the Pune – based City Gas Distribution (CGD) Company, Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL), has reduced the selling price of domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) by Rs 5.70 per SCM and the selling price of compressed natural gas (CNG) by Rs. 6.0 per Kg in Pune city including Pimpri-Chinchwad and adjoining areas of Chakan, Talegaon and Hinjewadi with effect from the midnight of 7 – 8 April, 2023.

Accordingly, MNGL has reduced retail price of PNG to Rs. 51.30/- per SCM from an earlier price of Rs 57.0/- per SCM and the retail price of CNG to Rs. 86.0 per KG from Rs 92.0 per KG in MNGL’s geographical areas.

After the above revision, MNGL’s CNG offers very attractive savings of around 50% and 29% as compared to petrol and diesel respectively at current price levels in Pune city for passenger car segment and around 29% for Autorickshaws.

MNGL is effecting this Natural Gas price reduction on account of a downward revision in the purchase cost of domestic natural gas. MNGL has decided to pass on the benefit of reduced gas costs to the customers.

MNGL’s Domestic PNG is around 17 % cheaper than domestic LPG cylinder prices after reduction of price revision.

Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL) is a joint venture of two Maharatna PSUs; GAIL (India) Limited and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) with equity participation from Government of Maharashtra through MIDC and Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL). It is a premier City Gas Distribution Company authorised in the Geographical Areas of Pune city, Pimpri-Chinchwad including adjoining areas of Hinjewadi, Chakan & Talegaon, Valsad (except area already authorized), Dhule, Nashik District and Sindhudurg District, Buldana, Nanded and Parbhani districts in Maharashtra ,Ramanagara District in Karnataka and Nizamabad, Adilabad, Nirmal, Mancherial, Kumuram Bheem Asifabad and Kamareddy districts in Telangana.

https://www.mypunepulse.com/gas-prices-mngl-reduces-png-cng-prices-in-pune-and-pimpri-chinchwad/

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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by  Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the revised domestic natural gas pricing guidelines for gas produced from nomination fields of ONGC/OIL, New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) blocks and pre-NELP blocks, where Production Sharing Contract (PSC) provides for Government’s approval of prices. The price of such natural gas shall be 10% of the monthly average of Indian Crude Basket and shall be notified on a monthly basis. For the gas produced by ONGC & OIL from their nomination blocks, the Administered Price  Mechanism (APM) price shall be subject to a floor and a ceiling. Gas produced from new wells or well interventions in the nomination fields of ONGC & OIL, would be allowed a premium of 20% over the APM price.   A detailed notification is being separately issued.

The new guidelines are intended to ensure stable pricing regime for domestic gas consumers while at the same time providing adequate protection to producers from adverse market fluctuation with incentives for enhancing production.

Government has targeted to increase the share of natural gas in primary energy mix in India from current 6.5% to 15% by 2030. The reforms shall help expand the consumption of natural gas and will contribute to achievement of target of emission reduction and net zero.

These reforms are a continuation of the various initiatives taken by Government of India to protect the interests of consumers by reducing the impact of increase in international gas prices on gas prices in India by significantly increasing the domestic gas allocation to City Gas Distribution sector.

The reforms will lead to significant decrease in prices of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) for households and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for transport. The reduced prices shall also lower the fertilizer subsidy burden and help the domestic power sector. With the provision of a floor in gas prices as well as provision for 20% premium for new wells, this reform will incentivize ONGC and OIL to make additional long term investments in the upstream sector leading to greater production of natural gas and consequent reduction in import dependence of fossil fuels. The revised pricing guidelines will also promote lower carbon footprint through the growth of gas-based economy.

Currently, the domestic gas prices are determined as per the new Domestic Gas Pricing Guidelines, 2014 which were approved by Government in 2014. The 2014 pricing guidelines provided for declaration for domestic gas prices for a 6 month period based on the volume weighted prices prevailing at four gas trading hubs – Henry Hub, Albena, National Balancing Point (UK), and Russia for a period of 12 months and a time lag of a quarter.

As the earlier guidelines based on 4 gas hubs had a significant time lag and very high volatility, the need for this rationalization and reform was felt. The revised guidelines make prices linked to crude, which is a practice now followed in most industry contracts, is more relevant to our consumption basket and has deeper liquidity in global trading markets, on a real time basis. With the changes now approved, data of Indian Crude basket price from the previous month would form the basis for APM gas price determination.

https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/law-order/2408390-cabinet-approves-revised-domestic-natural-gas-pricing-guidelines

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Under the SPA, Shell will purchase LNG on a free-on-board basis for 20 years from the third train of the three train, 14.1mn mt/yr first phase of Saguaro Energia. In July 2022, Shell signed its first SPA with MPL, covering 2.6mn mt/yr from the first two trains.

