Gate Terminal, which is a joint project of Vopak and Gasunie, has received ISCC certification as a Bio-LNG warehouse.
Gate obtains LNG for its customers, stores it, regasifies it, then supplies it to the gas transport network for distribution to households and industry.
This certification will allow its customers to import certified Bio-LNG and distribute it towards shipping or trucks, as two examples. Bio-LNG is fully interchangeable with traditional LNG and can further help to reduce CO2 emissions by using the same infrastructure.
Gate said it is continually looking to reduce the environmental impact of the LNG chain and of the LNG product itself – and currently working on further steps along this sustainable journey.
Carboline has announced the purchase of Dudick. Dudick has been delivering solutions in corrosion resistance and chemical containment systems for over 50 years – it is a world leader in high-performance coatings.
President of Carboline, Chris Tiernay, said: “We are excited to welcome the Dudick brand into the Carboline family.
“This acquisition fits into our diversification strategy by giving us an expanded product portfolio in secondary containment, flooring, and water wastewater.”
Dudick will continue as a stand-alone brand within Carboline sold by both the existing Dudick team as well as the global Carboline direct sales team.
It added: “With the added benefit of more an expanded team, customers can expect to receive the same quality products and service they have become accustomed to with Dudick.”
Inter Pipeline reconfirmed today that the board of directors recommended that shareholders support the strategic share-exchange transaction with Pembina Pipeline Corporation and reject the revised hostile takeover offer proposed by an affiliate of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP.
The Pembina Arrangement is currently anticipated to close late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Chair of the board and the special committee, Margaret McKenzie, said: “The proposed combination with Pembina provides Inter Pipeline shareholders the ability to participate in a large, highly integrated energy infrastructure business with significant potential growth opportunities across the value chain, including additional future cash flow from the Heartland Petrochemical Complex.
“The strategic combination with Pembina supports an immediate increase in dividend yield and the ability to participate in meaningful anticipated commercial and operational synergies. In addition, following our thorough analysis, we expect the intrinsic value of this business combination to be in excess of $19.45 per share for Inter Pipeline shareholders, and superior to the Revised Brookfield Offer.”
The board’s determination followed thorough consideration, including guidance from its financial and legal advisors, and the recommendation of a special committee.
More information regarding the Pembina Arrangement will be enclosed in a joint information circular that Inter Pipeline and Pembina will prepare, file and mail in due course to their respective shareholders.
Stanlow Terminals, which is a newcomer to the green energy market, is aiming to build the UK’s first sustainable energy hub by reinventing traditional energy assets to manage the logistics and storage of cutting-edge bio-refineries and sustainable fuel.
Zara Giles, chief commercial officer at Stanlow Terminals, said: “We have big aspirations for Stanlow Terminals to be at the forefront of sustainable energy in the UK. Digital technology is key to this.”
The organisation required a robust sales system to support aspirations for growth. Starting with a new team, Stanlow Terminals had no sales solution in place and relied on Excel and Outlook for pipeline management. This made it difficult to share information on leads and created a time consuming and complicated process of tracking results.
Stanlow Terminals is diversifying the use of oil refinery storage assets to facilitate a green, renewable energy hub. As the UK develops a greener economy and reduces use of traditional fuels, demand for the petrochemical industry will begin to decline.
Stanlow Terminals combines logistics and storage to support large biofuel and sustainable energy projects, transforming oil infrastructure into a platform for green energy innovation.
An installation that can process plastic waste into pure ‘circular oil’ on a major scale has been produced by BlueAlp and Petrogas. This achievement is one that no other business has achieved.
Production of circular plastic eliminates dependence on petroleum and results in a significant reduction in carbon emissions. In recent months, bottlenecks and teething problems have been solved and the recycling plant in Ostend, Belgium is now in full operation.
CTO of BlueAlp, Chris van der Ree, said: “We are now continuously processing 1,400 kilograms of plastic waste per hour.
“The oil produced is so pure that it can be used immediately for industrial or manufacturing purposes, for example to make new plastic for the food industry. Where competitors worldwide are still struggling with volume and quality, for us this is already an accomplished fact. We are the first to be able to produce on such a large scale that operations are immediately profitable.”
The installation at the Renasci recycling plant in Ostend in Belgium was brought into operation last September. It has since been in use for more than 2,200 hours, processed more than one million kilograms of plastic, and achieved a consistent yield of more than 76 percent.
Van der Ree said: “We have always said that we will only offer the concept of our plastic-to-chemicals installation to interested parties once the process is working properly and has proven itself.
