North America
Shell announces it will close the Convent refinery in Louisiana
Royal Dutch Shell announced on Thursday afternoon that it plans to shut down its Convent refinery in Louisiana due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This closure is expected this month and will be the largest facility in the United States to close since the pandemic began its effect on the economy.
Dominion Energy Proposes Largest Slate of New Solar Facilities for Virginia Customers
Dominion Energy Virginia proposed its largest slate yet of new solar projects as the company moves forward to provide customers with more clean energy. The nine solar facilities would bring nearly 500 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy to customers, enough to power around 125,000 homes at peak output. The proposal comes just months after enactment of the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) and builds on what is already the third-largest solar portfolio among utility holding companies in the United States.
Canada confident in future of Keystone XL Pipeline despite US election
While a Biden presidential win could be the final blow for the Keystone XL Pipeline, O’Regan is confident the project will remain on track to come online in 2021 regardless of who’s in power.
Samsung Engineering signs on for next phase of Mexico’s Dos Bocas Refinery
Samsung recently announced that its consortium comprised of Samsung Ingenieria Manzanillo, S.A. de C.V. and Asociados Constructores DBNR, S.A. de C.V. (AC DBNR) have been awarded a $3.6 billion contract for the next phase of work at the Dos Bocas Refinery. This refinery is located at the Dos Bocas Harbor in Mexico’s Tabasco State.
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.
NIPSCO Announces New Indiana-Based Solar Projects to Power 270,000 Homes by 2023
Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO), a subsidiary of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI), today announced that it will bring an additional 900 megawatts (MW) to Indiana with the Dunns Bridge I, Dunns Bridge II and Cavalry Solar Energy Centers as part of the company’s long-term generation strategy. NIPSCO has finalized three build transfer agreements with subsidiaries of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, the world’s largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and the sun and a leader in energy storage. The solar projects are expected to begin construction in 2022 and expected to be operational in 2022 and 2023.
TC Energy Sees Higher Costs for Coastal Gaslink Pipeline
(Reuters) — TC Energy Corp said it expects costs for its Coastal Gaslink pipeline in British Columbia to rise compared to the previously disclosed estimate due to increased scope, permit delays and COVID-19 impacts.
"Yes, Joe Biden really does want to end America’s oil and gas industry," says Gulf Energy Information CEO
The Biden energy plan has dire consequences for the oil and gas industry and the American economy.
Judge: Michigan Regulator Can Evaluate Enbridge Pipeline Tunnel Plan
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Public Service Commission has some authority over Enbridge's plans to build an oil pipeline tunnel beneath the channel that connects two of the Great Lakes, a state administrative law judge ruled Friday.
Chevron Phillips Chemical delays the FID on its Gulf Coast petrochemical project
Chevron Phillip Chemical (CP Chem) has reportedly chosen to delay a final investment decision (FID) on a proposed 2 million ton per year ethane cracker and a 2 million ton per year high-density polyethylene (HDPE) unit with its partner Qatar Petroleum.
Electricity’s new king will be solar PV
The latest World Energy Outlook published in October from the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggests that solar photovoltaic generation will be the largest source of power by 2040. Unlike other sectors during the Covid-19 pandemic the renewable electricity market has remained buoyant throughout 2020. The IEA suggests that renewables is set for rapid growth. In the Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS), renewables will rise by two-thirds between 2020 to 2030.
Alberta’s Industrial Heartland to Expand Hydrogen Footprint
The Government of Alberta released its long-term Natural Gas Vision and Strategy in October, detailing key initiatives to strengthen the provinces’ hydrogen sector.
Formosa Plastics postpones construction on its Sunshine petrochemicals project in Louisiana
Formosa Plastics subsidiary FG LA LLC recently announced that it has chosen to defer the primary construction at the two-phase Sunshine petrochemicals project in St. James Parish, Louisiana. The negative effects on the industry caused by COVID-19 was named as the cause for delay.
EDF Renewables North America and Geenex Solar Transact on a 4.5 gigawatt (GWac) Solar Development Portfolio
EDF Renewables North America (EDFR) and Geenex Solar, LLC (Geenex), announced the close of an agreement of up to 4.5 gigawatt (GWac) pipeline of solar development assets throughout PJM. The pipeline acquisition brings to EDF Renewables the regional development expertise of Geenex, a leader of utility-scale solar development, while EDFR contributes with its financial and late-stage development expertise from a long-term owner and operator perspective. The transaction will accelerate EDFR growth in the PJM wholesale electricity market to meet the growing demands of corporate and utility customers seeking cost-effective renewable energy sources. The portfolio of project assets in the transaction exceed 20 solar projects in various stages of development. The first projects expect commercial operation in 2023 with other projects to follow.
