LBC Tank Terminals has announced the acquisition of the 25 percent shares previously held by Cepsa Química in the terminal located at the Scheldelaan in Antwerp.

This move is seen as a significant milestone for LBC in Europe, as it allows for further growth of the terminal. With access to additional land and a strategic location in the port of Antwerp, the terminal is well-positioned to take advantage of the opportunities and new products that will arise from the energy transition.

Erik Kleine, general manager Europe, expressed excitement about the acquisition and highlighted LBC’s commitment to safety, sustainability, service, and efficiency. The company aims to be a connected partner for its customers.

For more information visit www.lbctt.com

WSG Energy Services has announced the sale of its Well Intervention division, a move that will pave the way for investment and expansion for the rebranded company. WSGES plans to use the funds raised from the sale to fuel its international expansion in the Process, Pipeline & Industrial Services (PPIS) sector. The Netherlands-based company, which already has a strong global presence, aims to establish a permanent presence in North America to capitalize on recent project successes. The sale proceeds will also be allocated towards acquisitions and research and development (R&D) efforts to enhance the company’s emissions management processes and technologies. WSGES is focused on meeting the demand from energy companies seeking to reduce emissions and achieve net-zero goals.

Founded in 2005, WSG initially specialised in coiled tubing and slickline services before expanding its offerings to become the largest independently owned provider of process, pipeline, and industrial services to the UK and European refining and LNG sectors. Geert Prins, the company’s founder, will remain involved as Chairman, while Andrew Burrell continues in his role as CEO to lead the global growth of WSG Energy Services.

WSGES has recently made strategic acquisitions, including Eftech International in Perth, Australia, and a management team in Singapore, which have expanded its market share in Australasia and extended its service offering to the European gas and petrochemical sectors through the acquisition of Nitrovia, based in France.

Andrew Burrell, CEO of WSG Energy Services, expressed confidence in the future success of the Well Intervention division under its new ownership. He highlighted the company’s long-term strategy of focusing on midstream/downstream operations, specifically in Process, Pipeline, and Industrial services. With recent acquisitions and increased investment, WSGES is well-positioned to grow its business. Burrell emphasized the company’s commitment to R&D and its innovative emissions management capabilities, which present significant opportunities in the energy transition sector.

Geert Prins, Chairman of WSG Energy Services, spoke highly of the Well Intervention division’s new owner, Excellence Logging, and its potential for continued success in the upstream sector. Prins expressed confidence in the leadership of Andrew Burrell and the highly experienced international management team to drive the company’s future growth. He highlighted the importance of diversification into alternative sectors and the development of new products to address emissions management, aligning with the energy sector’s commitment to sustainability. Prins teased exciting developments in the pipeline for WSGES.

For more information visit www.wellservices-group.com

Stolthaven Terminals’ Singapore facility has once again emerged as the recipient of the prestigious Dow SEA S4TAR award for terminals. This remarkable achievement marks the third consecutive year that they have claimed this honor. The Dow Chemicals’ S4TAR SEA program was established to foster collaboration with logistics services partners in the Southeast Asia region and recognise outstanding performance in safety, service, sustainability, and social responsibility.

Following a rigorous assessment conducted by Dow, Stolthaven Singapore demonstrated remarkable strength across all four evaluation categories. General manager Chek Chai Foo highlighted two areas in which they excelled. Firstly, Dow commended their consistently good and reliable service, which was further bolstered by an electronic data interchange project. Secondly, they achieved significantly higher sustainability scores compared to their competitors. This can be attributed to their extensive range of local sustainability initiatives, including the implementation of green terminal transportation.

As part of their commitment to sustainability, Stolthaven Singapore took a creative approach by acquiring pre-owned electric golf buggies from a nearby golf club. These golf buggies are now being utilised to transport larger equipment within the terminal, effectively repurposing them and reducing waste. Additionally, refurbished bicycles serve as the primary mode of transportation for employees and visitors, promoting a greener environment while also promoting a healthy lifestyle. In another impactful move, Stolthaven Singapore made the decision to eliminate the use of disposable plastic cutlery and utensils onsite starting from 2022.

General manager Chek Chai Foo expressed his pride in the team’s achievement and emphasised their unwavering dedication to safety, customer service, sustainability, and social responsibility. He acknowledged the crucial role played by the passionate and dedicated team members, as well as the contributions from colleagues in the global team and shared functions. This remarkable hat-trick of awards not only showcases Stolthaven Singapore’s commitment to excellence but also underlines their belief in the importance of optimising their business, delivering exceptional services to customers, and fostering strong relationships within the community.

In addition to the success of Stolthaven Singapore, it is worth noting that Stolthaven Santos in Brazil and Stolthaven Moerdijk in the Netherlands have also recently been recognised by Dow for their exceptional performance in safety, service, and sustainability. These achievements further reinforce the company’s commitment to excellence across its global operations.

For more information visit www.stolt-nielsen.com/our-businesses/stolthaven-terminals/

Baker Hughes, an energy technology company, have announced a memorandum of understanding with airport management and operations company Avports to develop, implement and operate onsite microgrid solutions for the airport industry. The collaboration agreement addresses emissions reduction and the global industry’s goal to focus on zero-emission buildings, horizontal airport infrastructure, vehicles and aircraft systems.

At their managed airport locations, Avports focuses on airport innovation and sustainability initiatives that include power resilience and using power solutions such as green hydrogen. With Baker Hughes’ broad energy technology portfolio, which includes both hydrogen-ready turbines and heat recovery solutions ideal for microgrid applications, this collaboration will accelerate the adoption and development of customised microgrids to address each airport’s specific needs.

“Baker Hughes’ commitment to emissions reductions has allowed us to develop and successfully deploy low-carbon and hydrogen technologies to advance the energy transition in many industries,” said Bob Perez, vice president of project development at Baker Hughes. “The opportunity to bring these solutions to airports, in collaboration with Avports’ proven track record in airport management, is very promising as the increasing needs and demands of these infrastructures must be more resilient, efficient and cost-effective.”

Together, Avports and Baker Hughes are committed to a more sustainable industry that will bring maximum value to airport owners, users and communities.

“Providing a technical and economic roadmap to airports to meet their energy needs of the future is key as an airport management and operations company,” said Jorge Roberts, CEO of Avports. “Our partnership with Baker Hughes brings world-class technology and know-how together with our ability to support airport customers to realize these solutions at their facility.”

For more information visit www.investors.bakerhughes.com

Stanlow Terminals Ltd and Eni UK Ltd have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on the development of carbon dioxide transport and storage projects in the UK. Stanlow Terminals, the largest independent bulk liquid storage provider in the UK, will work with Eni UK, the UK subsidiary of global energy company Eni, to explore the collection, shipping, and storage of CO2 at the Stanlow Terminal location. The aim is to then deliver the CO2 to Eni UK’s carbon transport and storage infrastructures being developed in the North West region of the UK.

The two companies will assess opportunities to establish an open-access CO2 transport and storage terminal that can receive, gather, and store CO2 from various industrial emitters and sources through shipping from different locations. The ultimate objective is to connect multiple emitters with Eni UK’s licensed storage location via an open-access system, enabling the sequestration of significant volumes of CO2.

The development of CO2 ship transportation is crucial for expanding carbon capture and storage infrastructure as it offers viable and flexible routes between emission sources and storage sites. This infrastructure will provide more industrial companies with the opportunity to transport captured CO2 for storage in depleted gas fields.

This agreement follows Stanlow Terminal’s recent announcement of plans to develop open-access green ammonia facilities on the River Mersey, supporting Essar Energy Transition’s goal of becoming Europe’s leading integrated energy transition hub.

Stanlow Terminals is a part of Essar Energy Transition, which is investing $3.6 billion in various low-carbon energy transition projects over the next five years, with $2.4 billion allocated to sites in the North West of England. EET includes Essar Oil UK, Vertex Hydrogen, EET Hydrogen India, Stanlow Terminals Ltd, and EET Biofuels. This investment programme will play a significant role in accelerating the UK’s low-carbon transformation, supporting the government’s decarbonization policy, and creating employment opportunities in the Northern Powerhouse economy.

Eni UK is leading the development of carbon dioxide transport and storage for the HyNet North West consortium, which aims to transform one of the UK’s most energy-intensive industrial districts into the world’s first low-carbon industrial cluster. Leveraging its extensive experience in reservoir management, Eni UK plans to repurpose part of its existing upstream assets to store carbon dioxide in depleted fields in Liverpool Bay. This initiative will help the UK achieve its net-zero targets by rapidly decarbonising industrial activities in the region at a competitive cost.

For more information visit www.stanlowterminals.co.uk

Sungrow, the leading global inverter and energy storage system solution supplier, signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro to supply inverter skid solutions for a 2.2 GWac PV plant, the largest single-site utility-scale PV Plant in the Middle East, for the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project in Saudi Arabia for the NEOM Green Hydrogen Company. NGHC will produce carbon-free hydrogen using solely renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power to produce up to 600 tonnes per day of carbon-free hydrogen by the end of 2026. This project marks a significant milestone in advancing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision for a clean and sustainable energy future.

Sungrow is well engaged in the NEOM Green Hydrogen project. Earlier, a few quarters back, Sungrow signed the contract with Larsen & Toubro to supply 400 MWh energy storage systems comprising a DC capacity of 536MW/600MWh to the NEOM Green Hydrogen project. Sungrow’s 1+X Modular Inverter solution for the 2.2 GWac PV plant is another remarkable supply Sungrow contributes to the NEOM Green Hydrogen project.

The solution is an innovation combining the advantages of both central and string inverters, featuring a 1.1 MW single unit as the minimum, and the maximum capacity can be expanded to 8.8 MW by combing eight units together, bringing a more flexible design for different blocks sizes and making the on-site operation and maintenance easier. Each module is designed with an independent MPPT, further improving the power generation capacity of the power plant. Tailored for this gigawatt project, the medium-voltage station integrated 1+X Modular Inverter of 8.8 MW capacity is offered.

As a result of the optimal IP65 high protection capability, the solution is resilient to sandy, dry, and windy conditions. Due to the smart forced air-cooling technology, the inverter solution can work stably in extremely high temperatures.

More importantly, the 1+X Modular Inverter is also equipped with intelligent string-level diagnosis to improve the power yield and real-time parallel arc detection to protect system safety further. Therefore, these advantages help lower the overall operational cost.