“There has been a lot of interest in recent years, but we have held back. We have spent more than 10 years developing and refining this innovative process, so the handover and acceptance of this installation is an amazing milestone, not only for our companies and partners, but especially for the contribution this will make towards a sustainable world.”
This innovative technology shows that circular production works – and it marks a milestone in resolving the worldwide plastic problem.
The construction of the new loading rack for trucks has almost been completed for Koole Tankstorage Minerals in Pernis. Koole expects the loading rack to be operational by the end of the summer.
Roel Kremer, project manager at Koole Terminals, said: “With the new loading rack, we ensure the innovative loading of fuels for our customers.
“When the drivers arrive using an access pass, the selection for the correct loading starts automatically. The license plate number is projected onto a screen above the loading bays. This way, they know exactly to which loading bay they must load the preselected fuel and additive mix. Koole has also been working on safety, and it is at all times of paramount importance to us.”
There are now ten loading bays, seven of them fully provided with tank truck loading equipment. The commissioning phase is now beginning, and the other three lanes will be ready with skids in the event of future growth to meet customer needs.
Phoenix Petroleum was initially hit hard when lockdowns were imposed at the start of 2020 and companies were forced to operate at less than minimum capacity.
The surge in work-from-home setups led companies to implement new guidelines and programs to ensure that employees are safe, productive and supported. Phoenix, as a result of proper foresight and collaboration among the company’s teams and units, we were able to leverage employee engagement amid the challenging situation.
Celeste Marie Ong, Phoenix vice president of human resources, said: “Safety was our utmost priority. We were closely monitoring the spread of the virus since it made the news.
With the assessment of our safety department, and judgment of the management, we announced alternative work arrangements. It was a challenging year as the pandemic abruptly changed how we operate and manage company and business activities”
The planning saw as many as 70 percent of Phoenix employees working from home. The HR team would conduct one-on-one check-ups with employees through chat every quarter for building company morale and camaraderie.
In addition to Phoenix’s positive business performance at the end of 2020, it also reported positive results on its annual employee engagement survey, including earning high assessment marks on its business response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 7-8, 2021, the 7th International LNG Congress was held on the BGS online platform, attracting more than 500 decision-makers from the LNG industry.
There were more than 350 meetings, where delegates networked to find prospective cooperation opportunities. Gas majors, EPCs, local gas companies, truck and fleet owners, operators, terminal representatives and governmental bodies all shared their thoughts.
Congress platform representatives included: Shell, Cryostar SAS, Wood, FLUOR, Saipem, Technip Energies, Saudi Aramco, BP, and Equinor.
Topics included:
Overview of the market in a post-coronavirus world;
Alternative fuels development (LNG, hydrogen, bio-LNG);
Exolum, the Spanish terminal company, is set to build a photovoltaic (PV) solar plant to power operations at its pumping facility in Mora, Spain.
Ingenia Solar Energy will be responsible for the design and construction of the photovoltaic plant, as well as its operation and maintenance. Exolum’s strategy is to build a plant that will reduce CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2025 and to become a zero-emissions company by 2050.
The plant is expected to be operational from 2022. It will cost €2.5 million, with an installed capacity of 4,213.44 kW and cover an area of 50,000 m3. The plant will operate under a “self-consumption supply without surplus” principle.
Exolum said the renewable energy from the plant will account for 27 percent of the total energy consumed by the pumping facility and will prevent the release of around 854 tonnes of CO2 annually.
A leader in the sustainable bioproducts industry, POET, has acquired the bioethanol assets of Flint Hills Resources in their entirety, expanding the company’s production capacity by 40 percent. The purchase comprises six bioprocessing facilities situated in Iowa and Nebraska and two terminals in Texas and Georgia, US.
POET has an increasing suite of renewable bioproducts and solutions, comprising bioethanol, renewable CO2, purified alcohol, high-protein animal feed, asphalt additives and corn oil used for renewable diesel. POET will now manage 33 bioprocessing facilities across eight states with a joint annual capacity of 3 billion gallons.
Jeff Broin, founder and CEO of POET, said: “This acquisition will increase POET’s ability to bring even more high-quality, plant-based biofuels and bioproducts to the world—allowing us to have an even bigger impact on fighting climate change and cleaning our air,
“We’ve been a leader in the biofuels business for 33 years and have never wavered in our belief in the power of agriculture and biofuels to offer the most accessible, near-term solution to climate change. We are on the cusp of a new sustainable economy that will be powered by renewable energy. Bioethanol is critical to this new economy and will continue to be so for years to come.”
German LNG Terminal, which developed the Brunsbuettel import project, anticipates signing several binding capacity deals in the upcoming period, as it continues to work on construction permits.
