North America
Shell Invests in Quebec’s first Waste to Low-Carbon Fuels Plant
Shell Canada Limited, an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc, today announced the signing of commercial agreements to invest in Varennes Carbon Recycling, the first waste to low-carbon fuels plant in Québec, Canada. Shell will have a 40% interest in the plant using technology developed by Enerkem, a leading Canadian clean tech company. Enerkem announced the project in December 2020, subject to finalization of commercial agreements.
Refinery shutdowns continue, likely more in 2021
As the coronavirus pandemic decimated global demand in 2020, refineries around the world reacted immediately with a variety of methods to survive. Temporary shut ins, cold circulation, conversion to renewable production, and outright refinery closures all became commonplace as responses to the pandemic effect.
West Coast Olefins complex to be built in Prince George after all
West Coast Olefins of Canada recently announced that it will build a $5.6 billion dollar ethylene complex in Prince George, as originally envisioned in 2019. The company had been considering an alternate location near Mcleod Lake, just north of Prince George.
Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC Acquires Solar Project Totaling 80 MWac / 104 MWdc
Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC (“GREC”) announced today that, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, it purchased a 80 MWac /104 MWdc pre-operational solar project from rPlus Energies LLC (“rPlus”). The project, Graphite Solar I LLC, is located in Carbon County, Utah and has a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”) in place with the utility PacifiCorp on behalf of Facebook. The contract was developed under Rocky Mountain Power’s Schedule 34 green energy tariff, which allows large customers to purchase renewable energy generated on their behalf. The project supports Facebook’s goal of 100% renewable energy for its operations and is expected to reach commercial operations (“COD”) in Q4 2021.
ExxonMobil looks to invest $240 million in improvements for its Baton Rouge refinery
ExxonMobil recently announced that after two years in the making, the company will invest as much as $240 million dollars in its Baton Rouge complex for modernization opportunities. The company hopes to make the facilities more competitive in a tough current market and even prepare it for expansion down the road.
Partners move onshore US
Siemens Gamesa and Orsted have signed an agreement for their first US onshore project together. The 51-turbine, 298MW Haystack project in Wayne county, Nebraska is expected to be commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2021. The order also includes a 30-year, full-scope service and maintenance agreeme..
Pembina Ceases Plans for Canadian Petrochemical Project
Pembina Pipeline of Canada and Kuwait’s Petrochemical Industries Company through their joint venture, Canada Kuwait Petrochemical Limited Partnership, have announced that their $4.5 billion integrated propane dehydration plant (PDH) and polypropylene upgrading facility in Alberta would be indefinitely suspended until further notice. This follows another recent indefinite deferment for a major project in North America just last month with Formosa’s $9.4 billion Sunshine complex in Louisiana.
Tellurian shelves Permian Global Access Pipeline
Earlier this month, Tellurian Inc. withdrew its application from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the planned 625-mile Permian Global Access Natural Gas Pipeline (PGAP).
Pinnacle Midstream II Plans Gathering, Compression System in Midland Basin
HOUSTON (P&GJ) — Pinnacle Midstream II on Tuesday said it has signed a 15-year gas gathering, processing and purchase agreement with DoublePoint Energy that anchors Pinnacle’s greenfield build of a new natural gas gathering and compression system in the Midland Basin.
Norwegians sign memorandum for large solar farm to add to Brazil’s capacity
Three Norwegian energy firms Scatec Solar, Equinor, and Hydro Energy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the 9 December 2020 with the purpose to jointly develop a 480 MW solar power plant. The MoU provides a framework to realise the project on a site already secured in Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil by Scatec and Equinor. The MoU contemplates joint ownership and development of the project by the three parties and offtake of part of the production by Hydro. Subject to final agreement, the companies aim to reach an investment decision in 2021
Methyl Methacrylate Plant proposed in Louisiana for Mitsubishi Chemical
Mitsubishi Chemical of Japan announced very recently that it has acquired 67 acres of land in Geismar, Louisiana near the Mississippi River for a potential Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) plant. The company plans to begin feasibility studies next for this project.
Shell Begins Closing in its Convent Refinery in Louisiana
Royal Dutch Shell recently announced that it is indeed shutting down its 240,000 barrel per day Convent refinery in St. James Parish, Louisiana. This process has reportedly already begun and could be completed by mid-December.
Samson Solar Energy Center is now fully under construction
Chicago based Invenergy is a leading privately held developer and operator of sustainable energy solutions has joined with 8 partners to create the Samson Solar Energy Center which will one of the largest solar power projects in the United States at 1,310 Megawatts (MW) when fully complete in 2023.