“We are proud to be associated with this prestigious project as the EPC solution provider for the renewable energy and associated evacuation infrastructure for this project,” said Mr. T Madhava Das, Whole-Time director & senior executive vice president at L&T. “Our success in the renewable space in Saudi is the outcome of the support from our partners. We are very glad to partner with Sungrow on a project of such magnitude.”

James Wu, Senior vice president of Sungrow, commented: “We are thrilled to partner with Larsen & Toubro to bring our products to the landmark NEOM Green Hydrogen project. We signed the agreement to supply the battery energy storage solution a few months ago. Now we’ve agreed to supply our PV inverter solutions to the project. Sungrow will continue to follow our mission of ‘Clean power for all’ and is preparing for the major challenges and opportunities towards the carbon neutrality of Saudi Arabic.”

For more information visit www.en.sungrowpower.com

Vopak Singapore recently hosted industry think tanks and researchers from Singapore’s Institutes of Higher Learning at its Banyan terminal on Jurong Island. The visit provided an opportunity to showcase Vopak’s expertise in ammonia import, storage, and handling. Chew Kean Aun, the dedicated terminal manager, shared valuable insights into the safe and reliable management of ammonia operations over the past eight years.

During the visit, the guests were given a comprehensive facility tour, allowing them to witness first-hand the ammonia infrastructure at Vopak. This immersive experience provided them with a deeper understanding of the storage tanks, jetties, delivery pipelines, and the skilled workforce required to support ammonia’s adoption.

Ammonia is emerging as a promising zero-carbon fuel for power generation and bunkering, making the establishment of new supply chains crucial. Vopak is committed to supporting the industry in accelerating the adoption of ammonia. With its existing infrastructure and over 20 years of experience in safely storing ammonia, Vopak is well-prepared to play a vital role in this transition.

It is worth noting that Vopak has six locations worldwide where ammonia can be stored. This extensive global presence further underscores Vopak’s expertise and reliability in the field of ammonia storage.

Vopak’s dedication to promoting ammonia as a sustainable fuel source is commendable. Its commitment to safety, reliability, and innovation positions the company as a valuable partner in the ongoing energy transition.

For more information visit www.vopak.com

MSC has acquired the majority stake of AlisCargo Airlines, a Milan-based air freight carrier; the parties confirmed that the transaction is a first step towards the acquisition of 100 percent of AlisCargo Airlines by MSC, expected to happen at the beginning of 2024, once AlisCargo Airlines will restart operations with the delivery of a Boeing 777F. This transaction is yet another step to further developing MSC Air Cargo operations and creates a European gateway and transit point for MSC’s air cargo solutions. Furthermore, the deal complements MSC Air Cargo’s aim to expand its existing trade lane network with better coverage and increased flexibility.

MSC Air Cargo senior vice president Jannie Davel stated: “The acquisition of a majority share in AlisCargo Airlines is a step towards expanding MSC’s Air Cargo solution capabilities, and ultimately providing our customers with a quality and consistent offering. I am equally proud that we have found a partner that shares a common vision with us and has built a strong foundation for which we hope to further develop.”

The majority selling party is represented by the Leali Group, led by Mr. Domenico Alcide Leali who, after the success with Air Dolomiti started AlisCargo Airlines in 2019.

Mr. Giacomo Manzon, general manager of AlisCargo Airlines briefly commented: “I am proud to see a group like MSC entering as a major shareholder of AlisCargo Airlines and developing further the project that Leali Group has initiated. I am thankful for MSC’s trust in us, and we will work hard together to make it a success story.”

MSC Air Cargo has been building up its air cargo offering through numerous strategic partnerships with sales agents and software providers. MSC Air Cargo provides a complementary solution to MSC’s core shipping services and operates two aircraft managed by Atlas Air Worldwide between Europe, Central America and Asia and will add two more in the next 6 months. Following the completion of the operation, MSC Air Cargo will have a new operating license and a fleet of 5 wide-body aircraft within the next 12 months.

Banca Finint acted as financial advisor to Leali Group. Gianni & Origoni acted as legal advisor to MSC and Leali Group, with two separate teams of lawyers from its Milan and Padua offices, respectively.

For more information visit www.msc.com

Getech, a world leading locator of subsurface resources, has launched a solution to pinpoint sites rich in natural hydrogen.

Combining knowledge of natural hydrogen’s genetic systems with Getech’s proprietary data platform, products and machine learning analysis, the firm can predict the location of natural hydrogen deposits in the subsurface.

This emerging low carbon, cost efficient energy source has significant potential to support industrial decarbonisation. Often referred to as white or gold hydrogen, natural hydrogen is a promising commodity, with recent significant investments in new explorers including Denver-based Koloma, which has raised a reported $91 million in funds from investors including Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Getech’s approach categorises sources, migration paths, reservoir traps and seals which are then integrated with its data tools including the Globe digital platform, which models the earth’s subsurface and uses computational modelling and AI machine learning to provide favourability maps, identifying the sweet spots for developing natural hydrogen.

Richard Bennett, executive chairman of Getech said: “Natural hydrogen has huge potential as an efficient energy source as it has no greenhouse gas emissions on combustion and can therefore replace carbon intensive fuels in many applications as part of the energy transition.

“We combine our deep understanding of the processes behind the formation of natural hydrogen resources with our global platform of geological, geophysical and past-climate data to identify the locations of potential new discoveries. These results can be invaluable during initial exploration screenings that help locate and quantify sites of interest and de-risk subsequent development phases.”

Evidence suggests there are vast reserves of clean, geologic hydrogen beneath the earth’s surface that can accelerate the energy transition. Hydrogen can produce clean energy with only water as a byproduct and the gas can be used as a carbon free fuel for vehicles, for power generation and in many other industrial applications.

Natural hydrogen can form in a variety of ways and Getech’s approach focuses on three primary sources: serpentinisation, which involves the hydration of iron-rich rocks/minerals, radiolysis – splitting water molecules during radioactive decay of uranium or thorium and thirdly, the decay of organic matter.

Getech has significant expertise in locating subsurface critical minerals and has already successfully deployed approaches to target sediment-hosted copper, zinc-lead and sedimentary lithium deposits and sees significant benefit in applying the proven genetic approach to target natural hydrogen.

For more information visit www.getech.com

Williams have announced the execution of an agreement with Chattanooga Gas, a subsidiary of Southern Company Gas, to provide certified, low-emissions NextGen Gas over a 3-year period.

Through its Sequent Energy Management business, Williams has built a marketing platform to sell trusted low-carbon and net-zero NextGen Gas to utilities, LNG export facilities and other clean energy users with the goal of helping customers reduce emissions and meet their climate commitments. The delivery of NextGen Gas will allow Chattanooga Gas to achieve a minimum annual emissions reduction savings of approximately 646 tonnes of methane, or 16,152 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is roughly equivalent to removing the emissions from more than 3,500 gasoline-powered automobiles from the road for one year.

“As we look to a low-carbon energy future, Williams is committed to leading our industry with credible solutions to benefit our customers,” said Chad Zamarin, executive vice president of corporate strategic development for Williams. “We are proud to work with Chattanooga Gas to provide clean energy solutions through our NextGen Gas programme that proves the quality of low-carbon intensity natural gas. Through our industry-leading sequent marketing platform and large-scale infrastructure network, we are committed to connecting the best US production basins with credible low-carbon solutions that help our customers meet their sustainability goals.”

Williams is deploying its NextGen Gas platform across its vast infrastructure network, leveraging block-chain secured technology to track and measure emissions through the aggregation and reconciliation of multiple sources of data to provide a path-specific methane intensity certification. An advanced QMRV (quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification) programme deploys technologies including ground-based optical gas imaging cameras, aerial flyovers, satellite monitoring and internal operational systems, which are aggregated and reconciled using a block-chain secured carbon accounting ledger, allowing Williams to provide a certification that meets or exceeds industry leading measurement protocols.

For more information visit www.investor.williams.com/home/default.aspx

Exergy has signed a new contract with Energy Development Corporation for the supply of a 28 MWe binary system in Leyte, Eastern Visayas, Philippines. The project will be an expansion of the Mahanagdong 180 MWe single flash power plant, exploiting the available unused brine to produce additional electricity without requiring any geothermal field development.

The new power plant will utilise Exergy’s advanced ORC technology equipped with Radial Outflow Turbine providing high efficiency and reliability, thus maximising geothermal resource exploitation. Exergy is in charge of the design and supply of the complete technological solution and relative equipment. The ORC design consists of a two-pressure level cycle with 2 turbines coupled to a single generator and a water-cooled condensing system with cooling towers. It includes a brine acid dosing system to guarantee its appropriate exploitation without risks on the resource, and a DCS control system which will control the whole new power plant and will be integrated in the EDC control system architecture.

The construction will be executed by JGC Philippines Inc. acting as EPC contractor in partnership with Exergy. JGC Philippines has been providing EPC and operation and maintenance services in the Philippines for over 30 years. With a remarkable track record and strong execution capabilities they will be a key partner to Exergy in the project.

Once in operation the power plant will contribute to significantly reduce CO2 emissions by delivering clean, reliable and stable geothermal energy, available 24/7 to local communities and industries.

This is the second order awarded to Exergy by EDC after the successful completion of the Mindanao brine recovery project in 2022. It is an important confirmation of a valuable business partnership started between the companies, as Luca Pozzoni, general manager of Exergy International underlines:

“We are honoured we have been once again preferred by EDC for the Mahanagdong power plant execution. This new order gives us the opportunity to continue a fruitful collaboration, contributing to EDC’s mission for a decarbonised future.” He continues: “I want to congratulate my team on their commitment and hard work for the achievement of this target project, and Marco Frassinetti, who personally led the development of all the activities since the beginning. This is an important reference in our portfolio that will help us to expand our business in the Asia Pacific region, an area with a significant geothermal potential still unexploited, where Exergy is investing resources and efforts to further develop its presence”.

EDC is a global diversified renewable power company. As the world’s largest vertically integrated geothermal company and a leader in the Philippines renewable energy industry, EDC has a portfolio of geothermal, hydropower, solar, and wind power assets totaling almost 1,5 GW of installed capacity. With geothermal as its primary source of power, EDC’s 1,185.40 MW provides around 61 percent of the country’s total installed geothermal capacity.

For more information visit www.exergy-orc.com

INEOS has completed the formation of a 50/50 joint venture with SINOPEC for the Tianjin Nangang Ethylene Project, announced in December 2022, which is currently under construction by SINOPEC and expected to be on-stream by April 2024.

