing plant in France.

Although the type of production plants where these Tecam solutions will be installed in may be different, they all represent leadership on new technologies seeking renewable strategies and circular economy being followed, and the solution from Tecam is fit-for-purpose.

Taking into account the polluting emissions that must be eliminated, even more if the most up-to-date Best Available Techniques (BAT) have to be implemented, Thermal Oxidation technology represents one of the most suitable and cost-effective option to guarantee polluting emissions elimination.

The RTO technology solution is getting more and more common in industrial sectors. Moreover, it fully complies with BREF recommendations and is specifically mentioned as one of the Best Available Techniques defined by the European Commission within the framework of Directive 2010/75 on industrial emissions and pollution control.

“The recent award of these 3 key projects for emissions abatement shows our commitment with different industrial sectors that constitute leadership on technology, renewable and circular economy strategies, and how Tecam can support the industry with eliminating their emissions” Tecam CEO Bernat Sala declared.By eliminating high concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Thermal Oxidation technology allows to minimise the concentrations of VOCs emitted into the atmosphere, and at its turn comply with all current and most restrictive regulations at an international level.

Thanks to the elimination of 99.9 percent of emissions derived from their production processes, these industrial plants are soon becoming places with the highest standards of safety and respect for the environment.

For more information visit www.tecamgroup.com

The international energy company Uniper, and Shell UK Limited (Shell UK), have awarded Shell Catalysts & Technologies a contract to deliver a process design package for the Humber H2ub® project, using the Shell Blue Hydrogen Process (SBHP). The deal, which was awarded following a formal selection process, could see the technology deployed at Uniper and Shell UK’s proposed project in the Humber, UK, which aims to produce low-carbon hydrogen that could be used to decarbonise industry, transport and power throughout the region.

Two other companies are also working on plant design proposals for the project, and the one that is selected will become the Humber H2ub® project’s preferred low-carbon hydrogen production technology provider. That company will also support the project’s FEED and EPC stages, ahead of the financial investment decision (FID) which is expected by around 2025.

The proposals involve building a blue hydrogen production unit at Uniper’s Killingholme, UK, site, capable of generating 720MW of low-carbon hydrogen from natural gas (enough to heat more than half a million homes a year). The carbon dioxide produced as a result of this process, estimated to be 1.6 million t/y, would be captured and stored permanently in a geological formation in the North Sea. This project could potentially contribute towards the UK government’s target to capture and store 20–30 million t/y of carbon by 2030 and to produce up to 10 GW of low carbon hydrogen.

Nick Flinn, Vice President, Decarbonisation Technologies, Shell Catalysts & Technologies, said: “Momentum is building for low-carbon hydrogen and also for the SBHP, which has recently been selected for a number of other Shell projects.

“Before we developed the SBHP in 2020, blue hydrogen projects only had steam methane reforming (SMR) or autothermal reforming (ATR) to select from. Now, the SBHP provides a third option. It uses Shell gas partial oxidation (SGP) technology and, in comparison with SMR and ATR, it captures carbon dioxide at higher pressures and at larger scales, which results in a lower levellised cost of hydrogen. With these advantages I believe we will develop a highly competitive process design package for the Humber H2ub®.”

Guy Phillips, Uniper Team Lead Business Development Hydrogen UK, said: “The award of process design package contracts represents a significant step towards our plans for low-carbon hydrogen production at Killingholme. This will help to decarbonise the UK’s largest carbon dioxide emitting industrial region. Hydrogen will be one of the solutions to achieve the UK’s target of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, and the Humber region and this project, will contribute to achieving it.”

The selection process involved Uniper and Shell UK sending a request for information in 2021 to a long list of technology companies. Based on this, they submitted requests for proposal documents which asked seven contractors to propose solutions for a final bid. Bidders had to submit costs, preliminary designs and bid concepts for the project team who were then able to select the contractors to carry out the full process design for the design competition.

For more information visit www.shell.com

RSK’s growth through acquisition strategy is advancing in Europe, with leading Danish geotechnical engineering consultancy service 4AP-Geoteknik joining the group as part of RSK’s expansion into the Nordic region.

4AP-Geoteknik specialises in land-based geotechnical services and owns and operates three vehicle-mounted drilling rigs. It supplies in-house drilling equipment and assets and has a laboratory for sample testing and analysis.

With its headquarters in Hadsten, Denmark, the company works across Jutland, Funen and Zealand. Its clients come from within the construction, housebuilding, engineering, utility, industrial and public sectors. It is widely recognised for its provision of top-tier services, including groundworks and investigation, testing and monitoring, calculations, advisory and design.

4AP-Geoteknik has identified the geotechnical advisory (design) and larger projects in the energy sector as the areas for future growth, sectors in which RSK Group companies have significant experience.

Managing Director Peter Frederiksen, who will continue to lead the business, said: “Being a part of RSK gives new opportunities for 4AP-Geoteknik and its employees. It enables us to grow and develop more than would have been possible alone. We are proud to be part of RSK’s journey into the Nordic region.”