The shared mission, by Dutch Gasunie and Vopak, and Germany’s Oiltanking, is looking to build a regasification facility with a capacity of up to 8 bcm per year with two storage tanks. Germany’s RWE has already conveyed interest in taking a large part of the terminal’s capacity, as well as importing hydrogen from Australia to Brunsbuettel.
Additionally, German LNG Terminal signed two agreements for long-term capacity back in 2019 with Switzerland’s Axpo and an unidentified “global LNG player”.
A spokeswoman emailed LNG Prime and said: “Negotiations on binding capacity bookings are now at a very advanced stage and are being finalised.”
In relation to construction permits and FID, the developer has also recently received an exemption on tariff and network access regulations from the European Commission. This followed an approval by the German regulatory authority, Bundesnetzagentur, from December last year. However, prior to reaching a final investment decision, German LNG Terminal has to secure construction permits for the Brunsbuttel site, located in the greater industrial and economic zone of Hamburg.
The spokeswoman also said: “Essentially, we will go through two approval processes: a planning approval process and an emission control approval process in accordance with the German Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) for facilities on land as well as for waterside facilities.”
She stated that the company would submit these documents “in the coming weeks”.
Predator Oil & Gas is set to submit a bid to build and operate a floating LNG import terminal in Morocco.
Predator is already active in the upstream in Morocco and is looking to develop gas at its Guercif license onshore northern Morocco. The company is also hoping to develop a floating LNG import terminal in Ireland.
In April, Morocco’s energy ministry invited bids with a deadline of May 31.
The initial scope of the FSRU project in Morocco is for an annual requirement of 1.1 bcm by 2025 rising to 1.7 bcm in 2030 and 3 bcm in 2040.
Predator said: “It is potentially a complementary addition to the company’s business development strategy for Morocco to increase both materiality and the potential for future gas exports to Europe once the domestic Moroccan gas market reaches capacity.”
Morocco currently has only small gas consumption, estimated at a little over one bcm/year, and sources its gas from Algeria as part of its agreement to transit Algerian gas to Spain.
Predator said the FSRU project in Morocco was envisaged to be a much longer-term project that does not compete with the company’s short- and medium-term plans to develop Guercif.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, GE still succeeded in helping improve power generation capabilities for Songas Limited. It was able to do this through its upgrades and maintenance solutions.
Songas plant manager, Dr Michael Mngodo, said: “Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, GE succeeded in helping us improve our power generation capabilities, through its upgrades and maintenance solutions.
“We are pleased that the service interventions were executed on time to the highest standard of safety and quality, increasing the availability and overall reliability of our power plant.”
Plains All American and Hartree Partners have announced the execution of definitive agreements whereby Plains will sell its Pine Prairie and Southern Pines natural gas storage facilities to an affiliate of Hartree for a total cash consideration of $850 million.
Chairman and CEO of Plains, Willie Chiang, said: “Today’s announcement marks a key step in the execution of our 2021 Plan and deleveraging programme.”
He added: “Successful completion of this transaction will enable Plains to exceed our 2021 asset sales target of $750 million, generating additional free cash flow and building momentum to reduce debt and increase investor returns.
“We thank our PAA Natural Gas team members for their dedication to excellence over the past decade plus, and we know they will contribute as part of Hartree to continue to unlock further value.”
GTT appeared at the roof airlifting ceremony for the first LNG onshore storage tanks currently under construction. The ceremony was held in Tianjing, China, on June 7, 2021.
There are currently 10 storage tanks being built as part of the Beijing Gas Group (BGG) Tianjin Nangang LNG regasification terminal.
The ceremony was organised by BGG (Beijing Gas Group) and witnessed by the local authorities, the NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) and several other leaders from the industry.
The first tank is the 220,000m³ Membrane Full Containment. This membrane tank incorporates the GST® technology developed by GTT, and it is expected to be commissioned during the last quarter of 2022.
TGE Gas Engineering has been successfully audited by Transportowy Dozór Techniczny.
It has also been certified as a manufacturer of atmospheric storage tanks, including piping for liquefied natural gas on the Polish market.
Elsewhere, it has also started construction on the foundation slab for the new 180,000 m³ LNG storage tank in Świnoujście for its client GAZ-SYSTEM, together with its partner PORR Polska.
Tanks are designed and built in different variations for the safe storage of a range of products. The storage tank inspections will guarantee the safety, reliability and integrity of storage tanks, while providing more efficient operations.
Intero Integrity Services’ storage tank inspections can inspect storage tanks containing high and low flashpoint products such as lube oil, silicone, glycol, water, acetone, benzene, naphtha, methanol, jet fuel, gasoline among others.
