NGS’ NG/LNG SNAPSHOT – Feb-16-29, 2024
National News Internatonal News
NATIONAL NEWS
City Gas Distribution & Auto LPG
AG&P inaugurates six daughter booster stations in Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu districts, Tamil Nadu
In a notable development, AG&P Pratham has inaugurated six daughter booster stations at Vandalur, Kundrathur, Ottiyampakkam, Urappakkam, Madipakkam and Pallavaram areas in Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts of Tamil Nadu.
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With this, there are 39 stations in Kancheepuram geographic area (GA).
AG&P Pratham holds 25-year exclusive rights from the PNGRB to develop CGD infrastructure and supply gas in more than 278,000 square km area across the five states.
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Dhanwapur STP may soon produce bio gas
Gurgaon: In a first, a bio-CNG plant will be established at the Dhanwapur sewage treatment plant (STP) to ensure optimal utilisation of resources and generate renewable energy. The move is part of GMDA’s expansion plans to augment the capacity of the Dhanwapur STP by an additional 100 MLD and to stop untreated water from reaching the Najafgarh drain.
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The estimated cost of the project is Rs 166 crore. The metropolitan Authority has already invited bids and the project is expected to take two and a half years to complete after allotment.
The plant will have the capacity to generate 5,000-10,000 cubic metres of biogas which can be supplied to gas distributing companies in the city. Along with 100 MLD STP, the Authority will also set up 200 MLD main pumping stations at the site for efficient operation of the STP.
“The increasing population needs better wastewater management in the city. With the additional 100 MLD, the Dhanwapur STP capacity will increase to 318 MLD. The set up of the bio-CNG plant will not only provide a sustainable energy source but also aid operational cost to the plant,” said Rajesh Bansal, chief engineer of GMDA, Infra-II division.
Presently, 215 MLD sewage discharge from Sector 1 to 23, 33 to 37 and villages such as Dundahera, Mullahera, Carterpuri, Gurgaon area are being received at the Dhanwapur STP against the total existing capacity of 218 MLD.
Earlier, GMDA was planning to construct an additional 100 MLD STP with a provision to generate electricity through methane gas produced at the plant and a tender was floated in Sept 2022. Subsequently, it cancelled the tendering process in March 2023 after the chief minister directed the Authority to revisit the design plan.
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IGL plans to establish 90 CNG stations by March 2025
Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) is planning to establish around 80 to 90 compressed natural gas (CNG) stations by March 2025.. It has increased its piped natural gas (PNG) connections from 0.75 million to over 2.5 million in the past six years and is likely to provide 0.2 to 0.3 million PNG connections per annum.
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Additionally, the company aims to achieve 5 per cent compressed biogas (CBG) blending by 2025, surpassing the 2030 deadline by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG).
Besides, it is also likely to establish liquefied natural gas (LNG) stations and intends to transform CNG into LNG by utilising excess capacity at CNG stations, particularly to serve regions located at a considerable distance from ports.
IGL is an Indian natural gas distribution company that supplies natural gas as cooking and vehicular fuel. Established in 1998, the company operates primarily in Delhi-NCR and its neighbouring cities.
cgdindia.net/igl-plans-to-establish-90-cng-stations-by-march-2025/#:~:text=Indraprastha%20Gas%20Limited%20(IGL)%20is,million%20PNG%20connections%20per%20annum.
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Bio-CNG plant to come up at Ariyamangalam dump yard to process organic degradable waste
A sum of ₹35 crore sanctioned under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0 will be utilised for the purpose and the detailed project report for the same is completed
The Tiruchi City Corporation is all set to establish a Bio-Compressed Natural Gas (Bio-CNG) plant at the Ariyamangalam dump yard to process the organic degradable waste generated in the city.
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The civic body has outsourced the collection, segregation, transportation, and processing of waste generated in all 65 wards in the city to a private agency. On an average, nearly 400-450 tonnes of municipal solid waste is collected daily from households in the city.
The non-biodegradable dry waste is transported to the Ariyamangalam dump yard and processed in a phased manner. The segregated wet waste is transported to 36 micro composting centres run by the Corporation to process and produce compost. With the establishment of the plant, the dump yard would process the bio-degradable waste to produce CNG, which would be used to run vehicles.
A sum of ₹35 crore sanctioned under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0 will be utilised for the purpose. “A detailed project report has been completed and we will soon issue a request for proposal to rope in consultants,” said a senior Corporation official.
The civic body is establishing a resource recovery facility at the yard to segregate the dry waste into recyclable, non-recyclable, inert, and refuse-derived fuel.
Meanwhile, a detailed project report (DPR) has been completed to initiate Phase III of the biomining project to reclaim the dump yard by scientifically removing the solid waste, including those deposited below the ground level. The final phase of the land reclamation is estimated to cost ₹44.5 crore. Phase I and II of biomining have so far retrieved 38 acres of the dump yard, which sprawls for 47.7 acres.
After reclaiming the land, the civic body would reserve around 25 acres to plant tree saplings for reviving the contaminated soil, the official added.
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Natural Gas/ Pipelines/ Company News
Clean fuel boost to Kolkata with GAIL pipeline ready in 3 months: Official
Kolkata, Feb 13 (PTI) Clean fuel supply in Kolkata is set to receive a significant boost in the coming months with the completion of the main trunk GAIL gas transportation pipeline, according to a senior official.
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Anupam Mukhopadhyay, CEO of Bengal Gas Company Ltd, stated that the GAIL gas pipeline would be completed within the next three months, with the resolution of an 800-meter hurdle and the necessary statutory clearances
Bengal Gas is a JV between GAIL (India) Limited and Greater Calcutta Gas Supply Corporation Limited.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Assocham-organised Energy Meet and Excellence Award event, Mukhopadhyay said completion of the work will facilitate an increase in natural gas supply in the region by three times.
The pipeline covering several districts in the state is laid by GAIL, and has already reached Durgapur. Only an 800-meter problem in Bardhaman district was delaying the completion to Kolkata but it is now resolved.
The pipeline is part of the Jagdhispur-Haldia pipeline project coming to West Bengal from Uttar Pradesh via Bihar and Jharkhand.
Mukhopadhyay added that the completion of the pipeline close to Kolkata’s landing point would allow for the expansion of CNG gas stations in the state.
Currently, Bengal Gas has 12 CNG pumps, but this number is expected to rise to 50 within a year and reach 100 by FY’26, he said.
In addition to the existing 61 CNG stations operated in the state by various companies, the pipeline will enable a stable and significantly increased supply of three times the current quantity in a much shorter time.
Regarding the city gas distribution network, Mukhopadhyay said that 30 kilometres of the proposed 500-km main city gas distribution steel pipeline have already been completed.
Furthermore, the plan includes the establishment of 5,000 kilometres of last-mile connectivity within the next three years for the city gas distribution network, he said.
HPCL is also investing in a big way for city gas distribution in the state.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal government reiterated its commitment to the deployment of more rooftop solar panels in government buildings and educational institutions.
Babul Supriya, the state’s renewable energy Minister, emphasized the goal of advancing the use of solar energy in institutional buildings and subsequently promoting it among energy-intensive industries.
Currently, the state has completed 104 government buildings with such facilities. It has drawn plans for an additional 900 government schools and 50 colleges. PTI BSM NN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
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GAIL CMD conferred ‘CEO with HR Orientation’ award
Sandeep Kumar Gupta, Chairman & Managing Director, GAIL (India) Limited has been conferred with the ‘CEO with HR Orientation’ award at the 32nd World HRD Congress & Awards held at Mumbai.Gupta received the award for his business-related HR sensitivity and savviness, communication effectiveness with and towards employees, innovation within other HR disciplines and areas, and
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change management, according to a statement by the organizers.Gupta is a Commerce Graduate and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He has wide experience of over 35 years in the oil and gas industry. Before joining GAIL in October 2022, he held the position of Director (Finance) since August 20 I 9 on the Board of Indian Oil Corporation Limited. Shri Gupta is also the Chairman of Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE) for the year 2023-25.
