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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.orbitalsidekick.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.enfinium.co.uk

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

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

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

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

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

Reducing emissions and contributing to health and environmental protection

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.investors.bakerhughes.com

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

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

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

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

Commenting on the announcement, OEUK CEO David Whitehouse said:

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.oeuk.org.uk

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.ge.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.molgroup.info/en

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.stolt-nielsen.com

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

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

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

For more information visit www.koole.com

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

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

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

– Adrian Lenning, Managing Director Terminals.

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

The panel also highlighted the following factors:

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.odfjell.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.tecamgroup.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.shell.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.rskgroup.com

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

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

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

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

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

Drax CEO Will Gardiner said,

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.drax.com

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.airliquide.com

Exolum will operate the fuel storage terminal located at Shannon airport (Ireland) as the successful bidder of a tender process organised by the Shannon Airport Group. The company will manage the terminal with facilities for the receipt of fuel by vessel, as well as storage and dispatch, and will also be the only agent to provide into-plane fuelling services to the different airlines operating at the airport. Exolum will manage the terminal under a two-year agreement.

Shannon Airport offers UK, European and transatlantic flights for both passengers and goods, and will operate 35 routes to 11 countries this year. In addition to a hydrant system, the storage terminal is an upper tier Seveso site with a capacity of over 42,000 cubic metres.

Image Supplied: Exolum

This transaction consolidates Exolum’s presence in Ireland, where it already operates at Dublin Airport, and represents another step in the company’s internationalisation strategy within the aviation fuel supply sector, in which the company has extensive experience.

Exolum is an IATA Strategic Partner and member of the Joint Inspection Group (JIG). In addition, it belongs to the aviation committee of the Energy Institute and is an affiliate member of the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) and Airports Council International (ACI).

Exolum is Europe’s leading logistics company for liquid products and one of the largest in the world. In the aviation sector, Exolum manages all types of fuel storage and distribution infrastructures, both on and off airport sites, including hydrant networks. It also provides into-plane fuelling and other specialised services.

The company operates in eight countries (Spain, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Panama, Ecuador and Peru) with a pipeline network of over 6,000 kilometres, 68 storage terminals and 47 airport facilities, and a total storage capacity of more than 11 million cubic metres.

For more information visit www.exolum.com

Orbital Sidekick (OSK), the global leader in space-based hyper-spectral intelligence, has announced the expansion of its advisory board to include five distinguished leaders across the space, defence, and geospatial intelligence industries. New appointees include Thomas Cooley, Jorge Delgado, David Gauthier, Jeffrey Harris, and Douglas Loverro. The group joins existing board members Nick Stavropoulos, the former President and COO of Pacific Gas & Electric, and Jesus Soto, the EVP of Quanta Services.

The expanded advisory board will play a key strategic role in OSK’s operations as the company prepares to launch its GHOSt Constellation, a fleet of satellites equipped with best-in-class hyperspectral sensors, and commercializes its asset monitoring solution. In particular, each new member offers a dynamic mix of technical expertise, relevant industry roles, and past advisory experience, all of which will be invaluable to advancing OSK’s mission of supporting sustainable operations for the energy and defence sectors.

Dr. Thomas Cooley has 35 years of experience developing space technologies beginning at NASA/JPL and the last 25 years at the Air Force Research Laboratory, most recently as its Chief Scientist for the Space Vehicles Directorate where he was responsible for assisting with the planning and execution of an annual $165M Space Force science and technology program and an additional $100M in externally funded research and development. He held several senior positions while at AFRL including Senior Scientist for Space Situational Awareness, Chief Scientist SpaceWERX, Chair of OoD(R&E) Space Community of Interest, and Program Manager and Principal Investigator for the TacSat-3/ARTEMIS mission.

Jorge Delgado brings a range of experience across the space and engineering industries, including a decade at Space Systems Loral as its Electric Propulsion Architect, where he informed the design, integration, validation, and flight of 30+ large geostationary communication spacecraft. He also served as Principal Engineer for OneWeb’s Advanced Development division and Vice President of Engineering at Apollo Fusion, responsible for the company’s technical direction and product validation.

Jeffrey Harris is a former corporate officer for Lockheed Martin, where he was the President of Missiles and Space and President of Special Programs. Prior to this role, he was the President of Space Imaging, the first company to commercially provide high-resolution satellite imagery and information products. Before entering the private sector, Mr. Harris served with distinction in several senior national leadership positions. He has been Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space, the Director of the National Reconnaissance Office, and the Associate Executive Director of the Intelligence Community. He also serves as chair of the Rochester Institute of Technology’s board of trustees.

David Gauthier is currently the Chief Strategy Officer for GXO, Inc. after serving over 26 years in the Intelligence Community (IC). He spent the last 16 years at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), most recently as its Director of Commercial Operations, and served as the inaugural chair of the IC Commercial Space Council. In his numerous leadership roles at NGA he led the discovery, assessment, contracting and acquisition of commercial GEOINT data, products and services; developed agency strategy; and implemented data-centric analytic operations. He also led remote sensing operations for the USAF, NSA, DIA, and ODNI.

