Regions
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..
Petron Expected to Close Bataan Refinery Next Month
Petron of the Philippines recently announced that it is planning to temporarily shut in its long running 180,000 barrel per day Bataan refinery in January. The company cited weak margins as the primary reason, but did not give a restart date.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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..
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.
Egypt's export capacity rebound
Eni announced an agreement with its partners for the restart of the LNG plant in Damietta, Egypt. The Italian multinational oil and gas company signed a series of agreements with, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC), the Egyptian National Gas Holding Compan..
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.
China Could Surpass U.S. as Top Refiner Next Year
According to the International Energy Agency, China is expected to overtake the United States as the largest refinery in the world as early as 2021. Asian economies have been rebounding from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and China is adding capacity as demand is building in that region.
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
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.
Technip FMC prepares to start work on the Assiut hydrocracking complex in Egypt
TechnipFMC of London recently announced that it has successfully completed all conditions required for the company to begin work on its Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract with the Assiut National Oil Processing Company (ANOPC)’s new Hydrocracking Complex for the Assiut refinery in Egypt. This EPC contract was signed in July and is considered by Technip to be a major contract worth over $1 billion USD. The exact value was not announced.
Vietnam see steady solar growth
An 8 percent per year electricity demand growth is expected in Vietnam and power consumption is said to rise from 275 terrawatt hours (TWh) this year to around 630 TWh in 2030, as a result the country has already invested heavily in 18GW of coal-fired power projects, these slated to been in place by the middle of the decade. Despite this the country has turned to its abundant natural resources of hydro, wind, and solar potential to fill additional demand.
Developing India's wind potential
The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) announced that it will launch GWEC India to help develop India’s vast wind power potential and support green recovery. India is the world’s fourth largest onshore wind market, after China, US and Germany, with nearly 38GW of installed capacity according to Inte..
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.
Phase One of Nigeria’s Waltersmith Refinery Reaches Commissioning Status This Week
Waltersmith Petroman Oil Ltd of Nigeria recently announced that it will inaugurate phase one of its modular style refinery in Nigeria’s Ibigwe, Imo State this week. Waltersmith announced this on social media for November 24th.
Petronas steps up investments in hydrogen as part of carbon-free energy goals
Malaysia’s state energy firm Petronas said it is stepping up investments in hydrogen as part of a global push to produce carbon-free energy, even as the firm expands its portfolio in LNG and renewable energy.