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Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurates HPCL’s Visionary Gas Network in Jharkhand worth Rs 1750 cr
Deoghar (Jharkhand) [India], February 25 (ANI): Hardeep Singh Puri, the Union Minister of PetroleumNatural Gas, achieved a noteworthy milestone by initiating the foundation stone laying ceremony for HPCL’s Gas Network in the Godda-Dumka Geographical Area.
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This network is specifically designed for PNG (Piped Natural Gas) and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). Additionally, he inaugurated Indian Oil’s PNG services as part of the City Gas Distribution project in Deoghar, Jharkhand.
Loksabha MP Nishikant Dubey also joined the event from Godda, Jharkhand.
The visionary Gas Network initiated by HPCL in the Godda-Dumka GA spans six districts, covering an extensive area of 14507 Sq KM and positively impacting the lives of over 14 lakh households.
The project involves a substantial investment of Rs 1750 crore and is set to bring significant improvements to regions like Godda, Dumka, Poriyahat, Shikaripara, Jarmundi, Mahagama, Pathargama, Jamtara, Mihijam, Pakur, Litipara, and Sahibganj.
The robust Gas Network, consisting of 370 Km of steel and sufficient MDPE, will progressively provide piped gas connections to households. Furthermore, plans include the establishment of 100 CNG stations, ushering in a new era of sustainable transportation solutions.
In Deoghar, the PNG project led by Indian Oil spans across three districts, covering an area of 6264 Sq KM and extending its reach to over 6 lakh households. This initiative, backed by an investment of Rs. 303 crore, aims to connect 30,000 families by 2027.
The implementation involves the installation of a 350 km MDPE network, ensuring the efficient distribution of piped natural gas. (ANI)
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Policy Matters/ Gas Pricing/ Others
Shell’s vision aligns with that of PM Modi for India’s energy sector, says chief executive officer Wael Sawan
Rising political and social polarisation across the world is a real concern as it brings policy instability and raises risks for investments in the energy sector, Shell chief executive officer Wael Sawan told ET’s Sanjeev Choudhary in an interview. The trajectory of the energy transition will be driven by economics and may not change even if Donald Trump returns to the White House, though a policy change can lower investor confidence, said the 49-year-old Lebanon-born CEO. Shell’s vision aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s for the energy sector, and India will have a growing role in the company’s future portfolio, he said. Shell aims to use India for strategic sourcing to enable energy transition in Europe and the US, Sawan said. Edited Excerpts:
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You were born in Lebanon and grew up in UAE and went to Canada and the US for higher studies. You lead one of the largest Western firms in the world today. What would be your advice to those seeking similar success?
SSometimes I feel that maybe the cards were stacked against me, but that just made me hungrier. The worst thing is when you start to explain to yourself why you cannot do something. Liberate your mind to be able to actually embrace the opportunities that are out there. The world changes. Life will give you opportunities. But be ready when the opportunities come.
You have plenty of time ahead of you. What is the kind of legacy you would like to leave behind?
The legacy I believe in is that of talent and capability because I think the energy transition is going to take different directions in different countries. And so, my biggest opportunity is how we continue to evolve and transform the culture of this company.
What is your India strategy?
With all my travels to India over the last 25 years, I don’t think I’ve seen this exciting of a time before. I think there is real confidence, real clarity of ambition, and clarity of intent. And I think Prime Minister Modi’s vision of the future of the country again is one that now very much aligns with where we would like to go as a company: the balance of energy security and energy transition.Today, we have over 13,000 staff in India, making it the largest population of Shell in any one country. And that we are leveraging across in technology, in engineering, in AI, in everything.
Why do you think foreign majors haven’t shown much interest in the Indian upstream?
If we’re going to go into a new (upstream) market, it has to be material. It has to be big. It has to be over 100,000 barrels per day of production. I think we are very focused on gas value chain investments.
What are the biggest geopolitical risks for the oil and gas market and Shell?
What we see is more and more polarisation…political polarisation and social polarisation. That is a concern for us because a lot of the energy system has been built on globalisation. At a time when the energy transition requires everyone to step in and support each other when you have changing trade flows, that creates a real concern. When we think about our plans, we have uncertainty and volatility at the centre of every decision we take because we see that the risks are only growing for various reasons – geopolitics and economic bifurcation.
What do you mean by social polarisation and how does it affect the energy sector?
This year, of course, is a very, very big year in elections around multiple countries. As you see this swing between extreme right and extreme left, it means policies shift depending on what government is in power. The danger right now is you have to start, stop, start, stop. And that is very disruptive as you are investing in long-term returns.The energy transition requires sometimes 10 years of stability to be able to actually just achieve a return on your investment. And so, if you don’t have significant confidence in the stability of those policies, that undermines the investment thesis.
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Govt making constant efforts to keep CNG prices under control: Oil minister Puri
New Delhi: The government is making constant efforts to bring the prices of compressed natural gas under control and has delinked Indian gas prices from four international hubs based in US, Canada, UK and Russia, and aligned them to the Indian crude basket, Oil minister Hardeep Puri informed the Rajya Sabha. Responding to supplementaries during the Question Hour, he said the government is encouraging consumption of compressed natural gas as it is relatively a cleaner fuel.”The government has ensured that while global prices were witnessing turbulence, massive increases and shortfall. Lockdown prices do not reflect reality prices, as during the lockdown crude prices came down to USD 19.56 per barrel and then shot up to USD 128 and USD 130 per barrel.
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“In April 2023, we rationalised the CNG prices and as a result while global prices shot up, domestic gas price was much lower, 83 per cent lower,” the minister told the upper house.”It is our constant effort to provide more gas for domestic cooking purposes and for the transport sector and we are committed to making the green transition,” Puri said.”Our trilemma is to ensure availability, affordability and sustainability and the increased gas which is being provided will raise the gas available to the transport sector,” he noted.
On the matter of encouraging people to switch to CNG vehicles, Puri said there is an autonomous process of transition taking place.
“If you look at the number of CNG vehicles at the time when international CNG prices went up, there was an apprehension that people would stop buying CNG vehicles, but that didn’t happen. The very fact that we can make natural gas available to the transportation sector at reasonable prices, not linked to global market prices, that itself acts as an incentive.”The same is also happening with electric vehicles. But the issue of giving incentives, I think the most important incentive that you can give is to make the energy which these vehicles consume, available in plenty. We are taking our overall use of gas in our energy matrix from 6 per cent to 15 per cent,” he said.
He said in April 2023, the government took some far-reaching reforms by deciding to delink the Indian gas prices from four international hubs based in the US, Canada, the UK and Russia, and we aligned them to the Indian crude basket, in other words, 10 per cent of the Indian crude basket.”As a result of which, we were able to fix prices every month and the price of gas has now a floor and a ceiling from USD 4 MMBTU to 6.5 MMBTU. This immediately resulted in the price of gas coming down drastically. We have also increased the number of CNG stations from 738 in 2014 to 6,159, a growth of 735 per cent,” he said.
The population covered by CGD has gone up to 98 per cent from 12.81 in 2014, this is a growth of 665 per cent, the minister informed.
Asked whether the disturbances in the Red Sea route have affected crude and gas prices, he said, “so far as the developments in the Red Sea are concerned, we have a certain degree of anxiety as these are non-state actors affecting supply lines…I say with my fingers crossed, we are reasonably confident that given the goodwill around, these factors making for anxiety will be contained and we do not have an all-out escalation.”If an all-out escalation of hostilities takes place and there is disruption, then there will be total supply chain disruption, then there will be concerns, he noted.
If there is no escalation, then this is a “manageable situation”, he also said.