Douglas Loverro brings over 45 years of service across a number of very senior government positions, including as the Associate Administrator for NASA’s Human Exploration program and Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy. He was the deputy for the Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center and held multiple senior program leadership positions both there and at the NRO. He served in uniform as an Air Force officer for 30 years where he focused on space and technology systems for the service. He is credited as one of the leading voices in the creation of the US Space Force and is the recipient of multiple prestigious awards including the Secretary of Defense’s Medal for Outstanding Public Service.

“OSK has a bold vision for leveraging space-based hyperspectral intelligence to advance sustainability initiatives across the energy sector while also supporting global defense efforts. I can’t think of a better group of industry leaders to join Nick and Jesus on our board to help us achieve this mission,” said Dan Katz, CEO and cofounder of OSK. “The expansion of our advisory board presents a massive opportunity to accelerate our commercialization strategy in collaboration with some of the brightest minds in space science and engineering. We’re excited to start our work together.”

The expansion of the advisory board comes on the heels of OSK securing a $10 million strategic investment. Altogether, these milestones reflect the significant momentum the company has built in recent months to support a sizable operational expansion; OSK expects to monitor over 124,000 miles of energy infrastructure in 2023. By bringing on leaders from across the space and defence industries to help guide this effort, OSK is positioning itself for sustained growth in the rapidly-emerging market of hyper-spectral intelligence.

For more information visit www.orbitalsidekick.com

enfinium is pleased to announce the appointment of Jenny Harrison, former Finance Director at UK Power Networks, as its new Chief Financial Officer.

Jenny brings 30 years of senior leadership experience with a diverse background in financial reporting and control, risk management, tax, and treasury. Jenny will report to Mike Maudsley, Chief Executive Officer and will join the enfinium Group Board and Executive Committee. During March, Jenny has a planned succession and handover process with Mark Corben, the current Chief Financial Officer, who will be stepping down to pursue other opportunities at the end of the month. Mark has led Wheelabrator UK through company setup, its change of ownership to Igneo, the integration of Multifuel Energy Limited and Wheelabrator UK (which led to the creation of the enfinium business) as well as the refinancing of the group, and the financing of our two construction projects, enfinium Skelton Grange and Kelvin.

Jenny joins from UK Power Networks, the electricity distribution network operator covering Southeast England, the East of England and London where she oversaw financial operations, developing and monitoring compliance across tax, treasury, and transaction services working closely with operational and other teams. Prior to UK Power Networks, Jenny was Director of External Reporting at BT Group following 20 years of experience within professional services at EY, Andersen, and Deloitte across audit, assurance, transaction advisory and sustainability practices. As the new Chief Financial Officer at enfinium, Jenny will be responsible for group finance, treasury, and transaction services. Jenny is a Chartered Accountant with a degree in Classics from Oxford University. She is also a trustee of a Leeds University based sustainability charity, United Bank of Carbon, who engage with both local and international stakeholders, collaborating in science-based impactful research and partnerships to encourage biodiversity and restore woodland.

Mike Maudsley, Chief Executive Officer, said “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark for his invaluable contribution during his three-and-a-half-year tenure, to both Wheelabrator UK and enfinium and particularly for his leadership in shaping our finance team. I wish him all the best for the future. Jenny joins as an experienced financial executive with a strong track record of driving growth and managing change, as well as providing a strong focus on execution. Jenny has worked across the energy, utilities, and infrastructure sectors both in-house with UK Power Networks and BT Group and as an advisor with EY, Andersen, and Deloitte. The technical and strategic capabilities gained in these roles provide her with a strong basis to shape enfinium’s exciting strategic plans. I look forward to welcoming Jenny to the Board and Executive Committee and am excited about working with her on our decarbonisation opportunities over the coming years.”

Jenny Harrison, Chief Financial Officer said, “I am delighted to join enfinium, a growing company with a progressive vision to help the UK realise its Net Zero ambitions. I am looking forward to working with my finance and wider colleagues to support this dynamic business on its path to delivering operational excellence and achieving our strategic goals.”

For more information visit www.enfinium.co.uk

Sempra has announced that its 70 percent-owned subsidiary, Sempra Infrastructure Partners, LP (Sempra Infrastructure), reached a positive final investment decision (FID) for the development, construction and operation of the Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 project in Jefferson County, Texas.

Sempra Infrastructure closed its joint venture with an affiliate of ConocoPhillips, as well as announced an agreement to sell an indirect, non-controlling interest in the project to an infrastructure fund managed by KKR. Additionally, Sempra Infrastructure announced the closing of the project’s $6.8 billion non-recourse debt financing and the issuance of the final notice to proceed under the project’s engineering, procurement and construction agreement.

“At Sempra, we believe bold, forward-looking partnerships will be central to solving the world’s energy security and decarbonization challenges,” said Jeffrey W. Martin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sempra. “With strong customers, top-tier equity sponsors in ConocoPhillips and KKR and a world class contractor in Bechtel, this project has the potential to become one of America’s most significant energy infrastructure investments over time, while creating jobs and spurring continued economic growth across Texas and the Gulf Coast region.”