RSK Group Chief Executive Officer Alan Ryder said: “The acquisition of 4AP-Geoteknik is RSK’s first in the Nordic region, and we are delighted to have initiated our growth here with a company that has built up a solid reputation for client satisfaction since its inception in 1978. We are keen to support 4AP-Geoteknik on its continuing geographic and sector growth, working with RSK companies and clients across Europe.”

For more information visit www.rskgroup.com

Baringa’s research shows that by 2027, peak demand for GB electricity will increase by 4GW but at the same time the imminent closure of coal, older gas generation and nuclear power stations will remove up to 6.3GW of secure capacity from the grid.

This will mean that the dispatchable capacity which supports GB energy security will fall from 93 percent to 85 percent at times of peak demand, increasing the risk of a supply shortfall. The system will need to rely on other forms of capacity, such as electricity inter-connectors and intermittent renewable generation like wind or solar, to make up the 15 percent difference at times of peak demand, or steps may need to be taken to reduce consumption such as through voluntary demand reduction or forced turndown.

Drax’s power station in Yorkshire is currently the largest provider of dispatchable power to the GB electricity system, as well as being one of the only renewable sources of secure supply. Its renewable biomass generation provides 2.6GW of electricity, supplying millions of homes and businesses with dispatchable, reliable power.

Whilst Drax welcomed the Government’s support for CCS in the recent Budget, it needs its BECCS project to gain Track 1 status, without which, Drax Power Station may become unviable and unable to contribute secure power at a time of such critical need. Until it receives this clarity, Drax has taken the decision to pause it’s multi-million-pound investment programme into the BECCS project at Drax Power Station.

At times with the tightest margins, Drax’s biomass units provide up to 11 percent of total GB electricity generation and up to 70 percent of the renewable generation. The loss of Drax’s and other biomass units from the GB electricity system would further reduce the country’s dispatchable capacity to 80 percent of peak demand (from the already forecasted fall to 85 percent), increasing reliance on gas and power imports, generation from intermittent renewables, and increasing costs for consumers.

Drax CEO Will Gardiner said,

“Whilst we welcome the Government’s ambition to invest billions in carbon capture and storage, we need a firm commitment to BECCS before we commit to investing £2bn into installing this technology at Drax Power Station.

“Until we have this clarity, we are pausing our multi-million pound investment programme in the UK BECCS project and urge Government to use the planned announcement at the end of the month to outline their support for this. Any further delays to this project could impact the UK’s security of supply, net zero and levelling-up ambitions and the viability of Drax Power Station.”

The research also found that by 2027 no established technology can feasibly replace the security of supply provided by Drax’s 2.6GW of biomass capacity, without significantly increasing carbon emissions and relying more on imported fossil fuel from Europe.

It goes on to state that meeting decarbonisation targets without the carbon removals provided by Drax’s BECCS units will be more expensive and difficult and would require accelerating decarbonisation in challenging sectors such as heating, industry and road transport.

The report concludes that it is more cost effective and lower risk to keep existing biomass open than to build additional new build or retrofit gas CCS capacity.

For more information visit www.drax.com

Air Liquide announces the construction of an industrial scale ammonia (NH3) cracking pilot plant in the port of Antwerp, Belgium. When transformed into ammonia, hydrogen can be easily transported over long distances. Using innovative technology, this plant will make it possible to convert, with an optimized carbon footprint, ammonia into hydrogen (H2). With this cracking technology, Air Liquide will further contribute to the development of hydrogen as a key enabler of the energy transition.

Ammonia – a molecule made of hydrogen and nitrogen – can be used as an energy carrier. It can be produced with a low-carbon footprint from hydrogen in geographies with abundant renewable energy sources such as sun, water and wind, or other low-carbon power. A global supply chain infrastructure is already in place for its production, transportation and utilisation at large scale to serve various industries. This allows regions with abundant renewable energy to export ammonia to end users across the globe, where it can be converted back to hydrogen to contribute to the decarbonisation of industry and mobility.

The innovative pilot plant, which combines a novel efficient process with Air Liquide’s proprietary technologies, is planned to be operational in 2024. The Flemish Government, through the VLAIO (Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship), has confirmed a financial support to the project.

For over 60 years, Air Liquide has mastered hydrogen from production, transport, storage and distribution to its final usages. Within the context of its ADVANCE strategic plan, the Group is committed to investing globally approximately 8 billion euros in the low-carbon hydrogen value chain by 2035.

Michael J. Graff, Executive Vice President, Air Liquide Group, said “Ammonia cracking complements Air Liquide’s already thorough portfolio of hydrogen technologies and adds yet another technological solution to enable the development of a hydrogen global market. More than ever, the Group is committed to making hydrogen a key element of the fight against climate change, in particular for the decarbonization of heavy industry and mobility.”

For more information visit www.airliquide.com