Tank Explorer provides inspection according to the API 653 standards and EEMUA 159 – or customised to customers’ needs. The safe autonomous tank bottom explorer uses UT sensors to detect any variation in thickness of the bottom plate and can differentiate between product and soil side corrosion.
Intero has skilled personnel, a global reach and the best available equipment to ensure a high quality inspection solution customers can trust. They have inspected over 1,000 storage tanks successfully since 1997.
Intero Integrity’s advanced robotic inspection solution has been recognised by the SPRINT Robotics collaborative as a preferred standard solution to be considered for the majority of storage tanks all over the world.
The Smart-Hose® Extreme Pressure PTFE Hose Assembly is designed to work with extreme pressure PTFE hoses. It utilises an internal cable that is designed specifically for extreme pressure PTFE gas applications.
When a high-pressure cylinder filling hose assembly fails, the hose can whip violently resulting in property damage, personnel injury, and even death. The Smart-Hose® Safety System can protect your facilities and workforces from the potentially devastating consequences associated with high-pressure hose failures.
Integrated valves will instantly stop product flow if a catastrophic failure occurs. No human intervention is needed to activate.
Features and benefits
Tested under water with CDA or nitrogen to working and test pressure.
2-piece live swivel end fittings. (Standard)
All high-pressure hose assemblies are oxygen cleaned to industry standards.
Serial numbered and shipped with a test certificate and operating booklet.
Optional apparatus
– CGA connections – Scuff Guard and more.
Hose data
Tube: Gas quality or heavy wall smooth-bore virgin PTFE tube
Reinforcement: 2 Aramid Braids and 1 High Tensile 304 Maypole Wound SS Braid
Cover: SS Armor available on request
Temperature: -54oC to +150oC (-65oF to +302oF)
Accessories: Safety Loops; External Cable; Bend Restrictors; CGA
Gastech 2021 was due to be held in Singapore, which has an excellent record in managing COVID-19 and a strong reputation as a safe, innovative, and trusted destination for business and leisure events.
However, recent COVID-19 outbreaks across South East Asia have created uncertainty around accessibility and travel, making it necessary to find an alternative venue to host Gastech 2021.
Therefore, Gastech 2021 will be taking place in Dubai on September 21-23, at the Dubai World Trade Centre in the United Arab Emirates.
Organisers dmg events said: “This collective decision was based on the current global pandemic and concerns over accessibility and of course the wellbeing of our speakers, delegates, exhibitors, partners and visitors.”
Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, minister of energy and infrastructure, said: “The UAE is delighted to be hosting Gastech, one of the world’s leading events for the gas, LNG, hydrogen, and energy industry.
“Gastech comes at an important time for the energy industry with a shared global mandate to lower carbon emissions and provide clean affordable energy for all. Gastech is a key enabler of conversations and connections that drive the energy transition agenda.”
Announcing the news, Worley said: “We have been awarded an early engineering services contract by Shell to support the development of a new 200 megawatt electrolysis-based hydrogen plant.”
Once complete, the project will be one of the largest commercial green hydrogen production facilities in the world. The project directly supports Worley’s purpose statement of delivering a more sustainable world.
Shell’s Holland Hydrogen I project will be located on the Tweede Maasvlakte in the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. A final investment decision will be made later this year.
Worley said: “The project is being led from our offices in The Hague, while also leveraging our global hydrogen subject matter experts and capabilities. As a first-of-its-kind project on this scale, we are providing early engineering and asset integration related services including the selection of the best technology needed to support the overall business case.”
Operations are scheduled to start by 2023 and will produce ~50,000–60,000 kg of hydrogen per day. Renewable energy will preferably be provided by the Hollandse Kust (noord) offshore wind farm.
The green hydrogen produced will initially be used at the Shell refinery in Pernis to partially decarbonise the production of fossil fuels and support the industrial use of hydrogen in the heavy transportation industry.
“This project supports our commitment to lead the development of hydrogen projects, while allowing us to support Shell’s strategic interests toward developing new fuels further,” said Peter van Alphen, senior vice president, the Netherlands and Germany, Worley. “It is an important for the Netherlands, Shell, Worley and indeed the world.”
The existing agricultural AD plant with an installed capacity of 1,600 kWel will be refurbished by BioConstruct to improve its operational standards and protect the nearby environment.
AD Attleborough is set to be transformed to a state-of-the-art, highly developed facility, injecting biomethane to the local town. The facility will comply with latest standards of the Environmental Agency (EA).
Privilege Finance (as the plant owner) is undertaking these measures voluntarily to improve operational safety and futureproof the plant’s operations. A bund wall will be constructed, and all underground pipelines will be swapped for aboveground pipes to increase the protection of the ground water and environment. Furthermore, adjacent to the existing plant, a biomethane production facility will be built.