.In his written reply, the minister said in order to protect the consumers from high volatility of international gas prices, major reforms were undertaken by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas in domestic gas pricing vide revised guidelines issued on 7 April 2023.”The reforms aimed at rationalising the earlier applicable international gas hub-based pricing. Prior to this, the pricing was based on weighted average of 4 international indices (namely US-Henry Hub, Canadian Alberta Hub, UK NBP and Russian Gas Market).”The revised guidelines are applicable to domestic gas produced from nomination fields of ONGC/OIL, New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) blocks and pre-NELP blocks, where the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) provides for Government’s approval of prices.”The revised guidelines provide the price of such natural gas to be 10% of the monthly average of Indian Crude Basket, to be notified on monthly basis. For the gas produced by ONGC & OIL from their nomination blocks, the price has been made subject to a floor and a ceiling of USD 4.0/MMBTU & USD 6.5/MMBTU respectively,” Puri said.”The price of natural gas in international market is based on the demand supply scenario, geo-political issues and various other market conditions. It is difficult to make predictions about these prices especially amid ongoing volatility. Government of India is closely monitoring global energy markets as well as potential energy supply disruptions as a fall-out of the evolving geopolitical situation,” the minister also said in his written reply.
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Govt to roll out fiscal incentives for CGD-CBG integration to boost domestic gas ..
New Delhi: The government is set to introduce fiscal incentives for City Gas Distribution (CGD) entities that connect with Compressed Biogas (CBG)plants, in a strategic move to enhance India’s domestic gas supply, said SK Jha, Executive Director & Head of City Gas Distribution at Indian Oil Corporation, during a panel discussion at India Energy Week.
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In an effort to strengthen the domestic gas infrastructure, these incentives aim to encourage mutual collaboration between CGD networks and CBD producers. “It will not be incumbent on the CBG plant owners to connect to the CGD network; rather it will be a mutual decision, significantly benefiting the domestic gas requirement,” Jha explained, who is also a Director on the board of Indian Oil Adani Gas Pvt Ltd.
The initiative comes at a crucial time as India grapples with thechallenges of meeting its escalating energy demands while transitioningto cleaner fuel options. The CGD network, a key component of India’senergy sector, covers nearly 300 geographical areas and is a majorsupplier of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Piped Natural Gas(PNG).”CGD entities, which primarily cater to the Compressed Natural Gas(CNG) and Piped Natural Gas (PNG) markets, report that 60 to 70% oftheir sales are derived from the domestic sector. Despite this growth, theblend of up to 40% natural gas in their supply has impacted theirfinancial bottom lines due to the limited domestic gas production andthe high dependency on imports,” Jha said.
The government’s proactive stance, including the regular quarterlyreviews of the CGD sector and the introduction of policy measures in therecent budget speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman,underscores its commitment to energy sustainability. The financeminister’s emphasis on CBG blending and wind energy promotionthrough viability gap funding (VGF) for up to one gigawatt-hour of windpower projects highlights the multifaceted strategy to bolster India’senergy reserves.Launched in 2017 under the ‘SATAT’ scheme, the CBG program aims tocomplement the CGD network by supplying additional domestic gas,thereby aiding in the achievement of the government’s ambitious targetof 5% CBG blending by 2028-29. Despite initial hurdles such as taxationand regulatory challenges, the forthcoming fiscal incentives areexpected to pave the way for a seamless integration of CBG into thenational gas grid.
The government’s proactive stance, including the regular quarterlyreviews of the CGD sector and the introduction of policy measures in therecent budget speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman,underscores its commitment to energy sustainability. The financeminister’s emphasis on CBG blending and wind energy promotionthrough viability gap funding (VGF) for up to one gigawatt-hour of windpower projects highlights the multifaceted strategy to bolster India’senergy reserves.Launched in 2017 under the ‘SATAT’ scheme, the CBG program aims tocomplement the CGD network by supplying additional domestic gas,thereby aiding in the achievement of the government’s ambitious targetof 5% CBG blending by 2028-29. Despite initial hurdles such as taxationand regulatory challenges, the forthcoming fiscal incentives areexpected to pave the way for a seamless integration of CBG into thenational gas grid.
https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/govt-to-roll-out-fiscal-incentives-for-cgd-cbg-integration-to-boost-domestic-gas-supply/107835914?utm_source=top_news&utm_medium=tagListing
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LNG Use / LNG Development and Shipping
India’s GAIL seeks four LNG cargoes for March-October delivery – sources
India’s largest gas distributor GAIL (India) Ltd has issued a tender to buy four cargoes of liquefied natural gas for delivery between March to October, said two industry sources on Monday.
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The cargoes are sought on a delivered ex-ship (DES) basis to the Dahej and Hazira terminals, with delivery windows of March 1-10 or 26-31, June 4-11, Aug. 21-28 and Oct. 21-30.
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Deepak Fertilisers ties up with Norway’s Equinor for long-term LNG supply
This end-to-end tie-up shall establish a strong long-term foundation for all of DFPCL’s product segments Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd (DFPCL) on February 19 said it has entered into a long-term agreement with Norway’s Equinor for supply of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
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In a regulatory filing, DFPCL said the a long-term LNG contract will strengthen its value chain from gas to ammonia to various downstream fertilisers, industrial chemicals, and mining chemicals.
This end-to-end tie-up shall establish a strong long-term foundation for all of DFPCL’s product segments.
“This agreement is for annual supplies of up to 0.65 million tonnes over a period of 15 years, beginning 2026. The tie-up provides room for trading some LNG parcels in the growing demands in India as well as accommodating DFPCL’s growing captive needs,” the company said.
The LNG will be delivered to the west coast of India, the company said.
Equinor, erstwhile Statoil, is among the established leaders in the oil & gas sector over the last 50 years, with a market cap of $75 billion wherein majority shares are owned by the Norwegian government.
The agreement signed by Irene Rummelhoff, Executive Vice-President, Equinor, and Sailesh C Mehta, Chairman & Managing Director, DFPCL, is one of the largest contracts signed by Equinor with a private sector company in India.
DFPCL is at an advanced stage of tying up the regasification terminal with the gas pipeline grid connectivity to its plant’s doorstep already in place.
DFPCL has plants in four states — Maharashtra (Taloja), Gujarat (Dahej), Andhra Pradesh (Srikakulam), and Haryana (Panipat).
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India’s LNG imports rise in January
India’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports rose in January compared to the same month in 2023, according to the preliminary data from the oil ministry’s Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell.
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The country imported about 2.41 billion cubic meters, or about 1.8 million tonnes of LNG, in January, a rise of 26 percent compared to the same month in 2023, PPAC said.
During April 2023-January 2024, India took 25.3 bcm of LNG, or some 19.2 million tonnes, up by 15 percent, PPAC said.
India paid $1.1 billion for January LNG imports, the same amount as in the year before, and $10.9 billion in April-January, down from $14.8 billion in the year before, it said.
As per India’s natural gas production, it reached 3.13 bcm in January, up by 6 percent compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.
During April-January, gas production rose by 5 percent to about 30.3 bcm, PPAC said.
At the moment, India imports LNG via seven facilities with a combined capacity of about 47.7 million tonnes.
India’s Adani and France’s TotalEnergies started supplying natural gas in April 2023 to the grid from their 5 mtpa Dhamra LNG import facility located in Odisha, on India’s east coast.
During April-December, Petronet LNG’s 17.5 mtpa Dahej terminal operated at 95.1 percent capacity, while Shell’s 5.2 mtpa Hazira terminal operated at 32.8 percent capacity, PPAC said.
The Dhamra LNG terminal operated at 25.1 percent capacity, the 5 mtpa Dabhol LNG terminal operated at 36.4 percent capacity, and Petronet’s 5 mtpa Kochi LNG terminal operated at 20.3 percent caapcity, it said.
https://lngprime.com/lng-terminals/indias-lng-imports-rise-in-january/105089/
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LNG tankers may be converted to floating storage in India
The units, with a capacity of 138,000 cubic meters each, are currently being leased by Petronet LNG Ltd. to import the super-chilled fuel from Qatar.. A Japanese-Indian consortium is considering turning two LNG tankers into floating storage and regasification units to help meet growing demand in the South Asian economy, according to two people familiar with the matter.
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The units, with a capacity of 138,000 cubic meters each, are currently being leased by Petronet LNG Ltd. to import the super-chilled fuel from Qatar. Since the Indian company doesn’t plan to renew the lease past 2028, the consortium — called India LNG Transport Co. — may put the vessels to use on India’s east coast after retrofitting them in South Korea, said the people, who asked not to be named as they are not authorized to speak with the media.