The petrochemical complex includes a 1.2 mtpa cracker, a new 500ktpa High-Density Polyethylene plant to produce INEOS pipe grade under license and 11 other derivative units.

The completion of the agreement marks the continued progression of the significant petrochemical deals announced by the parties in July and December last year, and highlights the close relationship and growing collaboration between SINOPEC and INEOS.

For more information visit www.ineos.com

Sapphire Gas Solutions is excited to announce their newest renewable natural gas project in Indiana. They are installing three BAUER COMPRESSORS INC. C52 high-pressure compressors to boost processed RNG up to pipeline injection pressure from a nearby landfill.

The C52 compressors from Bauer feature 350 HP motors and can compress over 1.1 million SCFD of gas, allowing them to efficiently compress the RNG and move it into Sapphire’s fleet of Compressed Natural Gas trailers for injection into a transmission pipeline. These reliable compressors have the capacity the biogas facility needs, and Bauer’s 5-year warranty demonstrates their confidence in maximising uptime.

Using Bauer Compressors is an integral part of Sapphire’s end-to-end RNG solution. Sapphire provides a circular economy solution with enormous environmental benefits by capturing greenhouse gases from waste sources and transforming them into renewable vehicle fuels. Their partnership with Bauer helps make projects like these possible.

They look forward to sharing updates as they commission the new RNG production plant and put these innovative compressors to work.

For more information visit www.sapphiregassolutions.com

In Europe, lawmakers are hailing hydrogen as the key to achieving a low-carbon future. But the path to how exactly it will be produced, distributed, and consumed at scale is yet unclear. The infrastructure for environmentally friendly production, as well as storage and transportation, must still be built up.

That’s why a Norwegian start-up is creating innovative solutions to build a bridge to a green hydrogen-powered future. Horisont Energi, with their pioneering project Barents Blue recognised by the European Space Agency and European Commission, want to become a world leader in blue hydrogen and clean ammonia with carbon capture and storage technology.

Soon, at the world’s most sustainable ammonia plant, Barents Blue has the potential to become a stepping stone for the transition from fossil fuels via blue hydrogen and clean ammonia, accelerating the transition to carbon neutrality.

Blue hydrogen: the bridging fuel

Hydrogen can be stored as a liquid or gas, and when burnt or converted to electricity in a fuel cell it only producing water. It has a wide range of potential uses, from use in heavy industry, power to fuelling trucks. The most environmentally friendly form is called green hydrogen – water is split into its components of hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis, using only electricity from renewable sources. However, it will take several years to build enough renewable power, such as solar parks and windfarms, and electrolysers to produce the amount of green hydrogen that heavy industry will need.

In the meantime, solutions such as grey hydrogen, the most commonly available variant of hydrogen today, are being used to pioneer more sustainable hydrogen options. Grey hydrogen is created using natural gas and steam, and releases carbon dioxide from the gas during the process.

Blue hydrogen, which the company specialises in, is made using the same basic method as grey hydrogen with input of natural gas as the main energy source. But Horisont Energi’s CSS technology brings sustainability into the picture. In a patented process, CO2 is captured in the process and stored in underground reservoirs, thus preventing it from entering the atmosphere. In this way, the start-up and its technology are helping to creating an important sustainable link to the green hydrogen transition.

The plant will produce 1 million tonnes ammonia per year per building train (up to two trains planned) which would have required more than 2 GW renewable power.

Putting ammonia to work

Horisont Energi’s developing technology for clean ammonia production could also help create infrastructure for transporting and storing green hydrogen.

Ammonia is a colourless gas made from a combination of nitrogen and hydrogen. It’s widely used in a variety of industries, and around 175 million tonnes are produced globally each year. Extensive infrastructure already exists for production, export, and transport, including a fleet of vessels that can transport 20 million tonnes annually.

Hydrogen is used to make ammonia, but ammonia can also be split back into hydrogen and nitrogen – meaning ammonia can be converted back to hydrogen once it reaches its destination. While specialised hydrogen infrastructure is being designed and built, ammonia is an efficient option for industries to receive hydrogen – and it already exists.

Creating ammonia using natural gas does release CO2 into the atmosphere, but Horisont Energi’s CSS technology decarbonises the process.

Creating a clean hub for energy

However, it will take several years to build enough solar parks and windfarms to produce the amount of green hydrogen that European industry will need. The start-up’s solutions for blue hydrogen and ammonia production, supported by its CSS technology, will come together at a new clean ammonia plant. Project Barents Blue, under planning in Finnmark, in northern Norway and set to open in 2027, aims to be the most environmentally friendly ammonia plant in the world.

The European Space Agency and the EU Commission have approved both Barents Blue as an Important Project of Common European Interest for hydrogen and the technology has also received a NOK 482 million (€482 million) grant from the Norwegian government.

Horisont Energi predicts that it will capture 99 percent of CO2 released during the clean ammonia production. Once in operation, it will produce one million tonnes of blue ammonia per year.

From Norway to the Ruhr

E.ON, which invested a 25 percent stake in Horisont Energi in 2022, had long been looking for a suitable partner to expand its portfolio towards closing the carbon cycle. While E.ON Energy Projects is responsible for CO2 capture and liquefication, Horisont Energi manages transport and CO2 storage.

By 2030, the plan will be for captured CO2 to be transported from the Ruhr region, Germany’s main industrial region, to the western part of Norway. This is key part of a new CCS project with the name Errai that is a partnership with Neptune Energy.

So, while the path to a hydrogen-powered future must still be built up – requiring time, massive investment, and government policies – at least a start-up like Horisont Energi and its technologies prove there is a bright future ahead.

For more information visit www.eon.com/en.html

The global energy landscape is continually changing, and Canada’s energy sector is at the forefront. As the world unites to combat climate change and pursue net-zero emissions, the Canadian energy industry is facing different challenges and opportunities in its workforce. Changes in technology, environmental consciousness, and an ageing workforce are all key factors facing energy-focused businesses in Canada and beyond. The Energy Works Career Expo will bring together industry leaders and job seekers from across the country to convene in Calgary, Alberta from September 19-20, 2023 to connect, engage, and discover career opportunities in energy.

The shift to sustainable energy solutions is a priority in the energy sector, urging the industry as a whole to look beyond traditional fossil fuels and embrace cleaner alternatives. The energy industry is increasingly turning to low-carbon solutions that require a workforce with advanced skill sets. Today, 45 percent of workers in the energy sector require tertiary education, ranging from university degrees to specialised certifications. The demand for highly skilled professionals is evident, and we must educate our workforce with the knowledge and expertise to spearhead the transition toward a greener future. Collaborating with academic institutions and vocational training centres to develop specialised programmes that cater to the emerging needs of the energy sector is critical to remain current with the ongoing changes in the industry.

“Our educational focus shifted over the past decade from traditional energy sources to creating and capturing energy in innovative new ways,” says Jon Cornish, Chancellor of the University of Calgary. “We are always looking for educators, students and industry leaders to help our post-secondary institutions continue to grow this rapidly developing industry.”

Encouraging young talent to pursue careers in the energy industry is another crucial pillar of our workforce transformation. By instilling a sense of purpose and pride in the roles they play in shaping the world’s energy future, we can attract the brightest minds and inspire them to embark on a fulfilling journey within the sector.

The province of Alberta stands poised to experience a remarkable 164 percent surge in clean energy jobs over the next decade, illustrating the urgency of embracing sustainable practices. This remarkable growth not only underscores the industry’s potential but also highlights the need to prepare our workforce for the challenges ahead. It is imperative that we invest in education and training programs that equip our workers with the technical proficiency demanded by this new era.

While the drive toward sustainability presents promising prospects, it also poses formidable challenges. One pressing concern is the demographic shift within the energy workforce. The labour pool is shrinking as experienced workers approach retirement age, leaving behind critical knowledge and expertise that must be transferred to the next generation. Reattracting experienced professionals and attracting fresh talent has proven to be an uphill battle, exacerbated further by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have seen a large demand for diversity in the energy sector workforce. Although a male-dominant industry, there are more and more we women entering the workforce and becoming leaders in the energy industry”, says Katie Smith Parent, executive director, Young Women in Energy. “It’s so exciting to see the interest and incredible talent that is entering the industry, hunger to help solve our biggest challenges, but we always need more. Through YWE, we have an incredible group of female professionals who are building their networks and supporting and role modelling the future of energy for young talent.”

These workforce demographic concerns cannot be overlooked. Canada’s oil and gas industry is projected to face a net hiring requirement of 19,820 jobs over the forecast period. While industry activity accounts for 7,840 of these positions, a staggering 11,980 jobs are needed to counterbalance the impact of age-related attrition. Notably, Alberta anticipates a remarkable 164 percent surge in clean energy jobs over the coming decade, underscoring the industry’s potential and the pressing need to prepare the workforce for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

To secure Canada’s energy future, a proactive approach to workforce planning is essential. A culture of continuous learning and upskilling among existing employees is required to bridge the skills gap and empower them to adapt to evolving technologies and industry demands.

The Energy Works Career Expo is the only career expo specifically dedicated to making connections with job-seekers to companies that are hiring in the Canadian energy sector, including oil & gas, electrification and utilities, hydrogen and CCUS sectors. This event is for everyone from high-level engineers to new graduates who are looking for employment or to find their ideal job. Every exhibitor on display is currently recruiting for roles in their company.

For more information visit www.energyworkscareer.com

Technip Energies and Enerkem Inc. have signed a memorandum of understanding to enter into a collaboration agreement aimed at accelerating the deployment of Enerkem’s technology platform for biofuels and circular chemical products from non-recyclable waste materials.

Enerkem specialises in the development and commercialisation of its groundbreaking gasification technology transforming non-recyclable waste into biofuels, low-carbon fuels and circular chemicals, catering to hard-to-abate sectors such as sustainable aviation and marine fuels. Since 2016, Enerkem has been operating a commercial demonstration scale facility in Alberta, Canada. Additionally, the company is currently involved in the development and construction of new commercial-scale waste-to-methanol facilities in Canada and Europe.

Technip Energies, having successfully executed bio and low-carbon fuels projects worldwide, will contribute its expertise in engineering, technology integration and project delivery to support projects developed by Enerkem. This partnership will enhance Enerkem’s project delivery capacity and speed. Furthermore, the collaboration will focus on strategic efforts to optimise design elements and industrialise the approach through the replication of Enerkem’s designs for future projects.