Eco Verde Energy’s Chris Waters, said: “We are delighted for the improvements planned at Attleborough AD and look forward to supplying green gas to the 4,000 homes in the local town, for most of the year.
“After the works are completed, Eco Verde Energy will be managing and operating the site and will be using our extensive skills and experience to optimise outputs from the plant and to deliver process improvements”
The new plant will process approximately 100,000 tons of food waste per annum and turn the energy into valuable biomethane, capable of heating roughly 4,000 households, resulting in a saving of around 15,819 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per annum, and contributing to the ‘net zero by 2050’ goal set out by the British Government.
Kai H Roth from BioConstruct, said: “We have gained valuable experience in similar waste-to-energy plants and are excited to be part of the Attleborough project.
“Due to the ongoing support from the government, we are hopeful that the AD market will remain active in the years to come.”
Oiltanking and Azur Drones have successfully equipped Oiltanking’s terminal in Copenhagen with state-of-the-art drone technology to support safety and operations.
Oiltanking and Azur Drones have successfully equipped Oiltanking’s terminal in Copenhagen with state-of-the-art drone technology to support safety and operations. The project is part of Oiltanking’s digital transformation as it enhances the use of smart and sophisticated digital technology at its sites.
With 56 tanks, the Oiltanking Copenhagen terminal handles and stores up to 460,000 cbm of clean petroleum products and fuel oil in a safe and reliable manner. By installing modern autonomous drone technologies, Oiltanking said it advances its safety performance and improves operations management at its terminals.
It said: “The drone technology by Azur Drones effectively supplements existing comprehensive measures such as regular inspections by operators and fixed video surveillance with a holistic, flexible and smart GPS driven monitoring system of Oiltanking’s operations.”
Fully autonomous, Azur Drones’ Skeyetech system provides around-the-clock service and security. It carries out day and night security patrolling, as well as operation specific flights, such as pipeline inspection during imports and exports or during pumping to Copenhagen airport Kastrup (CPH).
Thanks to its thermal imaging camera, the drone also performs temperature control of specific pumps. Skeyetech drone is ready to take off 24/7 from its on-site docking station. It is operated directly from Oiltanking Copenhagen Terminal control room thanks to its integrations into the existing video surveillance software of the site. The installation of this technology has been authorised by the Denmark Civil Aviation Administration.
Following a successful pilot project, Eurotank Amsterdam (ETA, part of VTTI), will be investing in the conversion of its gas oil tanks, making them suitable for storing biofuels, mixed biofuels and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).
The project will achieve a total capacity of 75,000 m3 and the initial phase will be commissioned at the end of this year. In its determination to offer storage for renewable energy and play an important role in the energy transition of the Port of Amsterdam, this will be an important step for ETA.
ETA is also developing the infrastructure for these sustainable fuels. The jetties and loading arms will be improved this year and a new truck loading station will be constructed.
The Port of Amsterdam is well connected by ships, trucks and trains to Europe and the rest of the world. Owing to the terminal’s strategic location, these investments will manufacture an important sustainable logistics hub.
The energy mix is changing, but Victoria still needs gas. According to the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) latest figures, that could be as early as the next five years.
Viva Energy said its planned Geelong Gas Terminal could provide “an alternate reliable source of supply for Victoria and resilience for the gas supply network in South East Australia”.
It added: “Our plans would see the gas terminal online in 2024 in time to boost Victoria’s gas supply and avoid the projected shortfalls.”
Viva Energy is seeking approval to develop a gas terminal at the Geelong Refinery. the gas terminal would bring natural gas from various locations in Australia and overseas, to meet the projected gas shortage in south-east Australia.
The gas terminal would require a floating gas terminal, an extension to refinery pier, a treatment facility and a new pipeline.
It added: “Having the gas terminal adjacent to the Geelong Refinery would leverage our capability as an existing Major Hazard Facility (MHF) operator and offer potential synergies between the two facilities, including the use of seawater.”
Over the two-year construction period, it said the project would provide 150+ jobs and around 50-100 ongoing local jobs once the terminal is full operational.
Lorenzo Simonelli, chairman & CEO at Baker Hughes, said: “I have attended the St Petersburg International Economic Forum for several years, but this year was even more important, as we met in-person, safely, to accelerate towards net-zero and a more efficient oil & gas industry.”
He added: “There, we announced several important agreements to advance the energy transition for our customers and ourselves. First, a key collaboration with our long-time customer LUKOIL to explore energy efficient technologies, including artificial lift solutions which could reduce emissions by up to 20 percent vs current processes, as well as launching new carbon reduction initiatives.”