A spokesperson for the Indian partner, state-owned Shipping Corp of India Ltd., didn’t reply to requests for comment.
India is investing heavily in liquefied natural gas import infrastructure to help meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s target of gas reaching 15% of the energy mix by 2030, from less than 7% now. The South Asian nation, currently the world’s fourth-largest LNG buyer, could see its imports rise to 150 million tons by 2030, a seven-fold increase from 2023, Petronet’s Chief Executive Officer Akshay Kumar Singh said in February.
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Electric Mobility/ Hydrogen/Bio-Methane
Cial in deal with BPCL to set up green hydrogen plant
Kochi: Kochi airport is all set to be the first in the country to set up a green hydrogen plant. Cochin International Airport Limited (Cial) in association with BPCL Kochi Refinery is going to set up a 1000-kilowatt green hydrogen plant on the airport premises. The fuel generated from the plant will be used for operating vehicles owned by Cial.
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Cial has entered into a memorandum of understanding with BPCL for the project. “As pioneers in sustainable aviation, Cial is happy to start a groundbreaking journey with BPCL towards establishing the country’s first green hydrogen plant in an airport at Cial,” said Cial managing director, S Suhas.
He also said the strategic collaboration underscores Cial’s commitment to green energy and propels closer towards a zero-carbon future in the aviation landscape.
BPCL’s chairman and MD G Krishnakumar said the collaboration is a pivotal moment in the journey towards sustainable solutions. He cited the new venture as an example of BPCL’s commitment to India’s energy independence through initiatives like Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Cial is constantly looking at enhancing power from green sources, officials said. “Green hydrogen, produced from water using renewable energy sources, is recognized as a future fuel and aligns with zero-carbon energy strategies. The agreement for the green hydrogen plant was exchanged at the legislative assembly complex in Thiruvananthapuram in the presence of chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is also the chairman of Cial on Wednesday,” a Cial official said.
Kochi airport is the world’s first airport which is fully powered by solar energy, Cial officials said. The solar plants and a hydel station now have a cumulative installed capacity of 50MW producing two hundred thousand units of power a day.
As per the agreement, BPCL will oversee the establishment of the integrated green hydrogen plant and a fuelling station, providing technology and managing the operations. On Cial’s part, it will contribute suitable land, water, and green energy resources. The initial output of the plant will be utilized for powering vehicles within the airport.
Industries minister P Rajeeve, chief secretary V Venu, additional chief secretary K R Jyothilal, and officials with BPCL Kochi Refinery, Cial, and Norka were present on the occasion of signing of the MoU.
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RIL plans to spend Rs 5,000 crore on Compressed Biogas Plants (CBG)
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is planning to set up more than 50 compressed biogas (CBG) plants in the next two years at a cost of over ₹5,000 crore, according to two oil and gas industry executives aware of the development.
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At RIL’s annual general meeting last August, chairman Mukesh Ambani had announced plans to set up 100 CBG plants in five years. CBG is a green fuel produced from waste or biomass sources. It has properties similar to compressed natural gas (CNG) and can be used for automotive, industrial and commercial uses.
“RIL has tendered out over 50 compressed biogas plants to be set up in the next two years. It will shortly be floating a tender for the remaining plants,” said one of the executives. “The tenders have been given out for technology as well as engineering, procurement and construction.”
The retail to oil refining conglomerate has also revised the target on the number of CBG plants to 106 from 100, this person added.
RIL did not respond to an email sent on February 19 seeking comment.
Each plant, the people said, would have a feedstock processing capacity of 250-500 tonnes a day, with CBG production in the range of 10 tonnes to 20 tonnes per day. The estimated investment in a 10-tonne-per-day plant is around Rs 100 crore.
RIL’s in-house team would be sourcing the feedstock for the plants. The company has also been in discussions with multiple sugar mills for sourcing sugarcane press mud and feedstock for CBG production, the people said.
“India produces nearly 230 million tonnes of non-cattle feed biomass, most of it contributing to air pollution. Within a short span of one year, we have become India’s largest bio-energy producer based on our indigenously developed technology,” Ambani had said at the AGM.
RIL has already set up two CBG demo units at its refinery facility in Jamnagar and has commissioned the first commercial-scale CBG plant at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh.
Through its CBG units, RIL aims to consume 5.5 million tonnes of agro-residue and organic waste, mitigating nearly 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions, and produce 2.5 million tonnes of organic manure annually. This would result in a reduction of about 0.7 million tonnes per annum of imported liquefied natural gas.
These CBG units will also help RIL scale up the retailing of CBG and bio-CNG (purified form of biogas) at the Jio-BP fuel retail outlets shortly. Jio-BP outlets are set up by Reliance BP Mobility Ltd, a joint venture between RIL and British energy major BP Plc.
“We are adding a lot of (fuel) stations. CBG alone will see 200 (station) additions,” Harish Mehta, CEO of Reliance BP Mobility, had told ET on the sidelines of the Indian Energy Week in Goa early this month. According to Mehta, the retailed CBG will be 95% pure.
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Skoda to launch Enyaq EV Specs, range, features and price expectation
Czech auto giant Skoda Auto is gearing up to launch its first electric car in India today (February 26). The carmaker will introduce the Enyaq electric SUV, foraying intothe premium electric vehicle segment in the country. The Enyaq electric SUV was earlier showcased during the Bharat Global Mobility Expo held in Delhi last month.The electric SUV from Skoda will be launched in India as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) initially. However, Skoda may start manufacturing it locally depending ondemands.
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The Enyaq electric SUV is based on Skoda Auto’s MEB platform built from the ground-up and developed specially for electric vehicles. The same platform alsounderpins the likes of Audi Q4 e-tron and Volkswagen ID.4. The Enyaq EV stands 4,648 mm in length, 1,877 mm in width and 1,618 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of2,765 mm. The electric vehicle, as the dimension suggests, offers a spacious cabin, distinguishing itself from Skoda’s flagship SUV, the Kodiaq, with its two-rowconfiguration.
As far as the design is concerned, the Skoda Enyaq comes with an illuminated grille, sweptback LED headlamps, contrast black inserts, and aero-inspired alloy wheelsbesides wraparound two-piece LED tail lights, Skoda lettering and a number plate recess on the tailgate, integrated spoiler, and a shark-fin antenna.
Skoda Enyaq will come with several advanced features. These include the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), a 360-degree camera, digital screens for theinstrument console and infotainment system and leatherette upholstery in the cabin.
Skoda Enyaq EV is offered in multiple variants across the world. In India, Skoda is expected to drive in the Enyaq 80 variant. It comes equipped with a single electricmotor mounted on the rear axle that can produce a max power output of 282 bhp and 310 Nm. According to Skoda, it can accelerate from 0-100 kmph in 6.7 seconds.The battery pack is an 82 kWh unit that offers range of more than 500 kms on a single charge. It also takes just 28 minutes to charge from 10 per cent to 80 per centusing fast chargers.
The Skoda Enyaq EV will take on the likes of Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 among other electric vehicles. It is expected to come with a starting price north of ₹50 lakh
https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/electric-vehicles/skoda-to-launch-enyaq-ev-tomorrow-specs-range-features-and-price-expectation-41708924831944.html
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Natural Gas / Transnational Pipelines/ Others
UK: Underwater pipe plans for UK gas power station
Plans have been proposed to lay new undersea pipes to carry carbon emissions from one of Europe’s largest gas power stations.
The scheme would link Pembroke power station with a liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal across the Milford Haven estuary in Pembrokeshire.
Supporters said it would secure jobs and launch a new industry shipping CO2 from Wales to be buried at sea
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But it involves major building work across a protected marine habitat.
Environmental group Friends of the Earth called for the money to be spent on renewable energy rather than keeping a gas plant going.
Pembroke power station has the capacity to generate enough electricity from burning gas to power four million homes.
Despite being one of Wales’ biggest emitters of CO2 it has an “essential role” in the country’s transition to a greener future, according to its operator RWE.
“This power station currently runs 80% of the time, in and around when there’s insufficient renewable power [such as wind or solar],” said Richard Little, who is leading the site’s transformation as director of the Pembroke Net Zero Centre.