“We are delighted Shell has chosen to grow with us, building upon their initial 2.6mn mt/yr commitment from train 1 and train 2, to also underpin more than 20% of train 3 capacity,” MPL CEO Ivan Van der Walt said. “Our project will provide Asia with low-cost Permian gas, avoiding the Panama Canal to ensure a shorter shipping distance to Asia, to achieve lower transportation emissions and landed pricing versus the US Gulf Coast.”

He said MPL is working toward delivering a final investment decision on the first two trains at Saguaro Energia while closing out contracting across the “significant commercial momentum” already in place for the third train.

“LNG is an increasingly important pillar of global energy security,” said Steve Hill, Shell’s executive vice president of energy marketing. “Investment in liquefaction projects is needed to avoid a supply-demand gap that is expected to emerge in the late 2020s.”

In February, MPL signed two SPAs with US major ExxonMobil covering 2mn mt/yr of offtake from the first two trains, with an option to purchase an additional 1mn mt/yr from the third train.

https://www.naturalgasworld.com/shell-inks-second-lng-spa-with-mexico-pacific-104377

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Fukuoka Shipbuilding has built six 19,000-dwt to 25,000-dwt chemical carriers for Fairfield Japan, and is now constructing its first LNG dual-fuel chemical carrier for the operator.

The vessel is part of a project conceived by the Development Bank of Japan Inc (DBJ) and ClassNK under the ‘Zero-Emission Accelerating Ship Finance Program’, which aims to evaluate and finance ships based on their decarbonisation, environmentally friendly performance, and general innovation.

Under the programme, ClassNK has evaluated the LNG dual-fuel chemical tanker Fairchem Pioneer, currently being constructed by Fukuoka Shipbuilding for Fairfield Japan, with financing provided by DBJ.

Fukuoka Shipbuilding has shipbuilding yards in Fukuoka City and Nagasaki City and specialises in building chemical tankers.

Fairfield Japan is a Japanese subsidiary of Fairfield Chemical Carriers, a US operator that focuses on chemical tankers and has been working on decarbonisation initiatives.

The LNG dual-fuel engine of Fairchem Pioneer is expected to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and the ship is expected to meet the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) Phase 3 requirements.

According to Fukuoka Shipbuilding of Japan, the use of LNG fuel will also reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulphur oxide (SOx), and particulate matter emissions, meeting NOx Tier III and SOx regulations.

The ship’s operator also plans to address environmental soundness during its recycling by developing and maintaining an Inventory of Hazardous Materials required by the Ship Recycling Convention.

The ship was given an A rating by ClassNK, recognising its high level of decarbonisation compared with similar vessels. This rating indicates that adequate environment-related investments have been made.

https://www.rivieramm.com/news-content-hub/first-lng-dual-fuel-chemical-carrier-nears-completion-in-japan-75722

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MiQ launched the world’s first certification program that enables a complete assessment of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the liquified natural gas (LNG) supply chain. As the company points out, importers haven’t had a transparent or credible way to quantify the level of emissions from purchases, despite rocketing global demand for LNG.

MiQ claims that its new framework tracks 100% of methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions from every segment of the LNG supply chain – including production, gathering and boosting, processing, pipeline, liquefaction, shipping, and regasification.

In addition, the GHG Standard gives importers the power to compare exporters using one common framework. Ultimately, the company claims that buyers can reduce their Scope 3 emissions while driving pricing signals needed to incentivize investments from producers and exporters

We are witnessing a significant spike in demand for LNG, especially in Europe and Asia, elevating concerns about the lack of transparency on emissions. Our comprehensive GHG framework signifies significant progress toward reducing unnecessary upstream and Scope 1 and 2 LNG emissions to near zero, as we transition to a renewable energy future.

https://safety4sea.com/worlds-first-ghg-certification-programme-for-lng-launched/

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The proposed three new LNG terminals, which will be set up in Payra in the south-western corner of Bangladesh and Moheshkhali and Matarbari in the southeastern region of the country, would have about 3,000 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMcf/d) regasification capacity, Petrobangla Chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker was quoted by Bangladeshi leading private news agency UNB as saying in a report on Monday.