Baker Hughes has also signed an agreement with Fortum to purchase renewable energy for its Russian facilities, “taking similar approaches we have taken in Texas, the UK, and other regions,” Simonelli added. “These are the collaborations we need to see progress in our journey to net-zero, and thanks to our partners for their commitments.”
The European Commission has approved the exemption decision for German LNG Terminal GmbH. The decision is in relation to the annual output capacity of 8 billion cubic metres per annum on a long-term basis from the date of the terminal’s commercial launch.
The application was first submitted by German LNG to the Federal Network Agency for exemption from tariff and network access regulation under section 28a of the German Energy Industry Act in July 2018. In early December 2020, the company had been informed of the decision of the German regulatory authority granting it exemption. As usual, this was subject to review by the EU Commission.
Rolf Brouwer, managing director of German LNG Terminal, said: “The commercial framework conditions for the LNG terminal have now been determined.
“We are extremely confident that we will now soon be able to conclude binding contracts with our potential customers, and commission the EPC contractor. We hope that the planning permission procedures can take a decisive step forward in the near future. German LNG Terminal is ready to take this step too.”
The joint venture is to build and operate a liquefied natural gas terminal at the Brunsbüttel location. The terminal will contribute to the securing and diversification of the natural gas supply at the time of the energy transformation in Germany. The terminal will play an important role in the energy supply of the future, with the possibility of handling green gases.
Wood Mackenzie, energy intelligence group, reports that Europe’s LNG market dynamics as the ones driving the LNG price recovery. Driven by a slowdown in global LNG supply growth, global LNG markets were set to tighten over the next five years.
Conversely, following the recent winter spot price rising in Asia, the European market has been sustaining global LNG prices, making the region the place for global LNG price formation. The title transfer facility (TTF) is currently trading close to $9 per million British thermal units (mmbtu), which is the highest level achieved since mid-2018.
Head of LNG research, Robert Sims, said: “Post-pandemic demand recovery, limitations on Russian pipeline exports and unseasonably cold weather, particularly in April, all contributed to a tighter market, pushing European storage levels down to multi-year lows. But the key dynamic for the price surge has been the strengthening economics of coal-to-gas switching.”
Demand for restocking and coal-to-gas switching economics in Europe will supports their prices through the summer. Market dynamics are expected to relax in 2022. The biggest risk to prices will be European carbon prices. The consultancy firm predicts that prices might soften in 2022, but market fundamentals point towards a further tightening of the global LNG market through to 2025.
With LNG demand in Asia continuing to increase and global LNG supply growth set to slow, competition for Atlantic LNG will intensify, reducing LNG availability to Europe. The global LNG oversupply that has disturbed the market since the end of 2018 has now come to an end, at least until the next wave of post-FID LNG supply comes to market post-2025.
After considering the Brookfield Proposal and the proposed Pembina Transaction in detail, and receiving the advice of its financial and legal advisors and the recommendation of the Special Committee, the Inter Pipeline board was unanimously of the view that the proposed Pembina Transaction “is financially superior and in the best interests of Inter Pipeline and its shareholders”.
The board of directors of Inter Pipeline said it continues to unanimously recommend the Pembina Transaction to Inter Pipeline shareholders.
As announced on June 1, 2021, Inter Pipeline and Pembina Pipeline Corporation have entered into an arrangement agreement providing for Pembina to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Inter Pipeline in an all-share transaction.
The board of directors of Inter Pipeline continues to unanimously recommend the Pembina Transaction to Inter Pipeline shareholders, which is “highly strategic for both parties”. Inter Pipeline shareholders will benefit from a 175 percent increase to their monthly dividend upon closing and share in significant annual synergies.
The Pembina Transaction will also enable shareholders to participate directly in the cash flow growth from the Heartland Petrochemical Complex that is expected to enter service in early 2022 as well as Pembina’s extensive investment opportunities.
Navis, a provider of operational technologies and services for shipping, has announced that APM Terminals successfully completed the latest implementation of N4 within its network of terminals – at the APMT Mumbai location.
The facility joins the more than 30 other APMT sites leveraging N4 as the standard TOS and with the system in place, Gateway Terminals India (GTI) is better equipped to provide significant enhancements in the interactive tools available to its customers while simultaneously driving efficiencies.
Patrick Heilig, head of terminal operations systems at APMT, said: “The implementation of Navis N4 3.8 at GTI Mumbai was long overdue and a welcome milestone. The partnership between APM Terminals and Navis resulted in a virtually trouble-free implementation that will elevate our Mumbai terminal.