“We need to build something that allows it to still operate at times when it’s needed without impacting the climate,” he said
RWE’s answer, alongside new hydrogen production facilities which could eventually replace gas, is carbon capture and storage.
The firm’s ambition is to capture up to 2 mega tonnes (Mt) of emissions by 2030, rising to 5Mt by 2035 – the equivalent of taking a million petrol cars off the road.
But this relies on establishing a way for that CO2 to be transported all the way to old, empty oil and gas fields in the North Sea where it can be buried.
That is where the new pipelines come in.
Just over half a mile away – across the Milford Haven waterway – is Dragon LNG – one of three terminals in the UK where natural gas in cold, liquid form arrives on giant tankers from overseas.
It is then warmed up, turned back into gas and sent on to homes and businesses.
Mirroring that process, the plan is for Pembroke power station’s carbon emissions to be pumped across the estuary to be liquified and put onto ships at the LNG terminal.
Dubbed the Must project – which stands for Multi-Utility Service Transit – the pipelines would also carry waste heat from the power plant to help cut emissions involved in the LNG terminal’s operations.
Hydrogen could also be transported in future – connecting businesses north of the haven with a supply of the cleaner fuel.
The aim is for the scheme to have been built before the end of the decade, with engineering studies under way, part funded by the UK government.
Getting approval from regulators to dig a trench and lay pipes across a busy shipping route and marine special area of conservation will be no mean feat.
“We’re working closely with regulatory and environmental bodies to try and do this the right way – to go in once and do it well,” Simon Ames, Dragon LNG’s managing director said.
“We want to fully protect the [local] environment but dealing with climate change means we have to connect these businesses together.”
RWE said it expected to be employing about 2,000 new workers by the end of the decade on construction work related to decarbonising Pembroke power station.
“As well as an environmental responsibility there’s a socio-economic responsibility to grow these green jobs and skills in the south Wales area,” said Eleri Morgan, a process engineer working on the power station’s green hydrogen plans.
At Dragon LNG, Sarah Phillips was officially “employee number one” at the site when it started back in 2005 and has since risen to become a senior manager.
“Helping to secure that future for the local community, trying to increase the number of jobs and protect those we already have is something I really look forward to,” she said.
Should the scheme prove successful, the hope is to replicate it at other industrial hotspots across south Wales – such as Port Talbot, Cardiff and Newport – establishing a CO2 shipping route, which the companies say will save tens of thousands of jobs by allowing established industries to decarbonise.
The project is part of the wider South Wales Industrial Cluster (SWIC) plan.
This involves major industries – responsible for about 40% of Wales’ total greenhouse gas emissions – working together to map out how they cut carbon en masse.
“Rather than decarbonise through loss of industry, you invest hard,” Mr Little said.
“That way you more than preserve the jobs and add more value to the economy.”
But Friends of the Earth said there were reasons to be “incredibly sceptical” over the proposals.
Using carbon-capture technology on a gas power station would “tie us into fossil fuels for many decades to come”, said Mike Childs, the group’s head of science, policy and research.
Not all CO2 would be captured, while gas extraction itself leads to leakages of methane – another powerful greenhouse gas, he added.
“Rather than using gas to create electricity we need to move away from that entirely and focus on renewable energy and types of energy storage,” he said.
Natural Resources Wales said it would support the project’s feasibility study.
“Our priority will be finding solutions that enable decarbonisation ambitions while ensuring the sensitivity of the Pembrokeshire Marine special area of conservation and Milford Haven Waterway site of special scientific interest is fully understood and safeguarded as the proposals take shape,” said its executive director Sarah Jennings.
https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/underwater-pipe-plans-for-uk-gas-power-station/ar-BB1itZGP
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UK: Chevron partners greenlight $24m investment to boost gas production at offshore site
Energy firms approve second phase of project to expand natural gas production from Tamar field, after securing a new sales agreement for exports to Egypt. US energy giant Chevron and its partners in the Tamar reservoir off the country’s Mediterranean coast on Sunday announced a decision to invest $24 million to bolster natural gas production capacity from the offshore field.
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The investment is part of a two-phase plan aimed at expanding natural gas production capacity to about 1.6 billion cubic feet (BCF) a day from the Tamar field, located west of Ashkelon, to meet Israel’s energy needs and to export gas to Egypt.
The Tamar partners okayed a so-called final investment decision (FID) needed to proceed with the second phase of the gas production expansion project.
“Reaching FID for Phase Two of Tamar’s expansion reflects Chevron’s ongoing commitment to partnering with the State of Israel to continue development of its energy resources for the benefit of domestic and regional natural gas markets,” said Jeff Ewing, managing director of Chevron’s Eastern Mediterranean Business Unit.
In the first phase of the project, a 150-kilometer pipeline will be laid from the Tamar field to the platform. The adjustments are expected to support the daily supply of production of 1.2 BCF of natural gas, up from the current 1.1 BCF. Work on both phases is scheduled for completion in 2025 at a total investment of $673 million.
Chevron operates and holds a 25% stake in the Tamar gas field. The partners in the Israeli gas reservoir include Isramco, which holds 28.75% of the rights in Tamar; Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Energy, which holds 11%; Tamar Investment 2, which has an 11% share; Tamar Petroleum, which has a 16.75% share; Dor Gas with 4%; and Everest with 3.5%.
The investment approval comes after the partners in the gas field announced on Friday that they had secured a new gas sales agreement with Blue Ocean Energy, Tamar’s Egyptian importer of Israeli gas.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Tamar partners will sell an additional 4 billion cubic meters (BCM) of natural gas per year to Egypt for a period of 11 years, or about 43 BCM. As of today, the Tamar reservoir exports to Egypt about 2 BCM per year. The supply of gas exports will commence on July 1, 2025 according to the agreement.
Israel gave approval in 2023 for the expansion of natural gas exports to Egypt from Tamar.
About one-third of the additional natural gas produced from the Tamar rig will be allocated to the domestic market to meet its energy needs.
Overall, natural gas production from the field will increase by 60% from 2026, or 6 BCM annually.
The Tamar platform located off the coast of Ashkelon was shut down for a five-week period in the aftermath of the onslaught by the Hamas terror group on October 7, and as heavy rocket fire from the Gaza Strip continued to batter the south and center of the country. Drilling at the offshore gas field resumed in mid-November. Israel’s Leviathan natural gas platform, the nation’s largest, located off the coast of Haifa in the north, remained in operation throughout the war.
Israel’s natural gas operations have in recent years put the country on a path to energy independence — and have shielded it from the worst of the energy crisis sparked by the Russian war on Ukraine — in a region with few natural resources.
The Leviathan gas field started pumping on December 31, 2019, and natural gas started to flow in 2013 at the nearby Tamar, which holds some 10 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of natural gas, half of the amount held in Leviathan.
In June 2022, Israel, Egypt and the European Union signed a memorandum of understanding that will see Israel export its natural gas to the bloc for the first time. According to the agreement, Israeli gas will be supplied via Egypt’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants to the EU.
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UAE: Blasts hit a natural gas pipeline in Iran and an official says it was an act of sabotage
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Explosions struck a natural gas pipeline in Iran early on Wednesday, with an official blaming the blasts on a “sabotage and terrorist action” in the country as tensions remain high in the Middle East amid Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip
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Details were scarce, though the blasts hit a natural gas pipeline running from Iran’s western Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province up north to cities on the Caspian Sea. The roughly 1,270-kilometer (790-mile) pipeline begins in Asaluyeh, a hub for Iran’s offshore South Pars gas field.
Saeed Aghli, the manager of Iran’s gas network control center, told Iranian state television that a “sabotage and terrorist” action caused explosions along several areas of the line.
There are no known insurgent groups operating in that province, home to the Bakhtiari, a branch of Iran’s Lur ethnic group. Aghli did not name any suspects in the blasts.
Iran’s Oil Minister Javad Owji, also speaking to state TV, compared the attack to a series of mysterious and unclaimed assaults on gas pipelines in 2011 — including around the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Tehran marked the 45th anniversary of the revolution on Sunday.