“Sempra’s selection of Port Arthur as the location for a new natural gas liquefication and export terminal is a strategic decision that will cement Texas’ position as the energy capital of the world,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. “With a highly skilled workforce and business-friendly climate, and as a national leader in LNG exports, Texas is the prime location to expand LNG operations to unleash the United States’ full economic potential in such a critical industry. Expanding LNG is imperative to American energy security, and the State of Texas looks forward to working alongside Sempra to advance this mission and bring more jobs and greater opportunities to hardworking Texans.”

The Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 project is fully permitted and is designed to include two natural gas liquefaction trains, two liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage tanks and associated facilities with a nameplate capacity of approximately 13 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa). Total capital expenditures for the Port Arthur Phase 1 project are estimated at $13 billion.

The long-term contractable capacity of approximately 10.5 Mtpa is fully subscribed under binding long-term agreements with strong counterparties —ConocoPhillips, RWE Supply and Trading, PKN ORLEN S.A., INEOS and ENGIE S.A., all of which became effective upon reaching FID. Sempra Infrastructure is also actively marketing and developing the competitively positioned Port Arthur LNG Phase 2 project, which is expected to have similar off-take capacity to Phase 1.

For more information www.semprainfrastructure.com

The TF Warren Group and Tarsco Bolted Tank would like to introduce Stephen Strawn, Sales Manager – Wastewater and Landfills based in Ohio. Stephen has over 12 years of experience in the wastewater industry with a strong focus on business development and territory growth.

In his new role, Stephen will maintain and grow existing accounts, prospect for new accounts, and grow the landfill as well as the wastewater division. Welcome to the team Stephen.

For more information visit www.tfwarren.com

deugro has established DHP Heavylift Solutions Pvt. Ltd. to operate own barges and specialised trailer equipment in India. The initial investment refers to two barges as well as four Goldhofer heavy duty modular trailer combinations, each with 6 axle lines (PST/SL-E), that will enable deugro to significantly participate in the development of the emerging Indian market.

deugro Projects (India) Pvt. Ltd. has become a market leader in project forwarding in India. Challenging, complex shipments and projects involving over dimensional cargo (ODC) and heavy lift shipments along the coast and into the hinterland have become day-to-day business and always require unique transport solutions.

The smaller of the two barges will allow for reaching far into the Indian inland waterway network, which provides significant advantages to clients.

India remains an emerging market with enormous potential for the coming years and strong plans for a greener future. The investment into own equipment underscores deugro’s commitments towards clients.

For more information visit www.deugro.com

The 6th Global Tank Storage Awards took place in Rotterdam in March and highlighted those that excel in various categories relating to terminal achievements, equipment innovations, ports, and individual success.

Smartflow was a finalist in the Terminal Optimisation category taking home the Silver Prize for the 2nd year in a row.

The Terminal Optimisation award goes to the software, service, or model that succeeds in optimising, streamlining, or improving the storage terminal. This category includes a highly prestigious judging panel that carefully analyses the capacities of each solution.

SILVER PRIZE TERMINAL OPTIMISATION

Smartflow submitted one innovation for the jury, The Digital ISGOTT solution, one product, the digital inspections & checks platform & app, and one off-the-shelf solution, the Digital ATEX inspection model.

THE DIGITAL ISGOTT SOLUTION:

The Smartflow Digital ISGOTT Solution is an in-house developed app to support terminals & vessels to ensure safe and efficient ship-shore collaboration.

What we offer:

A COMPLETE DIGITAL ISGOTT SOLUTION

Take advantage of a fully digitised ISGOTT process from start to finish, intuitive and user-friendly. With a mobile and a desktop version, terminal personnel, and vessel captains can use it anytime, anywhere.

ALL YOUR SHIP-SHORE CHECKLISTS AND FORMS IN ONE PLACE

A one-stop shop for all your ship-shore checklists. Easily add any other ship-shore checklist to your Digital ISGOTT environment and customise it how you want.

EASIEST WAY TO SHARE & COLLABORATE

From your terminal to the vessel or the other way around, it has never been easier to share information & collaborate in-app, online, or offline.

TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS

Fully customisable to your terminal needs, from process to branding. You can ensure that each vessel visit meets your terminal standards and quality.

DIGITAL INSPECTIONS & CHECKS PLATFORM AND APP

With Smartflow you can model, prepare, execute, and analyse inspection checklists. Inspectors in the field use Smartflow’s mobile app to efficiently execute workflows and capture data that is shared with internal and external stakeholders in real-time.

How can you use the platform?

CAPTURE DATA

Field operators can track, monitor, collect, and report key data, alarms, and events in real time. They will also see issues and rationalise alarms, all in one place.

AUTOMATE PROCESSES & STREAMLINE TEDIOUS WORK

Leverage data in disconnected documents, optimise safety-instrumented systems and manage corporate risk. We enable a real-time view of safety system performance while using stored data to validate processes and identify issues.