To expedite the deployment of its technology, Enerkem intends to establish a Development Company. The purpose of DevCo is to acquire sites and secure relevant permits for the replicable methanol biorefinery design, supporting the production of bio and low-carbon fuels, as well as circular chemicals.

Dominique Boies, CEO of Enerkem, stated: “We are excited to partner with Technip Energies to accelerate the deployment of Enerkem’s technology in Europe, North America, and the Middle East. Technip Energies’ extensive expertise will enable Enerkem’s clients to benefit from projects speed to market and cost efficiencies, supporting their decarbonisation efforts and sustainability goals.”

Bhaskar Patel, SVP sustainable fuels, chemicals and circularity of Technip Energies, said: “We are pleased to join forces with Enerkem on the deployment of its technology platform to convert waste into sustainable and valuable end products such as biofuels. By leveraging our expertise in engineering, sustainable chemistry and biofuels projects, we will support project execution and Enerkem’s technology deployment.”

For more information visit www.technipenergies.com/en

SIS GmbH as well as ENDEGS GmbH are merging under the umbrella of ETS Group GmbH – Environmental Technology Services – in order to combine their strengths and to jointly drive the internationalisation of the group even more intensively. Both companies specialise in thermal exhaust gas purification and degassing and are international leaders in the reduction of emissions of volatile hydrocarbons in the petrochemical and other sectors of the chemical and related industries. By using mobile combustion technologies, both companies make a significant contribution to occupational safety and environmental sustainability. Together, the two companies intend to invest in further development and the targeted expansion of management and sales structures in order to realise the full potential of the solutions offered in existing core markets and, in addition, to open up new opportunities in international markets of the chemical and other industries with a need for sustainable exhaust gas cleaning.

The newly formed group will be led by Dr. Uwe Nickel, Normen Gerlach (managing director of SIS) and David Wendel (managing director of ENDEGS) as group managing directors. The founders of SIS, Guido Soyk, and ENDEGS, Kai Sievers, will leave the day-to-day operations of the company and will continue to be associated with ETS Group in advisory capacities. The closing of the transaction is expected to take place in coming weeks. The parties have agreed not to disclose further details of the transaction.

Realisation of growth opportunities in the core market and development of further regions and industries for ETS‘ solutions with ECM as an experienced investment partner

With an equipment park of around 50 mobile vapour combustion units with a performance range of 1-20 MW as well as a fleet of nitrogen vaporisers, ATEX Zone 0 blowers and ATEX Zone 0 robots and further additional equipment for use on customer sites and patented technology, ETS Group has a market-leading position in Western Europe. The group’s management sees considerable growth potential in this area, especially due to continuously stricter emission regulations in Europe. In addition, due to an increasingly strong international demand for the services offered, there are considerable opportunities in other countries and regions for the use of the technologies to increase sustainability in environmental protection. First steps have already been taken in other regions such as Middle East or Asia.

For the future, the group is planning further investments in the expansion of the combined equipment park as well as continuous further development of the proprietary technology in order to meet the high demands of existing and new customer industries and to further expand its own technological leadership. With the merger under the umbrella of ETS Group, both established brands SIS and ENDEGS as well as both company locations in Amelinghausen and Pförring will be retained and merged into a joint group under the group management. ETS Group is supported by the independent German private equity company ECM Equity Capital Management GmbH managed fund German Equity Partners V, which has already acquired a majority stake in SIS in 2019.

Dr. Uwe Nickel, managing director and chief executive officer of ETS Group, said: “SIS and ENDEGS not only have an impressive product and service offering, but also a high level of technological expertise and leading market positions. It is clear that demand for both companies‘ solutions will continue to grow in light of climate change and increasingly stringent regulation of hazardous emissions. However, growing beyond a certain size and core market is often a challenge for founders. Combining the strengths of both companies and complementing the management structures under the umbrella of ETS Group is therefore the logical next step for both companies. Personally, I am pleased to be able to contribute my expertise in the chemical industry as well as in bringing together dynamically growing companies for the benefit of the joint group.”

Normen Gerlach, managing director and chief operating officer of ETS Group and managing director of SIS added: “By combining SIS and ENDEGS to form ETS Group, we are creating a unique platform with a strong growth profile and an exceptional team. We look forward to working with David Wendel and the entire ENDEGS team to continue to drive growth through investment in the organisation as well as in technology. We are excited about this new partnership and the opportunity to further build on our collective strengths for the benefit of our employees and customers.”

David Wendel, managing director and chief commercial officer of ETS Group and managing director of ENDEGS explained: “In the past years, we have already succeeded in achieving continuous growth and in making ENDEGS’ services better known internationally. The partnership with SIS under the umbrella of ETS Group now enables us to take the next steps in internationalisation even more actively and to sustainably expand the unique services offering of both companies. We look forward to opening a new chapter in the history of ENDEGS with the integration into ETS Group.”

Kai Sievers, founder and CEO of ENDEGS added: “We are proud to have been able to develop ENDEGS into a leading company in an extremely interesting and increasingly relevant market for the reduction of emissions from volatile hydrocarbons. In order to fully realise the further growth potential for our solutions and at the same time to implement my entrepreneurial succession, we have been looking for a partner who fits our identity of a mid-sized company, but at the same time understands the technology and our customers and will continue the historical grown relationships in a spirit of partnership. I am fully convinced that the newly created ETS Group offers the perfect conditions to successfully continue the growth path of recent years.”

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

Occidental and ADNOC have announced a strategic collaboration to evaluate investment opportunities in Direct Air Capture facilities and carbon dioxide sequestration hubs in the United States and the United Arab Emirates. The aim of this collaboration is to accelerate the net-zero goals of both companies by developing carbon management platforms.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding, ADNOC will assess participation in DAC plants and CO2 sequestration hubs being developed by Occidental subsidiary, 1PointFive, in the United States. Additionally, the companies will consider jointly developing CO2 sequestration hubs in the UAE and conducting feasibility studies for a 1 million tonne-per-year DAC plant. These initiatives will provide emissions reduction solutions for carbon-intensive industrial emitters and other hard-to-abate sectors in the UAE, including aviation and maritime operations.

The collaboration will also explore opportunities to incorporate CO2-based technologies, such as emissions-free power and sustainable fuels, in the UAE. This aligns with the UAE-US Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy, which aims to mobilise $100 billion in clean energy and carbon management projects, including carbon capture and DAC, by 2035.

The collaboration between Occidental and ADNOC demonstrates their commitment to developing carbon solutions and establishing a global net-zero ecosystem. It is enabled by the UAE-US Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy and has the potential to drive innovative climate technologies and decarbonize the energy sector.

1PointFive, a subsidiary of Occidental, is currently constructing the world’s largest DAC plant, named STRATOS, in Texas. The plant is expected to capture up to 500,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. The DAC plant being evaluated in the UAE could be the first megaton-scale facility of its kind outside of the United States, using the same technology provided by Carbon Engineering.

Overall, this collaboration aims to accelerate the development and deployment of carbon management projects, contributing to the global efforts to achieve net-zero emissions.

For more information visit www.oxy.com

Gibson Energy Inc. has reached a major milestone in its acquisition of South Texas Gateway Terminal LLC, as the waiting period under the US Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 has expired. This development brings the transaction one step closer to completion, with Gibson Energy expecting to close the deal in the near future without any further third-party action or approval.

The proposed acquisition of 100 percent of the membership interests of South Texas Gateway Terminal LLC represents a strategic move for Gibson Energy, enhancing its capabilities and expanding its footprint in the region. The expiration of the waiting period under the HSR Act is a crucial condition that has now been satisfied, demonstrating progress towards the successful completion of the transaction.

By clearing this regulatory hurdle, Gibson Energy solidifies its position as a leader in the energy industry. This acquisition aligns with the company’s long-term growth strategy and is expected to contribute to its overall success. Gibson Energy remains committed to delivering value to its shareholders and stakeholders, and its dedication to strategic acquisitions and partnerships enables it to capitalise on emerging opportunities and strengthen its position in the market.

The pending acquisition of South Texas Gateway Terminal LLC is a testament to Gibson Energy’s operational excellence and its ability to navigate regulatory processes. The company’s ability to meet key conditions reinforces its commitment to executing its growth strategy effectively.

As the transaction moves towards completion, Gibson Energy looks forward to realising the benefits of this strategic acquisition. With its strong focus on sustainability and operational excellence, the company is well-positioned to drive growth in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

For more information visit www.gibsonenergy.com

Nesma & Partners, a leading contracting company in the Middle East, has signed an agreement to acquire Kent, a global energy services provider. This agreement aligns two successful and entrepreneurial companies with a shared vision for sustainable expansion, creating greater opportunities in new and existing markets as well as service development and enhancement. Completion is anticipated by the end of the calendar year, subject to regulatory approvals and satisfaction of customary closing conditions, at which time Nesma & Partners will become the owner of Kent.

Kent is a privately-owned engineering and project management firm in the energy sector. The company has been backed by global energy investment firm Bluewater since 2015. In that time, the company has grown its revenue tenfold, experiencing notable growth over the past two years following its acquisition of SNC-Lavalin’s Oil & Gas business in mid-2021. Now a $1.4 billion-dollar revenue business, it competes for recognised value-based service contracts covering complex and technical solutions for the conventional energy, renewables, low carbon, chemicals and processing sectors.

Kent has a roster of blue-chip clients, including international energy companies, national oil companies, renewable energy companies, as well as global petrochemical companies.

Operating for over 40 years, Nesma & Partners has an established track record of success in delivering some of Saudi Arabia’s biggest industrial and infrastructure projects for a wide range of clients in the public and private sectors, including Saudi Aramco, the Public Investment Fund, NEOM, GACA, Ministry of the National Guard, Royal Commission, and the Ministry of Defense. As a leading contracting company, Nesma & Partners offers full-fledged services in the industrial, energy, civil and buildings, and infrastructure sectors, plus electro-mechanical capabilities.

The strengths of Nesma & Partners and Kent will be leveraged to deliver high-quality services to clients across various industries. Connecting their expertise and resources will enable them to create innovative solutions for clients that meet their evolving needs in an increasingly competitive marketplace across the entire project lifecycle, from consulting to design, build, commissioning, and startup through to maintenance and decommissioning.