“The goal that the enemies were pursuing was to cut the gas in the major provinces of the country and it did not happen,” Owji said. “Except for the number of villages that were near the gas transmission lines, no province suffered a cut.”
In the past, Arab separatists in southwestern Iran have claimed attacks against oil pipelines. However, attacks elsewhere in Iran against such infrastructure are rare.
Since the revolution, Iran has faced low-level separatist unrest from Kurds in the country’s northwest, the Baluch in the east and Arabs in the southwest.
However, tensions have risen in recent years as Iran faces an economy hobbled by international sanctions over its nuclear program. The country has faced years of mass demonstrations, most recently in 2022 over the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died in custody after her arrest allegedly over how she wore her mandatory headscarf Meanwhile, Israel has carried out attacks in Iran that have predominantly targeted its nuclear program. On Tuesday, the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog warned that Iran is “not entirely transparent” regarding its atomic program, particularly after an official who once led Tehran’s program announced the Islamic Republic has all the pieces for a weapon “in our hands.”
Tensions over Iran’s nuclear program comes as groups that Tehran is arming in the region — Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi rebels — have launched attacks targeting Israel over the war in Gaza. The Houthis continue to attack commercial shipping in the region, sparking repeated airstrikes from the United States and the United Kingdom.
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Nigerian: Shell to supply 100 million cubic feet of gas per day to Dangote Fertilizer plant
The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has concluded plans to supply 100 million standard cubic feet of gas per day to the Dangote Fertiliser and Petrochemical Plant in Lekki, Lagos State.
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The SPDC said it took the final investment decision alongside its joint venture partners – Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, and Nigerian Agip Oil Company.
According to a statement by Shell Nigeria Media Relations Manager, Abimbola Essien-Nelson, this was made known by the Managing Director of SPDC, Osagie Okunbor, in Port Harcourt, where he noted that the final investment decision was a significant step in supporting the Nigerian government’s ‘Decade of Gas’ ambition.
The statement noted that the decision is to “build a dedicated upstream facility to supply 100 million standard cubic feet of gas per day to Dangote Fertiliser and Petrochemical Plant in Lekki, Lagos State, for 10 years,
What the Managing Director of SPDC is saying
Okunbor said, “This investment decision is a critical step in pursuing the development of the gas-rich Iseni field, which is part of the Okpokunou Cluster in Oil Mining Lease 35 located in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.”
According to the statement, Okunbor said that SPDC and its joint venture partners remained committed to Nigeria’s ‘Decade of Gas’ ambition and, particularly, the domestic gas agenda, adding that increasing the delivery of natural gas to the domestic market is key to accelerated industrialisation and economic development in Nigeria.
He said, “The FID signals a positive step towards the construction of the required infrastructure for the project that is expected to create jobs through direct and indirect employment.
“Dangote boasts Africa’s largest granulated urea fertiliser complex and produces around 65 per cent of Nigeria’s domestic fertiliser requirements.
“The project will supply gas which will enhance the Dangote Fertiliser and Petrochemical Plant’s ability to deliver on its promise to the Nigerian people and government.’’
What you should know
Recall that in March 2022, SPDC, TotalEnergies and the NNPC had signed an agreement to supply 70 million standard cubic feet of gas to Dangote Group fertiliser plants to help ramp up production and increase exports.
The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, had during the signing ceremony said that Dangote’s plants supplied 65% of Nigeria’s domestic fertiliser requirements.
Kyari said, “It’s government’s drive to ensure that we become self sufficient in the production of fertiliser in our country, and specifically for this year, it’s zero import of fertiliser into our country.’’
President/CEO, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, who signed the agreement on behalf of the company 2 years ago, said the additional gas supply would “help us bring in more foreign exchange to Nigeria and confirm Nigeria’s position as the continent’s second-largest producer of fertiliser.”
He said the new gas supply deal would enable his company to generate more than $1.8 billion in export earnings.
Dangote Fertiliser Limited is a $2.5 billion complex sited on 500 hectares of land in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State, Nigeria. It is the largest granulated urea fertiliser complex in Africa with an annual production capacity of 3 million metric tonnes.
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Natural Gas / LNG Utilization
US: Hexagon Agility preparing for higher natural gas truck demand
Hexagon Agility says it has been installing compressed natural gas and renewable natural gas fuel systems on Class 8 pilot trucks running Cummins’ new X15N natural gas engine.
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The orders include two truck manufacturers and will be put into service with major U.S. fleets, the company announced in a release. Kenworth is the first to take orders for trucks powered by the Cummins X15N natural gas engine, Hexagon said.
Those trucks are expected to be in serial production by mid-2024 with deliveries expected to begin in the third quarter.
“The launch of the Cummins X15N, 15-liter engine will triple the addressable market for heavy-duty natural gas trucks over the next few years,” says Eric Bippus, executive vice-president, sales and systems, Hexagon Agility. “This is a game-changer for our niche industry, enabling a powerhouse solution for Class 8 fleets traveling locally and cross country. The 15-liter delivers enhanced fuel efficiency and maximum uptime.”
Hexagon Agility says it’s expanding its capacity to meet the growing demand. A new production line is expected to go live in the first quarter of 2025. Hexagon reports about 100,000 of the 330,000 new Class 8 trucks sold in the North American market can be served by CNG and RNG.
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Global LNG Development
Singapore: Seatrium renews long-term contract with GasLog LNG and STASCO for five years
Seatrium has renewed its long-term favoured customer contract with its long-time customers, GasLog LNG Services Ltd and Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (STASCO).
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The contract will see Seatrium providing ship repair services, refurbishment and upgrading for GasLog and STASCO’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers from 2024 to 2019. The contract also comes with an option for further renewal.
The contract involves the repairs, refurbishment and upgrading of GasLog and STASCO’s combined fleet of 43 LNG carriers docking in Southeast Asia (SEA) to Seatrium’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Seatrium Repairs and Upgrades.
”We are delighted to renew our favoured customer agreement for another five years. We have enjoyed many years of partnership to refit the majority of our fleet here and trusted Seatrium in the conversion of our floating storage regasification unit (FSRU). The recent tender we jointly ran with STASCO indicates that Seatrium remains a competitive shipyard offering high quality services. This aligns with our strategic direction of optimising costs and leveraging our competitiveness. We look forward to strengthening our relationship as we work towards safe, timely and on-budget deliveries for the conversions, repairs and upgrades of our LNG carriers,” says Kostas Karathanos, chief operating officer (COO) of GasLog.
“We are honoured and delighted to have our exclusive partnership agreement renewed with both GasLog and STASCO. Partnering with world-class vessel owners increases our market share of LNG repairs and upgrades and enhances our capabilities as a world-class shipyard group. The selection of Seatrium as the LNG refit partner in Singapore is a major boost to Singapore’s status as a major global hub. We thank both GasLog and STASCO for their trust in us and we are confident that our long-term partnership will deliver mutual benefits and continuous improvements to all partners involved,” adds Alvin Gan, executive vice president, repairs and upgrades, Seatrium.
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Greece: Serbia expects LNG deliveries from Greece to start soon
The completion of a gas interconnector with Bulgaria late last year provided Serbia with a link to natural gas sources in the Caspian region and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at the Greek port of Alexandroupolis, making Greece an important partner in the supply of gas, according to Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović.
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Serbia has already agreed deliveries of 300 million cubic meters of gas a year from the LNG terminal in Alexandroupolis, once the facility becomes fully operational, which is expected in the coming weeks, Đedović Handanović said at the Serbia-Greece business forum in Belgrade.
Serbia has also agreed supplies of up to 400 million cubic meters of gas annually from Azerbaijan until 2026, an amount that can be tripled following the expiration of the deal, Đedović Handanović recalled, according to a press release from the Ministry of Mining and Energy.
As for other gas interconnections in the region, she recalled that two more new pipelines are planned, with North Macedonia and Romania, which will be completed before the start of the EXPO 2027 exhibition in Belgrade.