PERFORM THREE TIMES AS MANY INSPECTIONS

Take immediate actions based on the findings, which saves time, increases efficiency, and transforms productivity.

RAPID CREATION OF CHECKLISTS

We use drag & drop and other visual app-building elements. It also allows users to run condition-based workflows and apply extended business rules. Coding can also be used to build the app and workflow according to the exact requirements.

GET INFORMATION INPUT

Operators can back up their findings by text, photo, video, or voice speech.

MANAGE CHECKLISTS

Operators can easily assign, archive, review, and follow different checklists.

THE DIGITAL ATEX INSPECTION MODEL

Smartflow has partnered with Atmos Inspections to digitize ATEX inspections to streamline and simplify the inspection process for an increase in efficiency and effectiveness. Both companies put safety at the forefront, and we’ve been working tirelessly to improve the quality of ATEX inspections to reduce the risks of accidents and incidents in hazardous environments.

Smartflow’s mission has put the workers’ safety at the forefront of all our efforts to digitize fieldwork. Partnering with Atmos inspections has given Smartflow the opportunity to expand and further develop the platform so we can provide a new layer of value to our customers in high-risk industries. By integrating ATEX inspections into our platform, we can provide a comprehensive solution that meets the needs of our customers operating in hazardous environments.

STOCEXPO HIGHLIGHTS

This year, StocExpo brought Smartflow One Silver Terminal Optimisation Award, Two FortyUnder40 awards to our colleagues Stefana Sopco and Jelle Swanenberg, and one Rising Star Finalist Mention to our COO, Jelle.

Worth mentioning that Day 3 of the FETSA Tank Storage Conference was entirely chaired and moderated by our colleague, Stefana Sopco.

Smartflow had a terrific time at Stand N24, meeting with professionals from around the world looking to start their digital transition.

Smartflow are now getting their innovations ready for 2024.

For more information visit www.smartflowapps.com

Gerotto starts 2023 with an important change: in these days, the company’s new website and the new logo have been published. This is a complete rebranding project that has revisited the company’s entire image in a contemporary key, starting with working on brand architecture.

The little elephant that has distinguished Gerotto around the world for over 20 years has been redesigned with a innovative approach that, thanks to its essential and modern lines, makes it versatile and ready to speak the language of the Metaverse and AI world. The payoff “Innovation first, safety always” summarizes the history and mission of the company that has made the research for innovative and safe methods and technologies a distinguishing feature of its value proposition in the market. Today, thanks to this approach, the company can proactively apply ESG values.

The new website is structured for an intuitive navigation through the products and solutions that the company offers, guiding the user through a digital journey of the Gerotto company.

The new logo and website are the result of a structuring process of the Gerotto brand that has defined three different and complementary Business Units:

• Gerotto Robotics which deals with the engineering, production and sale of no-man entry robotic solutions for cleaning operations inside tanks and industrial plants.
• Gerotto Truck focuses on sale of suction vehicles which represents exclusively for Italy the RSP suction excavators and Amphitec industrial vacuum cleaners.
• Gerotto Solutions, finally, is the Business Unit dedicated to industrial reclamation services and construction and maintenance of infrastructures and underground utilities.

“Gerotto’s new image – underlines Alessandro Gerotto, CEO of the company – is an important step in our history and above all a necessary step to present ourselves to the market in an increasingly innovative way: it is the natural outcome of a process of industrial and managerial innovation, which we have been carrying out in recent years, focused on ESG principles to offer an even more defined value proposition to customers and stakeholders”.

For more information visit www.gerotto.it

Technip Energies has been selected by Texas Green Fuels to commence pre-FEED (Front-End Engineering and Design) for the TGF Galveston Bay clean fuels export project. TGF’s export complex will produce industrial-scale, cost-effective, and sustainable fuels such as clean ammonia, hydrogen, and methanol.

With Texas’ abundance of low-cost renewable energy, developed infrastructure, competitive skilled workforce, government incentives, and lower construction costs relative to other regions, TGF expects to become one of the world’s lowest-cost producers of clean fuels.

Technip Energies, a world-leading engineering and technology player for the energy transition, will perform pre-FEED which will enable TGF to confirm the technical and economic feasibility of the project. The partnership between Technip Energies and TGF will leverage Technip Energies’ global expertise to extend through EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) of the TGF complex.

Laure Mandrou, SVP Carbon-free solutions of Technip Energies, commented: “Technip Energies is committed to bringing Texas Green Fuels’ ambitious clean fuels export project to the execution phase as clean fuels made from renewable electricity is an important path to support the world’s energy transition.”

TGF’s mission is to support global net zero objectives that mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change by developing projects that convert the world’s abundant, low-cost renewable electricity into clean fuels. These clean products are produced using renewable electricity for all electricity requirements.

TGF’s Founders and Co-CEOs, David Glessner and Langtry Meyer, are experienced in all facets of mega-energy infrastructure export project development.

