Europe
Greece extends its import influence
DESFA, the operator of the Greece natural gas transmission system, has been awarded the operation and maintenance services of Kuwait’s newest LNG import terminal. The 11.5m t/y Al Zour LNG import terminal, currently under construction for 2021 will have eight storage tanks with a capacity of 225,00..
Croatia poised to become Europe's next importer
Croatia’s first floating, storage and regasification unit (FSRU) has arrived at the terminal site on Krk Island in the Adriatic Sea. The LNG Croatia FSRU, formerly known as the LNG vessel Golar Viking, was converted in China and delivered in mid-September. It has just arrived from the 6.4m t/y Sagu..
Russia Restarts Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Construction Despite U.S. Sanctions
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has resumed construction of the politically-charged Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany, laying pipes after a one-year hiatus prompted by U.S. sanctions, the pipeline operator said on Friday.
Sungrow Supplies Central Europe’s 100 MW PV Plant in Hungary
Sungrow, the global leading inverter solution supplier for renewables, announced that the Company supplied its medium-voltage inverter solutions to a 100 MW solar park in Kaposvàr, south-west Hungary, which is one of the largest PV projects and biggest investment of this nature in entire Central Europe, committing to support Hungary’s climate policy targets, including energy production in a carbon-neutral way by 2050.
The Refinery Restructuring Trend Continues Across Europe
Neste of Finland recently announced that it plans to shut in the refining operations at its 58,000 barrel per day Naantali refinery by the end of March 2021. This complex’s closure decision had been accelerated by the substantial decline in oil demand worldwide, in addition to competition from Asia and from environmental rulings.
Trans Adriatic Pipeline Explores Feasibility of Blending Hydrogen
Developers of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) have started feasibility studies on blending hydrogen with the natural gas the pipeline will bring in from Azerbaijan, the TAP head said.
France has its sights on offshore
France’s highest court, the Council of State, has rejected an appeal against Iberdrola’s offshore windfarm project in Brittany, in the countries Northwest. Iberdrola is the sole owner of the planned 2.4 billion euro, 62-turbine, 496MW Saint-Brieuc windfarm, which will be located 16km off the French..
Neste of Finland to Shut in Naantali Refinery Next Year
Neste of Finland recently announced that it was planning to shut down the refinery operations at its Naantali facility by April 2021. This decision was made due to the pandemic driven decline in demand.
Minesto reaches historic milestone – delivers first tidal energy to the Faroese grid
As a part of the ongoing commissioning work of its DG100 tidal kite system Vestmannasund, Faroe Islands, leading marine energy developer Minesto has reached the milestone of delivering electricity to the Faroese grid facilitated by the Power Purchase Agreement with the utility company SEV
Green industrial revolution in UK but does solar count
Despite the ongoing social and economic issues surrounding Covid-19 the United Kingdom government has issues its plans for a green industrial revolution. The policy paper announced by the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has a slogan of “Building back better, supporting green jobs, and accelerating our path to net zero”
The UK's Green Industrial Revolution
The UK’s Green Industrial Revolution The UK recently announced an ambitious 10-point plan for a Green Industrial Revolution. Including clean energy, the blueprint will allow the UK to forge ahead with eradicating its contribution to climate change by 2050. Central to the plan is the further develo..
Italy Pens Draft for National Hydrogen Strategy
Italy has released a draft National Hydrogen Strategy in an ongoing effort to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy.
Support for wind's growth
The International Energy Agency (IEA) report, Renewables 2020 released on 10 November 2020, proclaims that renewable power is defying the Covid crisis with record growth this year and next. It goes on to say that renewables will account for almost 90% of the increase in total power capacity worldwide in 2020 and will accelerate in 2021 to their fastest growth in the last six years. Wind and solar additions are set to jump by 30% in both the United States and China as developers rush to take advantage of expiring incentives.
Nord Stream 2 Sanctions Included in U.S. Defense Bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sanctions that could hinder one of Moscow's most important projects in Europe, the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, have been included in the annual U.S. defense policy bill, two congressional aides said on Wednesday.
McDermott wins contract for large Russian ethane cracking project
McDermott International, Ltd recently announced it had secured the upcoming phase for the large ethane cracker project from China National Chemical Engineering & Construction Corporation Seven, Ltd (CC7).