The new gas interconnections will boost Serbia’s role as a transit country
Apart from helping the country to diversify its gas supplies, these new interconnections will also strengthen Serbia’s position as a transit route. “With the completion of the Balkan Stream, we have become an important country in the supply of gas to countries of Central and Eastern Europe,” Đedović Handanović noted.
In the next few years, Serbia will invest heavily in its energy infrastructure, and is open to discussions with anyone who is interested in participating in development projects, according to her.
Serbia also mulls oil link with Greece
Đedović Handanović recalled that Serbia is also working on diversifying its oil supplies, since the sole route at the moment is the Adria oil pipeline, or JANAF.
By 2027, Serbia and Hungary will build a 128-kilometer joint oil pipeline, which will further increase the security of supply to Serbia’s refineries and market, she said, adding that the country is also considering a link with oil sources in Greece, through North Macedonia.
https://balkangreenenergynews.com/serbia-expects-lng-deliveries-from-greece-to-start-soon/
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Mexico: Chesapeake Energy Inks 20-Year Deal for LNG from Delfin’s Louisiana Project
Chesapeake Energy Corp. has signed tripartite agreements for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Delfin LNG LLC, which the former has committed to sell to Singapore. The suite of deals, which also involves Gunvor Group Ltd., includes an agreement for Chesapeake to supply the offtake volume from the Louisiana project of Delfin LNG, a company of Delfin Midstream Inc., to Gunvor Singapore Pte. Ltd.
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“Under the SPA [sale and purchase agreement], Chesapeake will purchase approximately 0.5 million tonnes of LNG per annum from Delfin at a Henry Hub price and contract targeted start date in 2028 then deliver to Gunvor on an FOB [free on board] basis with the sales price linked to the Japan Korea Marker for a period of 20 years”, Oklahoma City-based oil and gas producer Chesapeake said in a news release Tuesday. “These volumes will represent 0.5 mtpa [million metric tons per annum] of the previously announced up to 2 mtpa HOA [heads of agreement] with Gunvor”.
Chesapeake will source the LNG committed to Gunvor from a United States facility, according to a Cheseapeake press release March 6 announcing the HOA.
Delfin LNG is a deepwater port for LNG export proposed to rise near the Gulf of Mexico. It is planned to have four floating LNG vessels with a combined capacity of 13.3 million metric tons per annum (MMtpa).
Delfin LNG and Gunvor Singapore earlier signed an agreement for the former to supply the Gunvor subsidiary 0.5 MMtpa to 1.0 MMtpa free on board over 15 years, as announced by Houston, Texas-based Delfin Midstream November 27.
While the Biden administration recently said it has paused pending decisions on LNG export to countries with no free trade agreement (FTA) with the U.S., Delfin LNG years ago secured a permit from the Department of Energy (DOE) for non-FTA export. The U.S. and Singapore, though, are free trade partners.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Delfin Midstream chief executive Dudley Poston said, “We believe our unique liquefaction solution provides Chesapeake with commercial flexibility with a reduced environmental footprint, while providing a much-needed source of additional supply to key U.S. allies and the global LNG market”.
Chesapeake president and chief executive Nick Dell’Osso said, “Today’s announcement cements an important step on our path to ‘Be LNG Ready’ and is further recognition of the depth of our portfolio and strength of our financial position”.
Kalpesh Patel, co-head of LNG trading and a member of the executive committee of Gunvor, said, “This deal represents an important step in finalizing the 0.5 mtpa out of our total of 2.0 mtpa arrangement with Chesapeake, while expanding our existing cooperation with Delfin”.
The announcement comes on the heels of a move by President Joe Biden to bar the DOE from issuing permits for LNG export to nations with no FTA with the U.S., announced January 6. However, the U.S. and Singapore are free trade partners, their FTA in force since 2004 according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
The moratorium gives the DOE time to review permitting considerations that are now out of date when it comes to considerations on greenhouse gas emissions, environmental impact, energy prices and domestic gas supply, the White House had said.
“The current economic and environmental analyses DOE uses to underpin its LNG export authorizations are roughly five years old and no longer adequately account for considerations like potential energy cost increases for American consumers and manufacturers beyond current authorizations or the latest assessment of the impact of greenhouse gas emissions”, it said in a statement January 26.
The White House emphasized the pause does not impact LNG commitments to allies “in the near-term” and that the U.S. still can export LNG during “unanticipated and immediate national security emergencies”.
“Through existing LNG production and export infrastructure, the U.S. has – and will continue – to deliver for our allies”, the statement said.
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Greece: Greece’s Alexandroupolis FSRU set to receive first LNG cargo this week
Gastrade’s FSRU-based LNG import terminal off Greece’s Alexandroupolis is expected to receive its first cargo of liquefied natural gas this week, according to shipping data.
The 2018-built 174,000-cbm LNG carrier, GasLog Hong Kong, should arrive at the 153,600-cbm Alexandroupolis late on February 15, its AIS data provided by VesselsValue shows.
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The LNG carrier, chartered by France’s TotalEnergies, previously picked up a cargo at Sempra’s Cameron LNG plant in Louisiana, the data shows.
TotalEnergies is a shareholder in Cameron LNG which has a capacity of about 12 mtpa of LNG.
LNG Prime contacted Gastrade to comment on whether the vessel is carrying the commissioning LNG cargo for the Alexandroupolis FSRU, but we did not receive a reply by the time this article was published.
Last month, Gastrade said that the arrival of the commissioning cargo at its FSRU-based LNG import terminal off Alexandroupolis had been postponed due to bad weather.
The firm previously expected to receive the commissioning cargo on January 20.
Greece’s first FSRU
Gatsrade’s shareholders include founder Copelouzou, DESFA, DEPA, Bulgartransgaz, and GasLog.
Shareholder and Greek LNG shipping firm GasLog told Singapore’s Keppel Offshore & Marine, now Seatrium, in February 2022 to proceed with the conversion of the 2010-built, GasLog Chelsea, to an FSRU.
Seatrium’s yard in Singapore completed the conversion work on the 153,600-cbm Alexandroupolis in November last year.
Greece’s first FSRU arrived in Alexandroupolis from Singapore on December 17 and mooring hook-up was completed on December 23, 2023.
The FSRU is located in the sea of Thrace at a distance of 17.6 km SW from the port of Alexandroupolis and 10 km from the nearest coast of Makri. Also, it is connected to a high-pressure subsea and onshore gas transmission pipeline.
Once operational, the pipeline will deliver natural gas to the Greek transmission system and onwards to the final consumers in Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, North Macedonia, Serbia and further to Moldova and Ukraine to the East and Hungary and Slovakia to the West, Gastrade said.
The Alexandroupolis LNG terminal will have a capacity of 5.5 Bcm.
With this project, Greece will get its first FSRU and the second LNG import facility, adding to DESFA’s import terminal located on the island of Revithoussa.
In addition to this unit, Gastrade is also planning to install a second FSRU offshore Alexandroupolis.
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LNG as a Marine Fuel/Shipping
Côte d’Ivoire: The Port of Abidjan welcomes the CMA CGM ‘Scandola’, a container ship powered by liquefied natural gas
Thursday 1 February 2024 will go down in the history of the Port of Abidjan, which welcomed for the first time the CMA CGM “Scandola”, a container ship powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
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The CMA CGM “Scandola”, with its imposing dimensions of 366 m long and 51.11 m wide and a capacity of 14,800 TEU, operates on CMA CGM’s West Africa Express (WAX) service, linking West Africa directly with China, South-East Asia, and India.
The birthing of this natural fuel container ship at the Port of Abidjan is perfectly in line with the managerial vision of the Director General of the Port Autonome d’Abidjan, Mr. Hien Yacouba SIÉ. As a reminder, the Abidjan Port Authority is committed to sustainable environmental management, and in 2018 obtained ISO 14001: 2015 environmental certification.
It should also be noted that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) recommends LNG as the fuel of choice for ships, to ensure the energy transition in the maritime transport sector and significantly reduce pollution emissions.