David Glessner, co-CEO of Texas Green Fuels stated: “Texas Green Fuels will build upon the strong energy culture in Texas to seamlessly offer sustainable fuels such as clean ammonia, hydrogen, and methanol for both domestic and export markets.” Langtry Meyer added that “we’re committed to playing a leading role in this transformative shift” and that “the market for clean fuels will grow rapidly and evolve similarly to LNG.”

The TGF export complex will not only bring economic benefits to the state of Texas but also help reduce carbon emissions for industries such as marine shipping, power generation, and fertilizer. Final investment decision is expected in 2025 with commercial operations commencing in 2028.

For more information visit www.technipenergies.com/en

Flowserve Corporation, a leading provider of flow control products and services for the global infrastructure markets, has announced the release of the Flowserve FlowSync™ Bluetooth Actuator App. The cross-platform mobile application provides plant operators with a smarter way to commission, monitor, control and update actuators in a safe and convenient manner.

“The FlowSync App offers easy and straightforward configuration and diagnostic options that can be accessed through a touch-screen device. It enables operators to digitize their equipment and processes, and helps them save time and money on the commissioning and maintenance of actuation equipment,” said Mark Stone, Flowserve global product leader, electric actuators.

“With equal parts durability and sophistication, Flowserve Limitorque® electric actuators have supported the process needs of our customers for decades by delivering reliable valve control in a variety of applications. In addition to providing our customers with unprecedented value through our technical solutions, we are now focusing on elevating the actuator user experience with the Flowserve FlowSync app,” he added.

The FlowSync App is available for download in the Apple and Google Play app stores. It is compatible with Limitorque MX Series B (MXb) non-intrusive, multi-turn, smart electric actuators in the following industries: oil and gas; chemical; commercial power; general industries; petrochemical; and water.

Compatibility with other Limitorque electric actuators is foreseen as part of future development initiatives.

Plant operators and technicians benefit by using the Flowserve FlowSync app because they can connect easily and securely from safe and comfortable distances to configure or change actuator settings remotely. They also can set up, monitor and control actuators using familiar touch-screen devices and commands.

The app’s dashboard helps users identify conditions or issues by displaying actuator status, valve/actuator position, torque and speed, along with temperature measurements. In addition, fast and reliable expert support from Flowserve support specialists is available through the app.

For more information visit www.flowserve.com

Greenergy and Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies have agreed terms for a joint pre-feasibility study on the development of a commercial scale hydrogen supply chain with the aim of shipping low-cost green hydrogen from Canada to the UK.

Hydrogenious’ proven and safe Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) technology enables hydrogen to be chemically bound to a thermal oil for safe storage and bulk shipping, leveraging the existing infrastructure for liquid fuels. Temporarily absorbed to the LOHC the hydrogen can be transported and handled safely and easily in ports and in urban areas. On arrival and discharge at the import location the hydrogen will then be released from the liquid carrier for delivery as pure green hydrogen to end users.

Greenergy’s access to large terminals is ideal for the importation, release and distribution of the LOHC, with Navigator Thames already identified as a strategic location to meet expected demand for hydrogen in the South East of England. Greenergy’s distribution network and strong customer base will also enable delivery to a broad range of industrial and commercial customers across the UK.

Christian Flach, Chief Executive Officer of Greenergy, says: “Working with Hydrogenious is an important step in our strategy to offer cost effective hydrogen to our customers using existing storage and delivery infrastructure. Delivering hydrogen is an important goal in supporting the energy transition.”

Dr Toralf Pohl, Chief Commercial Officer at Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies, says: “North America will soon be a key market for large-scale clean hydrogen exports to Europe. The UK is committed to hydrogen consumption, and together with Greenergy, we will now be exploring the possibility of establishing a LOHC-based hydrogen supply chain, including constructing storage and release plant assets in Canada and the UK capable of handling more than 100 tonnes of hydrogen per day, while leveraging the existing infrastructure for liquid fuels in ports with our LOHC technology.”

For more information visit www.hydrogenious.net

On Wednesday 15 March, the official handover of the Neste Terminal Rotterdam Expansion project was celebrated. With this expansion project, Neste has doubled their terminal capacity in the Netherlands with 15 new tanks and 5 additional truck unloading stations, thus reinforcing its growth strategy in the sustainable raw materials supply.

The Neste Terminal Rotterdam allows Neste to further develop its raw material logistics for the future and strengthen the competitive position in the global market for renewable waste and residual raw materials.

Engicon (Geldof nv) designed, engineered and constructed all 15 storage tanks for this project. Together with the other contractors KH Engineering, Mourik, Ferris, Wiko, FMJ, Honeywell and JdeJonge, who contributed to deliver this project safely and successfully.

For more information visit www.geldof.be

Fusion Fuel have announced that the company has been awarded €3.6 million in grant funding through Component 5 (‘C-5’) of Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan to develop a 1 MW decentralized green hydrogen production facility co-located with a hydrogen refueling station in Elvas, Portugal. Fusion Fuel had previously been awarded €36 million in C-5 funding for its “Sines Green Hydrogen Valley Alliance” consortium.