“By adopting our standard TOS GTI will gain numerous long-term advantages. It enables the sharing of best practices for improved efficiency; a foundation for deploying Navis’ advanced modules such as PrimeRoute; the development of in-house expertise that understands our customers and our business; centralised monitoring and support; and faster, cost-effective global development of front-end applications for customers.”
GTI Mumbai is India’s busiest container terminal, handling more than two million TEUs annually.
Charles Gerard, general manager, APAC, at Navis, added: “Despite limitations brought on by the pandemic, APMT has not wavered in its commitment to roll out N4 to all of its terminals globally, with the goal of having one standardised TOS by the end of 2021.
“We’re proud that N4 was selected as the critical technology component that will enable all APMT sites to meet their business objectives and deliver first-rate customer service and by taking advantage of the N4 toolbox, GTI Mumbai is now well equipped to deliver on the goals it has set for 2021 and beyond.”
GTT has received an order for the design of two very large Membrane Full Containment LNG storage tanks from China Chengda Engineering Co Ltd.
GTT will design the two latest generation membrane storage tanks, each with a net capacity of 220,000 m3 and fitting with GST® technology, developed by GTT.
This order is part of the new cooperation agreement related to the Tianjin Nangang LNG terminal, signed in March 2021 between BGG and GTT and relates Phase III of the project.
The two tanks will be delivered in the second quarter of 2024 in the Tianjin south port Industrial Zone in China.
Philippe Berterottière, chairman and CEO of GTT, said: “This order for two more LNG storage tanks further confirms that GTT’s membrane full containment technology is becoming a reference solution for LNG land storage tanks due to its efficiency, competitiveness, safety and low environmental footprint.”
A subsidiary of First Gen Corp has secured $308 million through six-year term loan facilities with local and foreign banks to repay its existing debt, its parent company has confirmed.
FGP Corp, which owns and operates the 500-megawatt (MW) San Lorenzo natural gas-fired combined cycle plant in Batangas City, borrowed the money from four banks – Bank of the Philippine Islands, BDO Unibank Inc, Philippine National Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp-Singapore Branch.
“The proceeds from the initial drawdown on the loans will be primarily used to repay the amounts due on FGP’s existing debt of approximately $164 million,” First Gen said in a regulatory filing.
The firm added that the wholly owned unit plans to draw on the balance of the loan in the next 12 months to pay its upcoming projects in advance.
First Gen president and chief operating officer Francis Giles B Puno said in a statement: “We are honoured and grateful that our lenders continue to be supportive of our endeavours to deliver clean and cost-efficient power to Filipinos.”
The company is currently working to build the Philippines’ first interim offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, and more natural gas plants. The firm’s natural gas portfolio currently stands at 2,017 MW.
It has 3,495 MW of installed capacity in its portfolio, accounting for 19 percent of the country’s gross generation.
Oiltanking GmbH announced today that it has completed the sale of its investment in Matola Terminal to a consortium of Energi Asia DMCC and Al Braik Investments LLC, both based in the United Arab Emirates.
Matola Terminal de Armazenamento de Petróleos SA owns and runs a 59,600 cbm petroleum products terminal in the port of Matola in Mozambique. As of May 31, 2021, the consortium took over all employees, operations, customer contracts and legal ownership of Matola.
The Matola terminal is located in direct vicinity of Mozambique’s capital Maputo with excellent connections for seagoing vessels, rail cars and tank trucks. The facility is chiefly an import terminal that serves both the local market in the South of Mozambique as well as the surrounding countries. The terminal is primarily dedicated to the storage of gasoline, gasoil and kerosene.
The company owns and operates 45 terminals in 20 countries in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific including China and India. Oiltanking is one of the largest independent tank storage providers for gases, chemicals and petroleum products worldwide.
Air Liquide Engineering & Construction has signed a contract with Zeeland Refinery, a joint venture between TotalEnergies and Lukoil, to provide a carbon capture and liquefaction solution in the Netherlands.
Cryocap™ FG is a unique solution that enables to capture more than 90 percent of the emissions from the hydrogen production and will contribute to the decarbonisation of the Vlissingen site, by capturing more than 800,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.
As part of the agreement, Air Liquide will provide the License, Process Design Package and technical services for a Cryocap™ FG (Flue Gas) plant that will capture more than 90 percent of the emissions on the two Vlissingen site’s existing hydrogen production units and will have the capacity to liquefy 2,400 tonnes of CO2 per day. As part of its decarbonisation project, Zeeland refinery will thus be able to reduce its CO2 emissions on the Vlissingen site by more than 800,000 tons per year. The pure and liquefied carbon dioxide will then be transported for storage in the Dutch North Sea.