Enbridge invests in additional solar facilities for a lower-carbon future
In an effort to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions Enbridge Inc., is developing a second solar facility in Pennsylvania to help power the Heidlersburg Compressor Station supplying the Texas Eastern Transmission Pipeline.
Keystone XL Adds Contractors for U.S. Spreads
HOUSTON (P&GJ) – Six U.S. union construction companies were awarded about $1.6 billion in contracts recently to build portions of the Keystone XL pipeline. The project’s owner, TC Energy, expects the work to get underway in 2021.
Minnesota Gives Final Green Light to Line 3 Pipeline
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota regulators approved the final permit Monday for Enbridge Energy’s Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement across northern Minnesota, giving the company the green light to begin construction on the $2.6 billion project.
Plaquemines ventures forth
Venture Global LNG announced that it had awarded KBR the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for Phase I of the Plaquemines LNG export project. The planned 21.6m t/y plant in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana on the Gulf of Mexico coast, approximately 20 miles south of New Orleans, ..
COVID-19 Delays $9.4 Billion Petrochemical Complex in Louisiana Indefinitely
Formosa Plastics Group subsidiary FG LA announced on November 24 that work on the company’s multiphase Sunshine petrochemical project in Louisiana had been indefinitely suspended with no new timeline in place. This is believed to be the first significant project to be deferred at this level due to the continuing impact felt from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Corps of Engineers Grants Final Federal Permit for Enbridge Line 3
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Monday approved the final federal permit for Enbridge Energy's planned Line 3 crude oil pipeline replacement across northern Minnesota, bringing the project a step closer to construction.
Continental Refinery of Kentucky Plans for Biodiesel Future
Hemisphere Ltd subsidiary Continental Refining Company (CRC) of Kentucky recently announced that it is considering a full conversion of its 5,500 barrel per day crude oil refinery in Somerset, Kentucky into a biodiesel production site. This refinery was permanently idled earlier this year and had been considered for outright redevelopment before this conversion plan materialized.
Energia Costa Azul reaches FID
Energia Costa Azul reaches FID Sempra Energy announced that its subsidiary ECA Liquefaction (ECA LNG), a joint venture between Sempra LNG and Infraestructura Energetica Nova (IEnova), had reached a final investment decision (FID) for the development, construction and operation of the ECA LNG Phase I..
PTTGCA’s ethane cracker in Ohio delays FID
PTT Global Chemical America (PTTGCA) recently announced that it has delayed a previously anticipated final investment decision (FID) for its 1.5 million tons per year (MMtpy) ethane cracker project in the Ohio River Valley. The company had planned on reaching FID in the first quarter of 2021 as recently as this past September.
Environmental Groups Appeal Illinois Approval of DAPL Expansion
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Environmental groups are appealing a decision made last month by Illinois regulators to allow the expansion of the Dakota Access oil pipeline (DAPL), according to documents filed with the state.
Max Midstream Announces Binding Open Season
HOUSTON (P&GJ) — Max Midstream Texas announced it is launching an open season to solicit shipper commitments for services in the Eagle Ford region on its Seahawk crude oil pipeline.
Yellow Hydrogen: A Carbon Free Method of Developing More Cost-Effective Hydrogen
In the hydrogen industry blue and green hydrogen get most of the press. They are seen as the two best methods of developing hydrogen while lowering carbon emissions. Blue hydrogen is the more economic choice for the near term while green is the long-term choice with the expectation that costs will be driven down through government incentives and economies of scale. But there are other methods of developing carbon free hydrogen today with lower costs. Nuclear facilities around the world are already generating large amounts of clean electricity and heat.
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.
Solar Installed capacity is dominated by China and United States
Looking into data available from the International Renewables Energy Agency (Irena) it is clear from the information that China and United States are leading the way when it comes to solar installed capacity and looks to continue
Potential $9.2 billion renewable fuel complex under study in Louisiana
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards recently announced that Fidelis Infrastructure portfolio company Grön Fuels LLC of Houston is currently preparing a feasibility study for a significant renewable fuel complex to be placed in the Port of Baton Rouge.
Firm Led by Former Alaska Governor Seeks to Take over LNG Project
(Reuters) - Former Alaska Governor Bill Walker said this week he was a founding member of Alaska Gasline & LNG LLC (AGLNG) that wants to take over the state's Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project and complete it by March 2028.
Enbridge releases energy transition strategy for a lower carbon future
Canada’s largest pipeline operator Enbridge Inc. released a long-term strategy in early November to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) 35% by 2030 and achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2050.