Nesma & Partners and Kent began collaborating in June 2022 to exploit their respective strengths when they established a Joint Venture, NesmaKent, as EPC Champion for Saudi Aramco. Its goal is building an autonomous engineering center of excellence in Saudi Arabia to develop new capabilities in engineering, procurement, and construction services relating to carbon capture, blue hydrogen, and blue ammonia technologies. Deploying such technologies will minimise dependence on manual labour, enhance competitiveness, advance execution through schedule and cost improvements, and include visualisation, data integration, asset management, digital twin, analytics & artificial intelligence, cyber resilience, and low carbon technologies.

Under the ownership of Nesma & Partners, Kent will be positioned and resourced to accelerate the delivery of its ambitious strategy. There will be no changes to the decision-making autonomy structure of Kent or its core service offering. The current leadership team will remain in place and continue to deliver world-class services to the energy industry through four well-established service lines: Consulting; engineering & projects; commissioning, completions & start-up; and operations & maintenance. With the new structure, Kent will double down on its efforts to address the challenges and opportunities of the global energy transition.

“This is an exciting time for our company as we look to expand our reach and capabilities,” said Nesma & Partners; president & CEO Samer Abdul Samad. “We are deeply impressed with the growth and achievements of Kent so far. We are looking forward to supporting the Kent business to not only continue but supercharge its current trajectory of success. By leveraging the strengths of both companies, we are confident that we can deliver even more value to our customers and achieve our goals for growth and success.”

The new agreement will create a solid and dynamic portfolio for Nesma & Partners that is well-positioned to take advantage of the many opportunities that lie ahead. With a shared commitment to excellence and a dedication to delivering world-class services, the two companies are poised to achieve great things in the future.

“We are thrilled to embark on this next phase of our journey with Nesma & Partners. We have long admired their expertise and dedication to delivering outstanding results for their clients,” remarked Kent’s chief executive officer, John Gilley. “This agreement marks an exciting, ground-breaking development for Kent. With the backing and support of Bluewater over the past eight years, we have been able to cement our position as a leading global energy services provider. Now, under the ownership of Nesma & Partners, the Kent brand and all our teams worldwide will have more opportunities to develop and grow our world-class lifecycle services to our clients”.

Marcello Stroppa, director at Bluewater, commented: “We have enjoyed working with the leadership team of Kent over the past eight years. The team’s appetite for entrepreneurship is truly admirable, and all of us here at Bluewater are sure that with the added support and impeccable reputation of Nesma & Partners, the future continues to be bright for the Kent business.”

John Gilley continued: “What excites me the most about this acquisition is the commitment of Nesma & Partners to support the investment that will help us to achieve our purpose to courageously tackle the greatest challenge of our time, to bring our world the energy it needs in the most responsible way ever imagined.”

Completing this share purchase agreement marks a significant milestone for both companies. It sets the stage for their next growth cycle and helps them achieve their purpose, building a brighter, more sustainable future for the world.

For more information visit www.kentplc.com

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. a leading North American provider of midstream energy services, announced the commencement of operations at its second propane dehydrogenation plant, PDH 2, located in Chambers County, Texas. Supported by long-term, fee-based contracts, PDH 2 has the capacity to process 35,000 barrels per day of propane, producing 1.65 billion pounds of polymer grade propylene annually. Combined with Enterprise’s existing PDH 1 plant, the company can process 70,000 BPD of propane to produce 3.3 billion pounds of PGP at its Chambers County complex every year.

“Propylene is the basic building block used to produce virtually all durable products and is essential to human survival and improved quality of life,” stated A.J. “Jim” Teague, co-chief executive officer of Enterprise’s general partner. He further added that PDH 2 will offer abundant and cost-advantaged shale-based production to supply petrochemical customers with the feedstock required to produce products that cater to the growing global population’s needs. The latest PDH plant is part of the company’s $3.8 billion major growth projects expected to begin service and generate fresh sources of cash flow by the end of 2023.

Across the company, Enterprise now has the capacity to manufacture 11 billion pounds of propylene annually. The new PDH 2 facility is integrated with the company’s propylene system that includes over 1,000 miles of high-capacity pipelines, over 3 billion pounds of storage capacity, and the ability to export approximately 4 billion pounds per year. The company’s propylene infrastructure network provides customers with access to centrally located market hubs, enabling them to balance supply and demand and facilitating improved utilisation of Enterprise assets.

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. offers a wide range of midstream energy services, including natural gas gathering, treating, processing, transportation, and storage; NGL transportation, fractionation, storage and marine terminals; crude oil gathering, transportation, storage and marine terminals; petrochemical and refined products production, transportation, storage, and marine terminals and related services; and a marine transportation business. The partnership’s assets include over 50,000 miles of pipelines, over 260 million barrels of storage capacity for NGLs, crude oil, refined products, and petrochemicals, and 14 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage capacity.

For more information visit www.enterpriseproducts.com

The biggest names in breakbulk, project cargo and heavy lift will be exhibiting at AntwerpXL when it returns to Antwerp Expo 28-30 November 2023.

It’s fitting that an event hosted at the home of breakbulk will feature suppliers from around the world and across the entire breakbulk supply chain. Cargo owners and carriers, ports, freight forwarders and a host of shipping, maritime and supply chain experts will be showing their products, services and latest innovations at the three-day event.

Major names already signed up include C.Steinweg, Conti-Lines, Grimaldi Group, MSC, Spliethoff, Fednav, BBC Chartering, Konecranes, Varamar, and Zuidnatie. They will be joined on the expanded show floor by companies such as Mammoet, Chipolbrok, Saudi Ports Authority, Katoen Natie, Deufol Belgie, Caribbean Line and Aertssen, Mantsinen Group, Aprojects, Navonus, Q Terminals, Port of Sunderland, Ultrabulk and Fracht Polytra.

Speaking at last year’s event, Frank Voet, commercial manager at Grimaldi Group outlined why his company values AntwerpXL: “We’re in Antwerp because it’s one of the biggest ports in Europe. AntwerpXL is a great opportunity to show off Grimaldi Group’s vast range of services all around the world.”

Reinaaart Van Den Broek, Northbound Trade Coordinator Europe Service at Universal Africa Lines agreed: “Antwerp is the gateway to Africa and breakbulk, so we have to be present and meeting all our partners and prospects.”

Many exhibitors use the event’s platform to showcase their products and services, launch new technologies and make major announcements. Others are drawn by its the huge networking opportunities. After all, as the only event solely dedicated to the breakbulk industry, and hosted at a global gateway, AntwerpXL is an ideal place for the industry to meet, connect and do business.

Margaret Dunn, portfolio director at AntwerpXL, comments, “The maritime breakbulk industry is growing fast and facing a pressing number of changes, challenges and opportunities. This means innovation, new thinking, getting even closer to current partners and forging connections with new ones are all more important than ever – and as our exhibitor list already shows, AntwerpXL is going to be the place for this to happen.”

For more information visit www.antwerpxl.com

Quantem has announced a project to more than double the diesel storage capacity at its Pelican Point terminal in Adelaide, South Australia. The $56 million project will add 90,000 cubic metres of new diesel storage capacity for the fuel industry in South Australia while creating local employment opportunities during construction.

Quantem is the leading independent bulk liquid storage and handling company throughout Australia and New Zealand and provides bulk liquid storage solutions across a network of 12 strategic locations with a total installed storage capacity of more than 600,000 cubic metres.

Quantem has appointed engineering and construction company, Saunders International, to design and construct three 30,000 cubic metre diesel storage tanks and associated interconnecting piping at the Pelican Point terminal.

The project is supported by Quantem’s successful funding application under the Australian Government’s Boosting Australia’s Diesel Storage Programme. Investing in Australia’s diesel storage capacity will help protect against future supply chain disruptions and will help the industry to meet new minimum stockholding obligations introduced as one of the measures in the Fuel Security Act (2021). This safeguard is essential for Australia’s energy security as diesel currently underpins our critical infrastructure, transport and industries, as well as the ability to respond to critical emergencies.

Quantem managing director and chief executive officer Nick Moen said: “This project is a critical component of enhancing Australia’s domestic fuel security and safeguarding future supplies for the country’s transport sector and industrial supply chains which are vital to Australia’s infrastructure requirements.

“As the leader in bulk liquid storage and handling in Australia and New Zealand, we are pleased to play our part in supporting these important initiatives with this project.”

Andrew Brewer, Ampol executive general manager fuel supply chain said: “We are proud to work with Quantem and Saunders to enhance our supply chain in South Australia, while strengthening fuel security in Australia. As the nation’s leader in transport fuels, this project will further enable the safe and reliable supply of quality fuel products to our customers well into the future.”

Saunders’ managing director & chief executive officer, Mark Benson said: “This project is a great example of the high-quality, fast-tracked results that can be achieved with early collaboration between client and contractor.

“Saunders’ multi-disciplinary in-house engineering and operational teams worked closely with Quantem to value engineer, optimise constructability and conduct a full lifecycle analysis on the project. Together, we were able to proactively manage risk and unlock extra value for our client – this was a fantastic result and an impressive team effort.”

Construction is expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2023, with project commissioning expected by the second quarter 2025.

For more information visit www.quantem.com.au

Georgia Power have declared that Plant Vogtle Unit 3 has entered commercial operation and is now serving customers and the State of Georgia. The new unit represents a long-term investment in the state’s clean energy future and will provide reliable, emissions-free energy to customers for decades to come.

“The Plant Vogtle 3 & 4 nuclear expansion is another incredible example of how Georgia Power is building a reliable and resilient energy future for our state,” said Kim Greene, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. “It is important that we make these kinds of long-term investments and see them through so we can continue providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to our 2.7 million customers. Today’s achievement is a testament to our commitment to doing just that, and it marks the first day of the next 60 to 80 years that Vogtle Unit 3 will serve our customers with clean, reliable energy.”

Vogtle Unit 3 is the first newly-constructed nuclear unit in the US in over 30 years and can power an estimated 500,000 homes and businesses. Once all four units are online, the Plant Vogtle site will be the largest generator of clean energy in the nation and support continued growth in Georgia as more industries, businesses and families come to the state.

“Today is a historic day for the State of Georgia, Southern Company, and the entire energy sector, as we continue transforming the way we power the lives of millions of Americans,” said Chris Womack, president and CEO of Southern Company. “With Unit 3 completed, and Unit 4 in the final stages of construction and testing, this project shows just how new nuclear can and will play a critical role in achieving a clean energy future for the United States. Bringing this unit safely into service is a credit to the hard work and dedication of our teams at Southern Company and the thousands of additional workers who have helped build that future at this site, as well as all of the partners who have helped make this day a reality.”