Cryocap™ FG is a new unique solvent free technology solution developed by Air Liquide. It allows the capture and liquefaction of carbon dioxide contained in concentrated flue gases thanks to a combination of Adsorption and Cryogenics technologies. As it uses electricity rather than thermal energy, Cryocap™ products can run on renewable energy to further reduce the environmental footprint of the sites equipped with this technology.
Air Liquide Engineering & Construction brings to this project an industry leading experience in the development and operation of Carbon Dioxide Capture & Liquefaction units, with proven reference. Its Cryocap™ unit in Port-Jérôme, France, has been in successful operation for more than five years.
This contract is an illustration of Air Liquide’s commitment to making a meaningful difference and to building a sustainable future through the abatement of CO2 emissions by providing its customers with environmentally-friendly technologies and applications.
David Maloney, group vice president and chairman of Air Liquide Engineering & Construction stated: “At Air Liquide, we are committed to making a difference through the abatement of CO2 emissions for our own production facilities and for our customers. We are pleased to support the Zeeland Refinery project with our innovative carbon capture technologies that will contribute to decarbonisation of the site.”
Antea, a global leader for the past 32 years in risk-based asset integrity management (AIM) software with 3D digital twin integration, said it is excited to announce expansion into Houston, Texas with the opening of a new office.
It said: “With this new local presence in the heart of the US energy sector, Antea can rapidly facilitate digital transformation and profitable inspection data management solutions for oil & gas, power generation, and petrochemical plants in the local region.”
The office also brings Antea into closer proximity with key technology companies and local oil & gas operators, “furthering our capacity to engineer new solutions for our clients and remain at the cutting edge of digital innovation. Additionally, it enables us to better serve our customers in the South with direct local support.”
Floyd Baker, VP of Antea North America, said: “We are very excited about our new Houston area office. It is located just north of The Woodlands on beautiful Lake Conroe. The move demonstrates our value to the US market and our commitment to providing the best software solutions and service to our clients, by placing Antea locally in the heart of the Texas energy sector.”
Floyd is an asset integrity and digital strategies advisor with decades of experience as an executive strategist for AIM, RBI and IIoT – bringing invaluable expertise and strategic insight to local plants, pipelines and facilities.
Antea specialises in highly flexible RBI-driven asset integrity management software solutions with 3D digital twin integration.
Gpi, the Dutch manufacturer of tanks and process equipment, has recently established a German subsidiary, Gpi Tanks GmbH, in Kassel.
The move is intended to consolidate the company’s presence on the German market. A team of three experts will operate out of Kassel providing consultancy services to a wide range of industries. The stainless-steel tanks are designed and manufactured at the company’s production sites in the Netherlands and Poland.
By entering the German market, Gpi Tanks is aiming at a period of consistent growth. CEO Fred Boere said: “We aim to serve the German market proactively. Establishing offices in the country itself, with a team of local German experts with long experience in the industry, means we are now much closer to our customers.”
As well as having its head office and two production sites in the Netherlands, the company has an office and two factories in Poland.
COO Arno Rodenburg added: “The new production facilities at Skarbimierz have enabled us to expand our capacity significantly in recent years. Thanks to modern machinery and plant we can work more efficiently, achieve shorter lead times and deliver superior quality.”
Excelerate Energy LP’s floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), the Exemplar, has begun operations in Bahia Blanca, a port city located 400 miles south of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.
The Exemplar, with a storage capacity of 150,900 m3, will deliver liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the 2021 winter season in Argentina, providing reliability and stability to the country’s energy system despite operating in the challenging conditions of the South Atlantic.
“We are excited to return to Bahia Blanca and continue our partnership with IEASA and YPF to deliver an energy solution that is flexible, cost-effective, and environmentally-friendly during a critical period of peak demand,” said Daniel Bustos, Excelerate’s chief commercial officer.“We are confident the Exemplar can perform again with our local Argentine crew to support the country’s energy transition and post-COVID economic recovery this winter.”
The return of Excelerate’s FSRU comes after the company won an international, competitive tender for seasonal regasification service in Bahia Blanca earlier this month. Excelerate developed the Bahia Blanca GasPort, South America’s first LNG import terminal in 2008 and has also operated GNL Escobar, an LNG import terminal along the Paraná River, since 2011.
Known as clean, flexible, and accessible, LNG helps countries like Argentina, reduce their dependence on carbon-intensive and more expensive fuel sources. Between 2016 and 2020, Argentina reduced its CO2 emissions by approximately 9.5 million tons through the use of LNG instead of diesel and other liquid fuels.
Excelerate said: “From FSRU to a complete gas delivery solution. Excelerate Energy is the only floating LNG provider offering services across the entire midstream LNG chain.”