Marathon begins permit approval process for Martinez renewable diesel conversion
Marathon Petroleum recently announced that it has begun the permit application process for the conversion of its idle Martinez refinery into a renewable diesel facility.
How to utilize solar potential
In an age where traditional methods of energy generation, such as burning coal and gas to generate electricity emit greenhouse gases, the energy transition movement has seen the need to investigate alternative or renewable energies. Wind and solar seem to be favored forms of alternative energies to be scaled up first.
Trans Mountain Agrees to Reroute Pipeline Around Indigenous Area
(P&GJ) — The Trans Mountain pipeline has agreed to reroute a portion of its expansion project around an indigenous area, according to a filing with Canadian energy regulators.
As COVID-19 conditions persist, some struggling refineries are trending towards renewable diesel conversions to survive
With the continuing pandemic driven reduction in fuel demand, refineries in North America have worked to survive in ways ranging from reducing production, additional maintenance scheduling, and the permanent shutting in of some complexes altogether. But another direction has begun to persist in North America and abroad with the decision to convert aging refineries away from traditional crude oil production into renewable diesel plants.
Mountain Valley reweighs timeline, budget due to regulatory hurdles
Earlier this month, Equitrans Midstream Corp. said that the timeline and budget for the planned Mountain Valley Pipeline will depend on ongoing litigation and impending federal permits. In a recent statement, the company said "As the litigation process progresses and as we receive additional informa..
Saudi Aramco, Investors Discussing $10 Billion Pipeline Deal — Sources
DUBAI (Reuters) — Saudi Aramco is in talks with BlackRock and other investors on a planned deal worth over $10 billion to sell a stake in its pipeline business, sources said.
Gas flows to U.S. LNG export plants down ahead of hurricane Delta
Cheniere Energy Inc and Cameron LNG reduced the amount of natural gas flowing to their LNG export plants in Louisiana on Thursday as Hurricane Delta approaches the Gulf Coast. Officials at both companies were not immediately available for comment but have said they were watching the storm and have procedures in place to keep plant workers and equipment safe.
Renewable Energy Group announces plans to expand the Geismar biodiesel plant to 340 million gallons per year
The Renewable Energy Group (REG) of Iowa recently announced that it is planning a significant capacity expansion at its existing renewable diesel refinery in Geismar, Louisiana. This expansion will fundamentally increase annual capacity with an additional 250 million gallons at the site by the end of 2023.
US brings 5 Bcf/d of pipeline capacity online and cuts major planned projects
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that an estimated 5 Bcf/d of new natural gas pipeline capacity came online in the first half of 2020 due to the completion of several major pipelines. While the US has seen an increase in pipeline takeaway capacity in 2020, around 8.7 Bcf/d of planned pipeline projects have been canceled.
Global Project Data update for October 2020
Although the gas processing and LNG industries took a major hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, new project announcements within the sector have increased for two straight months
Brazilian developments in the biofuels market
Since the 1970s, Brazil has been a world reference in automotive biofuels, especially bioethanol produced from sugarcane. In 1973, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) forced a sharp rise in oil prices, triggering a massive slowdown in the country’s economic growth, which had been going through what was dubbed the “economic miracle,” with growth at an average of 12% of GDP. This study gives an overview of the biofuel sector in Brazil, along with the main business challenges and opportunities in this area.
Business Trends: Rethinking the refining and petrochemicals industries
Crude oil has been the fundamental element of transportation fuel for many decades. However, market factors are changing this dynamic, creating incentives for some organizations to consider oil-to-chemical complexes to maintain a competitive edge.
Industry Perspectives: Petrochemicals surge despite possible future roadblocks
Over the past several years, investments in petrochemicals capacity additions have skyrocketed. Hundreds of billions of dollars have and will be invested in additional petrochemicals units and complexes.
Business Trends: Global LNG projects to compete with pipeline gas
Expanding LNG supply worldwide will continue to dominate the changing landscape of the natural gas industry and gas trade. By 2040, LNG is expected to account for more than 15% of global gas consumption, after overtaking interregional pipeline deliveries in the late 2020s.
Business Trends: Application of blockchain technology in the petrochemical industry
A JV between Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons and Marathon Oil plans to build a modular refinery on Bioko Island. In late April, the JV signed a contract to VFuels to conduct a feasibility study for the 5,000-bpd facility. The project involves dismantling a methanol plant and converting it into a refinery. If built, the facility—part of Equatorial Guinea’s Year of Investment 2020 initiative—would provide refined products to satisfy increasing domestic demand.
Centurion Pipeline Announces In-Service Date for Augustus Pipeline
(P&GJ) — Centurion Pipeline has announced that the Augustus Pipeline is on schedule and expected to commence service on December 1, 2020.