Nuclear energy is the only zero-emission baseload energy source available today, offering high reliability, and efficient operations around the clock. Nuclear energy currently provides approximately 25 percent of Georgia Power’s overall energy mix, including the existing units at Plant Vogtle and Georgia’s other nuclear facility at Plant Hatch in Baxley, Ga.

“The Vogtle expansion is an American energy success story and would not be possible without the support of strong public and private partners like our partners at the North America’s Building Trades Unions,” said Tom Fanning, chairman of the Board of Directors for Southern Company. “We continue to appreciate their support and those who have stood with us at the local, state and federal levels to complete this new clean energy source to serve electric customers. Providing leadership in our industry and a commitment to safety and quality are in Southern Company’s DNA. Today’s milestone at the Vogtle expansion site underscores this legacy, and I couldn’t be prouder of the dedication our teams have shown in seeing Unit 3 through to completion.”

The final stages of construction and testing continue at Vogtle Unit 4, with the unit projected to be placed in service during the late fourth quarter 2023 or the first quarter of 2024. The unit completed hot functional testing in May, in significantly less time than Unit 3 as the team continues leveraging best practices and learnings from the earlier unit. The Vogtle site has also received nuclear fuel for Unit 4, with a total of 157 fuel assemblies necessary for the safe and reliable startup of the unit.

Also, last week, Georgia Power announced the receipt of the 103(g) finding from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for Vogtle Unit 4. This finding was confirmed in an official letter received by Southern Nuclear and signifies that the new unit has been constructed and will be operated in conformance with the Combined License and NRC regulations. No further NRC findings are necessary in order for Southern Nuclear to load fuel or begin the startup sequence for the new unit.

The new Vogtle units are an essential part of Georgia Power’s commitment to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy to its 2.7 million customers. Southern Nuclear will operate the new units on behalf of the co-owners: Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities.

For more information visit www.georgiapower.com

After successfully deploying the Smartflow Digital ISGOTT Solution at terminals worldwide, establishing an ISGOTT community, and partnering with knowledgeable industry leaders such as NxtPort International and Platform8, the Smartflow team is relentlessly continuing to add new features to support terminals, ships, and ports on their journey to digitalisation.

THE DIGITAL BERTH SCHEDULER

Smartflow are on a mission to enable terminals and tankers to stop using outdated, manual methods for berth scheduling, whether paper-based or Excel spreadsheets or any other Shadow IT methods that endanger terminals’ security.

The International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers and Terminals (ISGOTT) provides guidelines for the safe transportation and storage of oil and other hazardous materials. One of the key recommendations of ISGOTT is to use a digital platform for berth scheduling, as this can help to improve operational efficiency and safety.

REDUCE FUEL CONSUMPTION BY ENABLING SHIPS TO SCHEDULE THEIR ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIMES ACCURATELY

A simple add-on to your Digital ISGOTT solution gives you the opportunity to reduce fuel consumption by enabling ships to schedule their arrival and departure times accurately. When ships wait unnecessarily in line for a berth and spend extra time at the terminal results in excessive fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing fuel consumption can lower our carbon footprint and help protect the environment.

In addition, using a digital berth scheduler eliminates paper-based processes, ending paper waste. This not only helps to reduce costs but also minimises your impact on the environment.

BRING MORE EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY INTO THE BERTH SCHEDULING PROCESS

Are you looking to streamline operations, improve data accuracy, gain real-time visibility, and enhance ship and shore collaboration? Have you set up compliance goals for the upcoming years? Is safety a top priority for you?

Start by automating the manual tasks involved in berth scheduling – manual data entry, document management, and communication between the ship and the terminal. Save time, and reduce the risk of errors and miscommunications.

Manual methods like Excel spreadsheets can be prone to human errors. Working digitally, you manage berth scheduling data more accurately and reliably, ensuring that everything is up-to-date and correct. This can help to reduce delayed operations, safety risks, environmental hazards, or loss of revenue.

EXCEL SHEETS – OPEN GATE TO DATA BREACHES

Did you know that performing inspections using MS Excel, MS Word, or Google Sheets is part of the shadow IT landscape?

Continuing to perform berth scheduling in Excel increases the risks of data breaches, data stealth, malicious activity, and data loss. The average cost of a data breach worldwide in 2022 was 164 US dollars per stolen record.

For tank storage terminals, the potential costs could be even higher due to the sensitive nature of the stored and processed data. A data breach could lead to the theft of valuable trade secrets, the compromise of critical infrastructure, and the release of hazardous materials into the environment

In 2019, OCIMF released a publication titled “Recommendations on Cyber Security Practices in the Shipping Industry,” highlighting the need for robust cyber security practices, including using digital technologies for risk management. The publication also emphasised the importance of ensuring that critical systems, such as those used for berth scheduling, are secure from cyber threats.

Similarly, IAPH has recognised digitalisation’s potential benefits and encouraged its members to adopt digital technologies to improve port operations. In 2019, IAPH launched a digitalisation programme to support the adoption of digital technologies in ports worldwide.

THE SMARTFLOW DIGITAL ISGOTT SOLUTION

The Smartflow Digital ISGOTT Solution is a complete digital solution for the ship-shore checklists from start to finish. It offers a simple and user-friendly interface for terminal personnel and vessel captains to use anytime, anywhere. The solution allows for all ship-shore safety checklists and forms to be in one place, and they can be easily added and customised as per the terminal’s needs. It also offers an easy way to share information and collaborate between the terminal and the vessel.

For more information visit www.smartflowapps.com

SSE’s carbon capture ambitions in Scotland received a major boost today after the UK Government announced its backing for the Scottish Cluster.

The Acorn Project, which underpins the Scottish Cluster, had been in ‘reserve’ status since late 2021 but has now been officially named as a Track 2 Cluster.

That will progress the development of the transport and storage infrastructure required to deliver vital carbon capture projects in the north-east of Scotland.

SSE Thermal has set out plans to decarbonise its existing site in Peterhead, which plays a crucial role in Scotland’s electricity system as the only plant of its type north of Leeds.

Together with Equinor, SSE Thermal is developing Peterhead Carbon Capture Power Station which is a key project within the Scottish Cluster and would ultimately replace the existing station.

The proposed plant, which would connect into the Scottish Cluster’s transport and storage network, could become Scotland’s first flexible power station with carbon capture technology. Planning is already underway for the project.

With a generating capacity of up to 910MW, Peterhead Carbon Capture Power Station would capture up to 1.5MT of carbon annually, which represents around five percent of the UK Government’s 2030 target.

According to a report commissioned from BiGGAR Economics, the new development would contribute £60m to the Aberdeen City and Shire economy during development and construction, with 980 years of employment supported. Over the station’s operational lifetime, it is estimated that around £25m would be added to the wider Aberdeen economy each year, with around 240 jobs supported on an annual basis.

In addition, Viking CCS in the Humber has also been named as a Track 2 Cluster. The Humber is a key strategic location for SSE Thermal, with several low-carbon projects in development. That includes Keadby 3 Carbon Capture Power Station, being developed in collaboration with Equinor, which is the UK’s only power CCS project with planning consent.

Alistair Phillips-Davies, chief executive of SSE, said:

“Carbon capture will play a critical role not only in decarbonising the UK’s power system but also in unlocking economic growth and boosting our energy security, and today’s announcement marks a major step forward in its deployment. We know how important it is that the north-east of Scotland is decarbonised and the decision to support the Scottish Cluster shows that there is commitment to doing so.

“Time remains of the essence. Now, we must move quickly to deploy the transport and storage infrastructure which will underpin the rollout of CCS across the Scottish Cluster. Doing so will allow crucial low-carbon projects – such as our carbon capture project at Peterhead – to be brought forward, supporting the energy transition while providing good, green jobs and enhancing the regional economy. The UK has a real opportunity to lead the world on carbon capture if we can accelerate progress and today’s announcement provides welcome impetus.”

For more information visit www.ssethermal.com

Chart Industries is all set to commemorate the grand opening of their second Theodore, Alabama site, affectionately known as “Teddy 2.” On Monday, July 31st, Chart Industries, a global leader in cryogenic storage and transportation equipment, will be joined by esteemed guests including CEO Jillian Evanko, CFO Joe Brinkman, Congressman Jerry Carl, Mobile County Commissioner Randall Dueitt, and Mobile Chamber Chairman of the Board G Brent Barkin.

The Teddy 2 facility is a game-changer in the industry, as it will be responsible for manufacturing the largest shop-built cryogenic tanks in the world. These tanks play a crucial role in various sectors, including propellant storage in the aerospace industry, hydrogen and LNG storage for the marine industry, and numerous applications in the sciences and decarbonisation sectors.

The grand opening of Teddy 2 marks a significant milestone for Chart Industries and showcases their commitment to innovation and excellence. With this state-of-the-art facility, Chart Industries is well-positioned to revolutionise cryogenic tank manufacturing, meeting the growing demands of the aerospace, marine, and decarbonisation industries.

For more information visit www.chartindustries.com

BP and OMV have announced a long-term sale and purchase agreement for the supply of up to 1 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per year for a period of 10 years starting from 2026. The agreement will see BP providing OMV with LNG from its diverse global portfolio, which will be received and re-gasified through the Gate LNG terminal in Rotterdam, Netherlands, or other terminals in Europe.

The deal is seen as a strategic step for both companies. For OMV, it aligns with its ongoing efforts to diversify its supply sources, including gas from its own production and external sources like LNG. This diversification is aimed at ensuring the security of gas supply to its customers in Austria and Europe.

For BP, the agreement reinforces its view of LNG as an essential part of the energy transition and its own transformation into an integrated energy company. It also highlights the company’s LNG supply capability in the European market, supporting the security of supply for its European customers.

Overall, the agreement reflects the long-standing relationship between BP and OMV and their shared commitment to the energy transition and the security of gas supply in Europe.

For more information visit www.bp.com

Exergy International and Geothermal Engineering Ltd., the UK’s leading developer and operator of geothermal plants, signed a contract for the supply of a 3 MWe gross capacity ORC power plant at the United Downs site, in Cornwall. This represents the first integrated deep geothermal project in the UK which will deliver by late 2024 around 3 MWe of baseload renewable electricity and up to 10 MWth of zero carbon heat for a large housing development at Langarth Garden Village, a project being developed by Cornwall Council.