Sarker said that of the three LNG terminals to be set up, two will be floating while the other will be a land-based terminal.

According to official sources, all three LNG terminals will be set up on the basis of unsolicited offers received from local and foreign companies.

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/miscellaneous/bangladesh-plans-3-more-lng-terminals-to-meet-1666337.html

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Wärtsilä has invested heavily into researching viable future carbon-neutral fuels for the marine industry, and methanol has emerged as one of the most promising candidates. This will be the second methanol-fueled engine conversion that we have undertaken, and the first with the Wärtsilä 46F engine. We share a commitment to decarbonize shipping, and the transparent partnership between our three companies for this newbuild project represents an important milestone along the path to achieving this goal,” commented Håkan Agnevall, President and CEO of Wärtsilä.

According to today’s announcement, Wärtsilä is working in close collaboration with Royal Caribbean Group owners of Celebrity Cruises and the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard which is building the Edge class cruise ships operated by Celebrity. The first of the ships, Celebrity Edge, was introduced in 2018 and followed by an identical sister ship Celebrity Apex delivered in 2020. The first two ships of the class are 1,004 feet long and 129,500 gross tons. Two additional ships, Celebrity Beyond introduced in 2022 and Celebrity Ascent due to enter service late in 2023 are enlarged versions at 1,073 feet in length and 140,600 gross tons. Royal Caribbean Group has an agreement with the shipyard to build an additional Edge class ship for delivery in 2025, which according to the company’s annual report is contingent upon the completion of conditions precedent and financing.

“With the launch of our Edge Series of ships in 2018, we set ambitious sustainability goals to make these ships the most energy efficient large vessels at sea,” said Celebrity Cruises President and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. “Working collaboratively with our expert partners, we have continued to develop new technologies and achieve breakthroughs with each subsequent ship.”

Wärtsilä reports it received the order in January 2023 and will convert two Wärtsilä 46F engines to allow tri-fuel flexibility using either conventional heavy fuel or marine gas as well as the ability to convert to methanol. The engine manufacturer says the project will give the new ship unmatched fuel flexibility and has the potential to advance the use of alternative fuels in the cruise sector. 

It will be the first time that the 46F engine has been adapted for methanol. Wärtsilä will convert the engines at the yard, prior to commissioning. The full scope of the order includes two 8-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines capable of operating with methanol fuel, two 12-cylinder Wärtsilä 46F engines, and one Wärtsilä 32 engine.

“As we innovate our ship design and offerings, we’re also focused on equally evolving the fuel and technology landscape that powers them,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. “By incorporating tri-fueled engines, we are ensuring that as alternative, low-carbon-based solutions become more viable, our ships will be ready to adapt and drive the industry forward to a more sustainable and net zero emissions future.”

The addition of methanol marks the next step for Royal Caribbean Group. In August 2023, they will introduce the Silver Nova which is being built by Meyer Werft in Germany as the group’s first LNG-fueled cruise ship. In addition to dual-fuel engines, the 54,700 gross ton ship and a sistership will feature fuel cells and batteries designed to support hotel operations while in port. Royal Caribbean International will take delivery on its first LNG-fueled cruise ship, which will also be the world’s largest and the first of three ships, the Icon of the Seas, late in 2023. The company is also building an LNG-fueled version of its Oasis Class, Utopia of the Seas, due for delivery in the second quarter of 2024.

Royal Caribbean follows its joint venture company TUI Cruises which is building the first methanol-ready cruise ship at Meyer Turku. The first block of the ship due to launch in 2024 was recently placed into the drydock to begin assembly. Norwegian Cruise Line also reported that two of its cruise ships to be introduced in 2027 and 2028 will be adapted for methanol while the company is also working with MAN on projects to explore retrofitting existing engines for methanol operations. Disney Cruise Line also plans to introduce a methanol-fueled cruise ship in 2025.

Adapting the ships for methanol is not without its complications. Maersk commented when it started its methanol dual-fueled containerships that the engines were costing about 15 percent more. Meyer Werft which is converting the Global Dream cruise ship for methanol for Disney said it is an involved project including converting the engines, introducing additional fuel tanks, new piping and controls, and additional safety elements. The expectation is that green methanol will become readily available giving the ships a means to operate climate neutral in the future.

https://maritime-executive.com/article/waertsilae-will-adapt-engine-to-tri-fuel-methanol-for-celebrity-cruises

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