The grant is part of a broader funding award allocated to the Moving2Neutrality Alliance, a consortium of 13 partners spearheaded by Petrogal, a subsidiary of Galp Group, that is focused on solving the challenge of decarbonizing commercial and industrial mobility by developing sustainable fuels production hubs in Sines and other strategic locations in Portugal.

Fusion Fuel’s project, which will be co-developed with Galp, will serve as the benchmark for exploring the concept of decentralized production of green hydrogen for mobility applications in Portugal and abroad. The facility will be developed in Elvas, on the Portugal-Spain border, strategically located on one of the main freight corridors between the two countries. The project envisions 1 MW of electrolysis capacity, producing up to 400kg of green hydrogen per day, along with the associated balance of plant to achieve the purity and compression required for mobility applications. The facility will also include an integrated hydrogen refueling station intended to serve light and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. Fusion Fuel’s scope for the project – green hydrogen production and compression to 40 bar – is expected to require approximately €7.2 million of capital investment.

Frederico Figueira de Chaves, Fusion Fuel’s Co-Head and Chief Financial Officer, commented, “We are very pleased to have been awarded additional funding support through Portugal’s C-5 programme. However, grant funding aside, this is truly an historic achievement for Fusion Fuel. As the largest integrated energy utility and largest operator of service stations in Portugal, Galp is one of the most recognizable companies in the country, intricately woven within the fabric of our daily lives. To join Galp both as a consortium partner, and in the development of a pioneering decentralised hydrogen production and refueling facility, is a testament to Fusion Fuel’s innovative technology and differentiated approach. We continue to believe that building fit-for-purpose, co-located green hydrogen solutions that eliminate the need for last-mile distribution and reduce the net-effective cost to customers, is critical to democratizing access to hydrogen and addressing the challenges of moving molecules from sources of large-scale production to centers of demand.”

Zach Steele, Fusion Fuel’s Co-Head, concluded, “Our Elvas project represents the next step in the realisation of our vision of building a hydrogen mobility backbone across the Iberian Peninsula, a vision which began with our pioneering Exolum project in Madrid, the first integrated green hydrogen refueling station in Spain. Our unique technology and approach position us to deliver a differentiated offering for customers in the logistics and commercial transport sectors, markets that ascribe the highest value to green hydrogen today. We are confident that this project will lay the foundation for developing decentralised, co-located hydrogen production for emergent applications like mobility and, ultimately, serve as a model we can replicate across Portugal and Spain as well as in our other core markets of North America and Italy.”

For more information visit www.ir.fusion-fuel.eu/

HES International has concluded the sale of HES (UK) Ltd. along with its subsidiaries HES Humber Bulk Terminal Ltd. and HES Humber Shipping Ltd. (hereafter “HES Humber Bulk Terminal”) to Peel Ports Group.

HES Humber Bulk Terminal is situated on the south bank of The Humber estuary in the United Kingdom and is a specialist in the safe and efficient handling and storage of a variety of dry bulk products. Following a strategic review of its investment in the terminal in 2021, HES International determined Peel Ports Group – the second largest port group in the UK – would be well positioned to develop the site’s attractive expansion potential.

HES Humber Bulk Terminal currently employs 29 people, all of whom will be retained by Peel Ports Group as part of the acquisition.

Cees van Gent, CEO of HES International, said: “We would sincerely like to thank all HES Humber Bulk Terminal employees for their ongoing commitment and valuable contribution to the company. Peel Ports has a long and outstanding history in the safe handling of cargo from across the globe and plays an integral role in customer supply chains. They are a reputable market player in the UK and we are confident that they will support HES Humber Bulk Terminal to build on its successful history. Proceeds from the sale will be reinvested in energy transition related projects that are pivotal for the long-term, sustainable growth and transformation of HES.”

Claudio Veritiero, CEO of Peel Ports Group, said: “The HES Humber Bulk Terminal acquisition is an important investment for Peel Ports Group, which expands our presence in the North of England and brings Peel Ports Logistics’ ‘One-Stop-Shop’ service to the East Coast. The modern facilities at the HES Humber Bulk Terminal guarantee fast and efficient loading and unloading of vessels and trucks, while the excellent water and road connections enable quick and smooth operations. This, combined with the outstanding storage capabilities, will make the site a brilliant addition to Peel Ports Logistics, helping us to deliver efficient and cost-effective port services for our customers.”

HES International will continue to pursue its ambitions to further diversify its business – seizing opportunities from the ongoing raw materials and energy transition while strengthening its position in agricultural goods, minerals, iron ore and liquids handling.

The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

For more information visit www.hesinternational.eu/en/

LyondellBasell has announced that it has successfully started up the world’s largest propylene oxide (PO) and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) unit in Texas. These new assets on the US Gulf Coast have an annual capacity of 470 thousand metric tonnes of PO and one million metric tonnes of TBA and its derivatives.

“The world-leading capacity of the new plant positions us to meet the growing demand for products essential for modern life,” said Chris Cain, LyondellBasell Senior Vice President for Global Manufacturing. “Our company strives to be trailblazers in our industry and make positive contributions through our environmental and sustainability initiatives. This project advances our company’s goals and creates value while meeting customer and society’s needs, and it involved a collaborative effort between multiple project teams at Bayport, Channelview and around the world to deliver a project of this magnitude.”