The turnkey EPC contract awarded to Exergy will include the design and engineering of the ORC system, the manufacturing of the equipment and the erection of the power plant. Exergy’s technology will utilise the highly efficient Radial Outflow Turbine to produce electricity exploiting the heat of the geothermal fluid. The condensing system chosen is air-cooled to avoid any water consumption. Being a closed loop cycle, the power plant will not release any vapour into the atmosphere and will have a small footprint and minimal visual impact. The system will be delivered in 18 months, with commissioning of the plant expected by late 2024. Once in operation, this installation will save more than 6,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year compared to the production of conventional fossil fuel power.

Luca Pozzoni, general manager of EXERGY INTERNATIONAL commented: “We are excited to embark on this journey with GEL. The United Downs project will be a milestone in the development of the geothermal industry in the UK and will give us the valuable opportunity to contribute with our technology and expertise to kick-starting geothermal power generation in the country. Under a structured long-term agreement with GEL, we will be able to partner for the development of future geothermal initiatives to unlock Europe’s largely untapped geothermal potential and support the decarbonisation of our energy systems.”

Ryan Law, CEO of Geothermal Engineering Ltd, said: “Geothermal heat is an untapped renewable resource with the potential to provide huge amounts of energy-efficient and carbon-free electricity and heat. Exergy is well known globally for their competence in the binary geothermal power sector and we are very pleased to be working with them on this landmark project in Cornwall. Our long-term agreement with Exergy will also enable us to develop a number of additional projects both in the UK and abroad.”

GEL and Exergy’s partnership

The United Downs power plant is expected to be the first of many projects to be developed under a partnership and cooperation agreement signed between Exergy International and Geothermal Engineering Ltd.

United Downs Geothermal Project

The United Downs Deep Geothermal Power project will be the home of the first geothermal power plant in the UK. The geothermal site, located near Redruth in Cornwall, utilises the naturally heat producing granite which underlies most of Cornwall. Two deep, directional wells have successfully been drilled for the purpose; the production well to a measured depth of 5,275m – the deepest onshore well in the UK – and the injection well to 2,393m. The naturally-heated geothermal fluid will be pumped to the surface, passed through the power plant to produce electricity, then returned underground via the injection well (Fig.1) where it will percolate through the granite to reheat. This process means that geothermal energy produces clean, green power with no waste product.

Fig 1 – GEL’s novel geothermal doublet with a deep production well and shallow injection well.

Organic Rankine Cycle geothermal power plant – How it works

An ORC or binary power plant consists of a closed loop cycle which extracts the heat of the geothermal fluid coming from the production well, transferring it by means of heat exchangers to an organic fluid. The organic fluid is first heated in the preheater and then vaporized, absorbing the heat from the geothermal fluid. After being superheated, the vaporized fluid drives a turbine coupled to a generator to optimize the production of electricity. The vapour exhaust returns to liquid state through a condenser, thereby retaining the organic fluid within the closed loop system.

Fig. 2 – Binary ORC power plant

For more information visit www.exergy-orc.com

Global integrated logistics and materials management specialists, ASCO, has appointed Mike Pettigrew as its new CEO.

Formerly UK managing director, Mike Pettigrew will replace out-going CEO, Peter France, following a planned transition on the 2nd of October.

Mike Pettigrew joined ASCO in March 2022 as general manager for the group’s AFM and Seletar businesses and was appointed UK managing director last November.

With extensive experience across the energy, marine, industrial power and ship building sectors, Mike Pettigrew spent 13 years with Babcock International before joining ASCO. He was also a non-executive director of Decom North Sea.

Commenting on his appointment, Mike Pettigrew said: “I look forward to working with Peter over the next couple of months to ensure a smooth transition, before taking up the role of CEO. This is an exciting period for ASCO as we continue to build our portfolio of services amid the energy transition. Working closely with the board of directors, I aim to deliver our strategy and further strengthen our leading position in the sector.”

ASCO chairman, Bob Keiller, added: “As a business committed to developing its people, we are excited to see Mike take on the role of CEO. We are confident he will continue to grow the business, spearheading our commitment to helping clients and partners tackle climate change and accelerate the energy transition while delivering our own target to become a net zero Green House Gas emissions business before 2040.”

“I would like to thank Peter for his leadership over the last five years, which have been highly challenging for the industry. During Peter’s tenure, ASCO has made significant progress through the development of new service lines and the establishment in new geographies.

Peter France added: “When I joined ASCO, the focus was on transformative and sustainable growth whilst delivering safety and service excellence in its operations. During that time, the business has strengthened partnerships with operators, developers and ports across the world, grown its materials and logistics management systems and used its existing capabilities to support supply chain optimisation in the renewables sector.

“It has been an honour to lead ASCO during the last five years. I am grateful to all of my colleagues who have worked tirelessly through challenging times such as the pandemic to deliver positive growth.

“I believe that with Mike at the helm, supported by the board and our colleagues across the world, ASCO has a very bright future.”

Peter France will join TT Electronics plc as CEO.

For more information visit www.ascoworld.com

Exolum and Vopak Ventures, two prominent players in the energy and logistics sectors, have recently made strategic investments in the French start-up HSL Technologies. HSL Technologies is focused on developing innovative and cost-effective methods for the safe transportation and storage of hydrogen, a crucial element in the transition to a more sustainable energy future.

At the core of HSL Technologies’ offering is its proprietary solution called HydroSil®, a liquid silicon derivative that enables the efficient and secure transport and storage of hydrogen. This breakthrough technology addresses the fundamental challenge of safely and economically transporting hydrogen on a large scale. By introducing hydrogen molecules into a silica-based liquid carrier, the hydrogen can be released on demand. This carrier has been proven to be stable and can be stored and transported within existing infrastructure at ambient pressure and temperature.

What sets HydroSil® apart from existing solutions is its unique energy dynamics. While energy is required to bind hydrogen in the carrier, no energy is needed for its release. This zero-energy release represents a significant advancement in the hydrogen market, as it eliminates the energy costs associated with traditional hydrogen storage and delivery methods.

Exolum, a company that specializes in energy infrastructure and services with a strong commitment to innovation, views this investment as a strategic move to diversify its business and embrace new energy vectors such as hydrogen. By supporting the development of HSL Technologies, Exolum aims to contribute to the growth of the hydrogen sector and promote sustainable energy solutions.

Vopak Ventures, the investment arm of Royal Vopak, a leading global provider of storage and handling infrastructure for liquid and gaseous chemicals, also recognizes the potential of HSL Technologies’ HydroSil® solution. Vopak Ventures focuses on funding ventures that facilitate new sustainable solutions, making this investment a perfect fit for their New Energies, Feedstocks & Sustainability fund. By supporting HSL Technologies, Vopak Ventures aims to contribute to the advancement of sustainable logistics and storage solutions.

HSL Technologies’ president and CEO, Corine Dubruel, is excited about the investments from Exolum and Vopak Ventures. She believes that their expertise and market knowledge will be invaluable in scaling up the company and overcoming the barriers that currently hinder the widespread adoption of hydrogen-based applications. By addressing safety, regulatory, and supply chain issues, HSL Technologies aims to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen technologies and contribute to the decarbonisation of various industries.

In addition to Exolum and Vopak Ventures, HSL Technologies has attracted investments from other significant players in the industry. Equinor Ventures, the venture capital arm of the Norwegian multinational energy company Equinor, and EDP Ventures, the investment arm of the Portuguese utility company EDP, have also recently entered HSL Technologies’ capital. Furthermore, the European Innovation Council, the largest Deeptech investment fund established by the European Union to support start-ups, has joined as a shareholder, further validating the potential of HSL Technologies’ HydroSil® solution.

With a strong and diverse group of shareholders, HSL Technologies is well-positioned to accelerate the development and industrialization of its hydrogen logistics solution. The investments from Exolum and Vopak Ventures, along with the support from existing shareholders, will provide the necessary resources and expertise to propel HSL Technologies into a leading player in the hydrogen transportation and storage sector.

For more information visit www.vopak.com/ventures

The H2A (Hydrogen to Amsterdam) consortium has been officially launched in Amsterdam, marking a significant milestone in the development of the green hydrogen value chain. The consortium’s mission is to establish a green hydrogen supply chain by importing one million tonnes of 100 percent green hydrogen annually to and through the port of Amsterdam. The launch event, titled “The Importance of Hydrogen: Propelling the Future,” brought together a diverse range of stakeholders, including visionaries, politicians, knowledge institutes, terminals, producers, transporters, offtakers, and ports.

The symposium, attended by approximately 250 people, demonstrated the broad cross-sector support for the use of green hydrogen as a catalyst for change. It was the first time that all these stakeholders appeared on one stage to explore the future of green hydrogen, with Amsterdam positioned as the hub for the North Sea Canal Area and the wider European hinterland.

The H2A consortium consists of eight international members that span multiple links in the green hydrogen ecosystem. Their aim is to create an end-to-end green hydrogen value chain by providing a road to market, as well as the necessary infrastructure, assets, and knowledge. All participants agreed that achieving this goal would require collaboration, utilising existing infrastructure, and accelerating development.

Collaboration was emphasised as the key to unlocking the power of hydrogen. Earl Goetheer, CTO HighTechXL, stated that working together was essential for connecting the port to the future. Ramon Ernst, managing director of Evos, highlighted the importance of building relationships across sectors and regions. Alice Krekt, director NL Hydrogen, stressed that collaboration, rather than competition, was crucial in the field of green hydrogen.

The target of importing one million tonnes of green hydrogen annually sets a clear and ambitious goal. Dorine Bosman, CIO of Port of Amsterdam, acknowledged the scale of the goal but also its ability to inspire and rally support. Misha Valk, Head of Capacity Development at SkyNRG, put the target into perspective by stating that eight million tonnes of green hydrogen would be needed by 2050 for sustainable aviation in Europe.

Amsterdam is uniquely positioned to realize regional, national, and international green hydrogen supply chains due to its existing infrastructure. The port has suitable locations and infrastructure for receiving, storing, and distributing various forms of hydrogen. Additionally, the Amsterdam region encompasses a seaport, airport, and large-scale industry, providing all the necessary infrastructure such as terminals, pipelines, and systems. The port also has direct connections to three of the nine European transport corridors, making it an ideal hub for supplying green hydrogen to the northwest European hinterland.

The urgency of the energy transition was emphasized throughout the event. Diederik Samson, chief of staff of Frans Timmermans and european commission executive vice president, urged stakeholders to take decisive action and reassess their plans. He emphasised the need for a reliable and available supply of hydrogen to meet the growing demand from industries.