Azerbaijan to Proceed with Gas Pipeline Extension, Despite War
BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan will press ahead with plans to feed natural gas into an extended pipeline network to southern Europe, a senior official said, even as conflict rages for a sixth week in the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Shell announces plans to reduce its refining portfolio
Royal Dutch Shell recently announced that it plans to reduce its refinery portfolio down to a count of six as the company plans to increase its lower carbon projects and to further support future cash planning. A time frame was not specified but could be completed in the next five years.
An Arctic solution
Novatek’s plans to build two LNG trans-shipment terminals in Russia have taken a step closer to becoming realized. Two giant FSRU’s are on order with Daewoo’s Geoje shipyard in South Korea for delivery by end-2022, although they may not be operational until 2023/24. Each one is expected to have a storage capacity of 360,000cm, and be capable of receiving shipments from Novatek’s expensively assembled Arc7 Arctic-class fleet and transferring it to more conventional vessels for onward delivery.
Renewable refinery conversions increase across Europe
The energy transition continues across the globe as Preem AB of Sweden recently announced that it is indeed proceeding with its newly announced plan to convert the long-running Lysekil refinery into what is designed to become the largest renewable fuel facility in Scandinavia.
Repsol announces plans to build the first advanced biofuels plant in Spain
Repsol of Spain recently announced its intention to construct an advanced biofuels plant at the company’s existing Cartagena facility site to supply transportation fuels with a reduction in emissions.
Pipelines to restore harmony
The Eastern Mediterranean region has been a much-discussed area in recent months, with claim and counterclaim flying around. Turkey has managed to antagonize almost every nation in the region at some point, inparticular neighbouring countries Greece and Cyprus, with its maritime claims and offshore surveys and drilling. It even threatened to suspend diplomatic relations with the UAE over their proposed deal with Israel. However, beyond the geopolitics, 2 pipeline projects may restore some semblance of harmony in the near future.
BP Says Trans Adriatic Pipeline to be Ready by End of 2020
BAKU (Reuters) — Oil major BP has confirmed plans to start shipping natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe by the end of the year.
Global announcements and developments July
The industry's most comprehensive list of current and recent rounds for onshore and offshore licences
Oil firms ready to pick up the infrastructure divestment pace
Pipelines, storage facilities and processing plants could replace non-advantaged production as prime candidates Oil and gas producing firms create the most value by exploring for, developing and producing hydrocarbons. Internal rates of return (IRRs) far in excess of 20pc are the norm for successful upstream projects.
Trans Adriatic Pipeline Enters Initial Testing Phase
(P&GJ) — The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) has introduced the first natural gas into a 2.5-mile (4-km) section of the pipeline at the Greek-Albanian border as it prepares for first gas deliveries to Europe by the end of 2020.
Bulgaria's State Gas Firm Seeks Loans for Pipeline Construction
SOFIA, June 5 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's state gas firm Bulgartransgaz is seeking up to 400 million euros ($453 million) to finance an extension of the TurkStream gas pipeline and other gas projects in the Balkan country, it said on Friday.
Global announcements and developments June
The industry's most comprehensive list of current and recent rounds for onshore and offshore licences
Record-setting Q2 at northwest Europe’s LNG terminals
Six of the region’s eight LNG terminals saw deliveries above 80pc of capacity for a second consecutive month All of the LNG terminals across Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium and France’s Atlantic coast received deliveries in May at more than 80pc of their processing capacity, as did the UK’s South Hook terminal, according to data by leading cargo tracking firm Kpler. This marks the second month that six of the facilities that can readily supply into northwest Europe (NWE) have topped 80pc utilisation for the first time since the so-called ‘LNG wave’ started emerging in early 2019.
Bulgaria Still Aims to Complete TurkStream Pipeline Extension by Year-End
LETNITSA, Bulgaria (Reuters) — Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Monday he hoped that the Balkan Stream natural gas pipeline - an extension of Russia's TurkStream - would still be ready by the end of the year despite construction delays due to the coronavirus crisis.
LNG: Intercontinental to inter-regional?
Price differentials are threatening the economics underlying global LNG arbitrage. But the lower prices may unlock competition within regions It was all going rather well for efficient global LNG trade. The associated gas boom that accompanied the US shale oil revolution drove Henry Hub prices to bargain-basement levels just at a time when the country was developing its first wave of liquefaction and export capacity, most of it linked to those Louisiana prices.