The PO/TBA project is a split facility design, intended to optimize production and leverage synergies shared by the LyondellBasell Channelview Complex located in Channelview, Texas and the LyondellBasell Bayport Complex located in Pasadena, Texas. The 140-acre PO/TBA plant was built at the Channelview Complex, while the associated 34-acre ethers unit, which will convert TBA to oxyfuels, was built at the Bayport Complex.

The project is part of the company’s multi-billion dollar series of investments along the US Gulf Coast. Based on an analysis by the Greater Houston Partnership, the LyondellBasell PO/TBA project is estimated to generate more than $450 million in tax benefits for the county, school district, community college and other local taxing districts over a 10-year period.

The development of LyondellBasell PO/TBA operations began at the Bayport Complex, with the first PO/TBA unit starting up in 1969. Through 50-plus years of global experience with PO/TBA operations and applying new innovations in yield improvement and PO recovery, the PO/TBA plant at the Channelview Complex is the most energy efficient PO/TBA facility in company history.

For more information visit www.lyondellbasell.com

JGC Holdings Corporation (Representative Director, Chairman and CEO Masayuki Sato) has announced that JGC Corporation (Representative Director and President Farhan Mujib) which operates the overseas engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) business of the JGC Group, in partnership with Hyundai Engineering & Construction, was awarded the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) and Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) estimation contract for the downstream liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities for the Papua LNG project in Papua New Guinea, by ExxonMobil on behalf of the venture partners.

The Project calls for the design of approximately 4 million tonnes per year of LNG liquefaction capacity adjacent to the existing PNG LNG processing facilities located 20 kilometres northwest of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, with the natural gas to be sourced from the Elk Antelope gas field. The Project also includes the use of 2 million tonnes per year of liquefaction capacity in the existing trains of PNG LNG.

The LNG facilities will adopt an “E-Drive” design, where electric motors instead of conventional gas turbines drive the natural gas compressors.This will help reduce CO2 emissions during operations of the LNG facilities.

The role of LNG, with its reduced environmental impact in comparison with other fossil energy sources, is increasingly important in the “energy transition” which is progressing against the backdrop of recent global low-carbon and decarbonization trends. The JGC Group has been responsible for the construction of LNG facilities accounting for more than 30 percent of world LNG production and is currently executing three projects: a large-scale LNG project in Canada, an FLNG project in Mozambique, and an FLNG project in Malaysia.

As a world-leading engineering contractor in the LNG field, JGC will continue to aggressively expand their business activities and contribute to energy transition.

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

TECAM successfully participated at StocExpo 2023, the meeting point for tank terminals in Europe, from 13-15 March 2023 in Rotterdam.

Tecam has been awarded with the Silver medal for the “Environmental Performance” category of the Tank Storage Awards that were presented during a gala dinner on 15th March in Rotterdam Schiecentrale venue, as part of StocExpo 2023 exhibition. The Tecam technology solution awarded was the combination of Electrically-heated Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTO) + Vapour Recovery Unit (VRU) for emissions treatment and hydrocarbon recovery at tank terminals.

Moreover, Tecam’s Engineering Director José Miguel González gave a technical speech on environmental best practices at the conference programme of this exhibition. The technical speech versed on how electrically-heated RTO and VRU are the most suitable technology for tank terminals to become greener and more efficient when it comes to emissions elimination and product recovery.

TECAM showcased in this event its environmental technology for emissions treatment as well as for vapour recovery for the tank storage industry in Europe.

Tecam’s participation in this event has been of much success. StocExpo has proven to be a fruitful event, where the bulk liquid tank storage industry has gathered to discuss about the trends, challenges and future of the sector.

Tecam has vast and proven experience in the oil & gas, petrochemical and chemical sectors, and is helping the tank storage sector with emissions elimination and vapour recovery. Each industry has its own specific technical requirements, and Tecam has the experience and the know-how to offer the most suitable solution to each case.

Tecam are very happy and proud to provide environmental technology solutions to contribute to a zero emissions industry worldwide.

For more information visit www.tecamgroup.com

Chart Industries, Inc., a global leader in engineering and manufacturing of process technology and equipment for industrial gas, specialty and energy transition markets, has completed its acquisition of Howden, a leading global provider of mission critical air and gas handling products and services, from affiliates of KPS Capital Partners, LP.

The strategic combination of Chart and Howden expands our offering of products and solutions across the Nexus of Clean™ – clean power, clean water, clean food and clean industrials. The combination also provides access to new specialty products and ESG-linked end markets such as nuclear, energy recovery and electrification. The complementary nature of the equipment and solution portfolios results in a differentiated offering across stationary and rotating equipment and is further differentiated by the additional 750 Howden engineers coming with the acquisition, doubling our global engineering team to over 1,500.