The launch event highlighted the importance of infrastructure and the need for swift action, robust regulations, mandates, and subsidies to accelerate the transition to green hydrogen. The H2A consortium, consisting of Port of Amsterdam, Evos Amsterdam, Zenith Energy Terminals, Hydrogenious LOHC, Electriq Global, City of Amsterdam, SkyNRG, and Programmabureau Noordzeekanaalgebied, has announced multiple Memorandums of Understanding for large-scale projects and collaborations.

Overall, the H2A launch marks an important step towards establishing a green hydrogen value chain in Amsterdam and propelling the energy transition. The consortium’s focus on collaboration, infrastructure development, and swift action highlights the commitment of various stakeholders to drive the adoption of green hydrogen and achieve decarbonisation targets.

For more information visit www.hydrogenious.net

VARO Energy, a Swiss-based energy company, has successfully secured $3.33 billion in financing through an oversubscribed debt round. The financing consists of a $1.13 billion loan and a $2.2 billion Borrowing Base Facility, with an additional $831 million available for investment in the company’s ONE VARO Transformation strategy.

The loan size was increased by 13 percent due to high demand, and the banking syndicate was expanded to include fifteen lenders and five sureties. Four new lenders joined the round alongside VARO’s existing lending banks. Notably, VARO raised a $165 million green loan, meeting stringent environmental, social, and governance criteria for the partial refinancing of the Bio Energy Coevorden acquisition.

The refinancing of the Borrowing Base Facility and Ancillary Guarantee Facility also saw strong demand from banks and sureties. Both the Revolving Credit Facility and Term Loan facility are unsecured, providing increased financial flexibility for VARO.

The funds raised through this financing will be invested in VARO’s ONE VARO Transformation strategy, with a focus on sustainable energies such as biofuels, biogas, e-mobility, nature-based carbon removals, and hydrogen. The company aims to position itself as a leading partner in the energy transition, supporting customers in their decarbonisation efforts.

VARO Energy has made significant investments in biogas and renewable energy services over the past year, acquiring Northern Europe’s largest biogas facility and increasing its stake in E-Flux, a provider of software for vehicle charging. The company has also signed an agreement with Lufthansa to supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Dev Sanyal, CEO of VARO Energy, expressed his satisfaction with the successful financing round, stating that it strengthens VARO’s financial position and demonstrates confidence in the company’s strategy to reach net zero emissions by 2040.

The financing round was led by several institutions, including SMBC Group, Mizuho Bank, ING Bank, KfW IPEX-Bank, Rabobank, Société Générale, HSBC, Santander, Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse, and Natixis, among others. Euler Hermes, Atradius Crédito y Caucion, Chubb European Group, Tokio Marine Europe, and Zurich Insurance also participated in the round as lead arrangers.

Overall, the successful financing round positions VARO Energy for further growth and investment in sustainable energy solutions, supporting the company’s commitment to the energy transition and decarbonisation.

For more information visit www.varoenergy.com/en/home/

The Board of Directors of Vopak Terquimsa, the leading logistics company in the Western Mediterranean, has approved the start of engineering work for the development of the fourth phase of expansion of its capacity at the Química quay in the Port of Tarragona.

This fourth phase will involve the construction of 37,000 m3 of capacity, dedicated to the storage of chemical products, linked in some cases to circular economy projects and the energy transition. Construction is expected to begin throughout the year 2024, once the administrative process for obtaining the corresponding permits has been completed, and the start-up of the facility is expected in the last quarter of 2026.

With this new expansion, Vopak Terquimsa will reach 483,901 m3 of capacity in Tarragona, and will add a total of 72 million euros of direct investment in growth investments since 2017, thus consolidating its leadership position in the Port of Tarragona.

EDUARDO SAÑUDO SÁNCHEZ, CEO of Vopak Terquimsa explains that “This new project is fully aligned with our strategy, which includes growth in industrial chemical enclaves and developing projects related to new energies and the circular economy.” The head of the company wanted to underline that “Our commitment to Tarragona is definitive, as an enclave for the storage of chemicals in southern Europe, and consolidates us as the reference partner of the petrochemical industry in its decarbonisation process”.

The new extension will incorporate the latest technology in industrial automation to allow safer and more efficient operations to be carried out, all under the highest standards of environmental efficiency. The construction characteristics of the new capacity will allow high flexibility to meet the needs of customers.

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

TotalEnergies is pursuing its profitable growth in the renewable energy sector with today’s announcement that it is buying out Total Eren’s other shareholders, increasing its stake from close to 30 percent to 100 percent. The Total Eren teams will be fully integrated within TotalEnergies’ Renewables business unit. The deal follows the strategic agreement signed between TotalEnergies and Total Eren in 2017, which granted TotalEnergies the right to acquire all of Total Eren after a five-year period.

As part of this transaction, Total Eren is valued at an Enterprise Value of €3.8 billion based on an attractive EBITDA multiple negotiated in the initial strategic agreement signed in 2017. The acquisition of 70,8 percent represents a net investment of around €1.5 billion for TotalEnergies.

Total Eren’s integration should result in an increase in TotalEnergies’ Integrated Power Net Operating Income of around €160 million and CFFO of around €400 million in 2024.

A global player with a 3.5 GW renewables production and a 10 GW pipeline

Total Eren has 3.5 GW of renewable capacity in operation worldwide and a solar, wind, hydroelectric and storage projects pipeline of over 10 GW in 30 countries, of which 1.2 GW are in construction or late-stage development. TotalEnergies will leverage Total Eren’s 2 GW assets in operation in merchant countries (notably Portugal, Greece, Australia, and Brazil) to build up its integrated power strategy. TotalEnergies will also benefit from Total Eren’s footprint and ability to develop projects in other countries such as India, Argentina, Kazakhstan, or Uzbekistan.

A complementary fit with TotalEnergies’ footprint and workforce

Total Eren will not only contribute high-quality operated assets, but also the expertise and skills of nearly 500 people based in more than 20 countries. Total Eren’s successful organic growth testifies to the expertise that its teams have built up internally and in connection with partners and suppliers since its creation in 2012. The teams and the quality of Total Eren’s portfolio will strengthen TotalEnergies’ ability to deliver production growth while optimising its operating costs and capex by leveraging its size and purchasing bargaining power.

A pioneer in green hydrogen

Further to its activities as a renewable energy producer, Total Eren has launched pioneering green hydrogen projects in recent years, located in various regions, such as North Africa, Latin America, and Australia. These green hydrogen activities will be pursued through a new partnership in an entity named “TEH2”.

“Our partnership with Total Eren has been very successful, as shown by the size and quality of the renewables portfolio. With the acquisition and integration of Total Eren. we are now opening a new chapter of our development as the expertise of its team and its complementary geographical footprint will strengthen our renewable activities and our ability to build a profitable integrated power player,” said Patrick Pouyanné, chairman & CEO of TotalEnergies. “I want to thank Total Eren’s founders, Pâris Mouratoglou and David Corchia, as well as their teams, for their incredible development work, which led to this successful achievement. Today, we are welcoming Total Eren’s experienced teams, who will continue their remarkable work with the added resources of a bigger company.”

Pâris Mouratoglou, chairman of Total Eren, stated: “With Total Eren, we have successfully created a best-in-class renewable energy player. I want to thank BPI France, Tikehau Capital, NextWorld and Peugeot Invest, for their constant support since 2015. I also want to thank Patrick Pouyanné for his trust and for the spirit of partnership that has led to such achievements with TotalEnergies over the last five years.”

David Corchia, CEO of Total Eren, added: “This success belongs first to Total Eren’s teams around the globe. They will undoubtedly make a huge contribution to TotalEnergies’ highly ambitious plan in the renewable sector. Together with Pâris Mouratoglou, we will continue creating and developing new companies for the energy transition and the planet’s decarbonisation, as well as, within our new promising partnership with TotalEnergies, the development of giant green hydrogen production projects worldwide.”

For more information visit www.totalenergies.com

McDermott has secured a master services agreement from Gevo, Inc., to provide front end engineering and early planning services for Gevo’s development of multiple sustainable aviation fuel facilities in North America. The first facility, Net-Zero 1, is expected to be constructed near Lake Preston, South Dakota. The Net-Zero 1 plant is expected to produce up to 65 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel, diesel and renewable gasoline that, when consumed, is expected to have a lifecycle net-zero greenhouse gas footprint.

“Gevo is a premier provider in the fast-growing sustainable aviation fuel market. This agreement marks the commencement of a collaborative relationship through which we will support Gevo’s low-cost delivery and speed-to-market goals for Gevo’s novel alcohol-to-jet process design which incorporates Axen’s ethanol-to-jet process,” said Vaseem Khan, senior vice president of McDermott. “We believe we have the experience and expertise to deliver a standardised, modularised, and repeatable design for this and Gevo’s future Net-Zero projects.”

Under the scope of the MSA, McDermott will provide engineering, execution planning and pricing for the engineering, procurement, and construction phase of Gevo’s Net-Zero 1 project. The MSA is expected to lead to a final EPC agreement with Gevo for its Net-Zero 1 project to be finalized in coordination with the timing of Gevo’s financing activities for its Net-Zero 1 project.

“Gevo’s Net-Zero Plant Design with its focus on carbohydrates as feedstock, has been carefully chosen for its exceptional cost-effectiveness, reliability, and scalability to meet the surging demand for sustainable aviation fuel and renewable hydrocarbons. This MSA is the first step towards adding McDermott as a project EPC partner. In addition to Axens, Praj, and Fluid Quip, adding McDermott to our team, fortifies further our capabilities in project execution and modularization, especially when teamed with Praj. In an increasingly challenging project environment over the past years, this collaboration is designed to ensure we stay on track, manage costs, and execute our NZ-1 project, and be capable of executing additional NZ projects,” stated Dr. Chris Ryan, president and chief operating officer of Gevo.

The Net-Zero 1 plant will not only contribute to sustainable aviation fuel production but also has the potential to generate 550 million pounds of high-value nutritional products annually. The electricity needed to power the plant will come from wind energy, ensuring a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to fuel production. Additionally, the thermal energy needs of the plant are expected to be met by renewable natural gas sourced from upstream facilities that produce RNG using manure from dairy cattle and livestock.

The project will be led by McDermott’s team in Houston, Texas, with support from its engineering team in Gurugram, India.

For more information visit www.mcdermott-investors.com