“We are excited to welcome the Howden team to the Chart family and look forward to the combined business executing on record momentum and well-defined synergies. Since we announced the combination in November 2022, Chart has received numerous inbounds from customers that see the combined benefits we can offer.”

Jill Evanko, CEO and President of Chart

Through the acquisition of Howden, Chart has gained immediate access to new customers and commercial opportunities, increasing our geographic footprint to over 35 countries. This geographic footprint allows for increased commercial and manufacturing capabilities as well as the ability to bid on projects regionally that were not previously accessible.

Aftermarket, service and repair will represent approximately 30 percent of the combined organisation with approximately 42 percent gross margin as a percent of sales. The increased global reach, coupled with two large existing installed bases, will result in less business cyclicality. We will also leverage Howden’s digital offering of Howden Uptime and Ventsim™ across our global installed base.

The new Chart executive management team will include a balance of Chart and legacy Howden executives. We will continue to operate under our “One Chart” commercial and engineering structures, further allowing us to leverage our full solution set across our diverse end markets.

For more information visit www.howden.com/en-us

The Steel Tank Institute/Steel Plate Fabricators Association (STI/SPFA) presented McDermott’s storage business, CB&I, with safety awards in two categories during its annual meeting in Coronado, Calif.

The association presents safety awards each year to acknowledge the highest achievements of member companies engaged in shop fabrication, inspection, maintenance and field construction. CB&I’s Central and South America operating division was recognised in the following safety categories and was one of five member companies to receive the most prestigious Diamond Club Award:

• 2022 Safety Diamond Club Award: Fabricators or affiliate members who complete at least one million work hours without a recordable incident or five years consecutively without a recordable for the 2022 calendar year.
• 2022 Safety Award of Excellence: Member companies whose employees achieved an OSHA Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of zero for the 2022 calendar year.

CB&I was also awarded Tank of the Year in two of the seven field erected categories for 2022:

• ASME Pressure Vessel Storage – 1.25MMG Double Wall Liquid Hydrogen Sphere in Cape Canaveral, Fla.
• AWWA Elevated Tank Storage – 1.0MMG Gallon Waterspheroid in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

“Congratulations to all our employees who made each of these safety and project recognitions possible,” said Cesar Canals, Senior Vice President of CB&I. “I am truly proud of the daily attention everyone devotes to safety during the fabrication and construction of our steel plate tanks and high-pressure spheres.”

STI/SPFA is a non-profit trade association whose member companies fabricate steel tanks, pipe and pressure vessels for use across various industries.

To view all winners and learn more, visit www.steeltank.com/safety/awards.

For more information visit www.mcdermott-investors.com

The tank storage industry is buzzing with new thinking, new technology, new contacts and new business after StocExpo, the world-leading tank storage and future fuels event.

StocExpo 2023 returned bigger and better than ever this week, as 40 percent more tank storage and future fuels professionals than last year descended on Rotterdam.

Visitors saw the latest innovations from 120 exhibitors, including Siemens, Honeywell and Emerson, to name just a few, learnt from the two-stream conference programme, and networked with old and new friends.

Visitor Frans Moolman, Senior Control Engineer, Zenith, said, “StocExpo is great this year. It’s nice to meet new people and see new companies and new technology.”  

Another visitor, Marvin Zintel, Category Manager, BP, said, “Everyone’s focused on efficiency and driving costs down, and StocExpo is an opportunity to communicate, create networks, and keep up with new technologies and innovation.”

And Job Van Der Kroft, Director of New Energies, Advario, said, “StocExpo is a great place to see what other organisations are doing and share what we’re up to, especially in new energies. The conference has been a particular highlight.”

On top of learning and networking, countless new business deals have been struck throughout the three-day event.

Exhibitor Leon de Ridder, Director of Sales, Mistras Group, said, “We’ve got the next generation of our Automated Radiographic Testing Crawler on the stand here and everyone’s stopping to look as they walk by. We had good conversations within the first few hours of StocExpo 2023.”

Likewise, Paul Whayman, Technical Director, Technodyne, said, “We’re promoting our tank storage expertise, we came to StocExpo in 2019 and it was very successful for us. We’re back again and had good conversations within a few hours of the event starting.”

The industry’s best and brightest were celebrated at the Global Tank Storage Awards, and the next generation of industry leaders were recognised as part of StocExpo’s Forty Under 40.

Victoria Oppenheim, Head of Business Development, Argent Energy, said, “It feels good to be recognised as one of StocExpo’s Forty Under 40. The industry needs more young people and more needs to be done to attract them to it, so this is a really important initiative.”

Commenting on the success of the event, Rikki Bhachu, StocExpo’s Head of Marketing, said, “We’re proud to say we’ve outdone ourselves this year, this really is the best StocExpo yet.

“But it’s the industry itself that we’re most proud of. Every year, huge steps are taken to address the big issues in tank storage such as the energy transition, health and safety, and supply chain security, so every year the conference is compelling and educational, and the exhibition floor is packed with exciting new tech. Here’s to another great StocExpo, we can’t wait to see you all again next year.”

StocExpo will return in 2024.

For more information visit www.stocexpo.com