In addition to these environmental and operational advancements, it is crucial to highlight the implementation of the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) requirement for the Port of Abidjan. The ECTN, also known as the Bordereau de Suivi Cargaison (BSC), is a mandatory document for all cargo shipments to Ivory Coast. The ECTN is a testament to the Port of Abidjan’s commitment to embracing digitalization and ensuring that its operations meet international standards for trade facilitation and cargo security. The requirement of the ECTN underscores the port’s dedication to optimizing logistics, enhancing transparency, and furthering its position as a leading hub for maritime trade in West Africa.
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China: GTT receives an order for the tank design of eight new very large LNG carriers
GTT has received an order from a Chinese shipyard for the tank design of eight new very large Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers, according to the company’s release.
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GTT will design the tanks for these eight LNG carriers, which will each offer five tanks with a total capacity of 271,000 m3. The tanks will be fitted with the NO96 Super+ membrane containment system developed by GTT.
Delivery is scheduled between the second quarter of 2028 and the fourth quarter of 2029.
https://en.portnews.ru/news/359637/
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LNG for transport
LNG is cheaper than diesel and has strong environmental benefits.
LNG saves money and cuts emissions: For decades, diesel has been the default option for vehicle fleets. But all that is changing. Now there are other, better choices on the market that give the same performance in terms of power, acceleration, and cruising speed, but with added financial and environmental benefits.
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LNG is typically 10-25% cheaper than diesel7 giving lower running costs over medium to long distances and the lowest total cost of ownership compared to conventional fuels. It also has strong environmental benefits that improve air quality in cities. LNG-powered trucks have comparable performance to diesel vehicles in terms of power, acceleration and cruising speed, but can cut CO2 by between 10% and 20%8, dependent upon duty cycle and vehicle type. LNG is not just for land-based vehicles but, with the growth of emission control areas (ECAs), LNG is also becoming an increasingly popular marine fuel9. It is a proven energy source, which is affordable, performs well and offers 24% more energy output per tonne than heavy fuel oil. It is also reassuring to know that the technology used for LNG vehicles is mature and safe. And with governments increasingly turning to domestic inland waterways to boost transport efficiency, LNG is considered one of the most promising alternative fuels in the transition to clean transport in shipping10.
https://www.shvenergy.com/what-we-do/lng/lng-for-transport
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Germany: Carnival orders another LNG-powered cruise ship at Meyer Werft
Germany’s Meyer Werft has secured an order to build another LNG-powered vessel for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line, a unit of Carnival. The world’s largest cruise company said on Tuesday it has signed an agreement with German shipbuilder Meyer Werft to build a fourth Excel class cruise ship for its namesake Carnival Cruise Line brand.
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Carnival did not reveal the price of the contract.
The newest Excel class vessel, Carnival Jubilee, was said to be worth about $1 billion.
This 344 meters long new ship is the first newbuild order placed by Carnival in five years.
The ship, the 10th Excel class ship in the corporation’s fleet across four of its world-class brands, is expected to enter service in Spring 2027.
Joining current Carnival Cruise Line Excel-class ships Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee, the new 180,000-ton ship will carry over 6,400 guests and be powered on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) technology platform, Carnival said.
Since 2018, Meyer Werft and Meyer Turku have built nine cruise ships with LNG propulsion on a joint technical platform for four cruise lines in the Carnival portfolio.
https://lngprime.com/europe/carnival-orders-another-lng-powered-cruise-ship-at-meyer-werft/104798/
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Qatar: QatarEnergy Entrusts Nakilat for 25 New LNG Carriers
In the latest development of its extensive LNG fleet expansion initiative, QatarEnergy has chosen Qatar Gas Transport Company (Nakilat) to take charge of up to 25 conventional-size LNG carriers through time charter parties (TCP). This decision, announced on February 10, marks the inaugural award within the second phase of long-term TCPs under the LNG fleet expansion project.
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The 25 vessels, each boasting a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters, will be exclusively owned by Nakilat and leased out to QatarEnergy affiliates. The construction of these LNG carriers is slated to take place at South Korean shipyards.
The commencement of the second phase of Qatar Energy’s fleet expansion program began with a substantial $3.9 billion order for 17 newbuild LNG carriers placed at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in September 2023. Furthermore, reports from early 2024 indicated that the company secured a contract with Chinese shipbuilder CSSC Hudong Zhonghua shipbuilding for the construction of eight Q-Max ultra-large LNG carriers, each with a carrying capacity of 271,000 cubic meters, making them the world’s largest. Additionally, Qatar Energy is rumored to be behind a recent order for 15 LNG carriers at Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI).
Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, expressed satisfaction with the partnership with Nakilat, highlighting confidence in Qatar’s premier LNG shipping and maritime company. Al-Kaabi also commended Nakilat’s competitive success in a global tender, emphasizing its world-class capabilities and contributions to the national economy.
Al-Kaabi mentioned that QatarEnergy is making determined strides in the establishment of its upcoming LNG fleet, which is anticipated to surpass one hundred vessels. He expressed anticipation regarding the disclosure of the names of additional successful bidders in the near future. In 2022, QatarEnergy inked a series of TCPs for the long-term charter and operation of 60 LNG ships, concluding the first phase of its fleet expansion program. The primary aim of this expansion is to support and fulfill the future requirements of QatarEnergy’s North Field East (NFE) and North Field South (NFS) expansion projects.
Moreover, the program will address the shipping needs of QatarEnergy Trading to serve its global LNG portfolio, such as volumes from the Golden Pass LNG export project. A key component of the initiative is also intended to cater to the replacement requirements of the existing Qatar LNG fleet. The holistic approach underscores QatarEnergy’s commitment to securing a robust and expansive LNG fleet, aligning with the evolving demands of the global energy landscape.
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Italy: Italy’s Largest, First LNG Cruise Ship Delivered by Fincantieri to Princess
The cruise line famed for operating “The Love Boat” from the 1970s TV show took delivery on its newest, but delayed, cruise ship today in Italy on appropriately Valentine’s Day. At 177,882 gross tons, the Sun Princess is the largest ship built in Italy to date, as well as the first LNG cruise ship ever built by Fincantieri and the first dual-fuel ship powered primarily by LNG to enter the Princess Cruises fleet.
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The cruise ship, which is the first of a new platform for the companies, however, continues to be behind schedule. The first commercial cruise announced for February 8, was canceled with the companies reporting on January 24 they had mutually agreed to delay delivery. Passengers due to sail on the next scheduled cruise due to depart on February 18 are complaining online that they were only informed yesterday that their cruise is also canceled.
Fincantieri in its announcement said the Sun Princess “is ready to sail the seas.” Princess Cruises, however, reports that the “ship does need to remain alongside in the shipyard to allow for additional technical work.” As such, they are now delaying the first revenue cruise till February 28. The ship has been docked in Monfalcone, Italy since January 16 after completing four days of sea trials.
With a length of 1,133 feet (345 meters), the Sun Princess is the largest cruise ship yet built for Princess Cruises and among the largest in the Carnival Corporation fleet. She is also the second platform the corporation has launched fueled by liquified natural gas. She is due to be followed by a sister ship, Star Princess, currently under construction and scheduled to enter service in 2025.
Each of the two ships will have 2,150 passenger cabins accommodating more than 4,300 passengers or nearly 20 percent more than the prior class of Princess cruise ships also built by Fincantieri. Each ship will have a crew of 1,150.
The company is promoting that the new ships have the most balconies on any Princess ship. Other amenities include more than 29 bars and restaurants, a large glass dome area that is a multilevel space with a pool and entertainment venue, and a separate, massive theater in the round showroom.
For Carnival Corporation the new Sun Princess is only one of three cruise ships the world’s largest cruise corporation currently has under construction. They are also scheduled to take delivery in April of the Queen Anne for Cunard from Fincantieri.
The corporation yesterday announced its first new cruise ship order in five years, a tenth Excel platform LNG-fueled ship. It will be built in Germany for delivery to Carnival Cruise Line in 2027. Going forward, Carnival Corporation says it will add one or two new cruise ships a year, a more moderate growth pace than the corporation was following before the pandemic.
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UK: Titan performs its first LNG bunkering operation in UK
Dutch bunker supplier Titan has marked its debut in the United Kingdom (UK) with a liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operation in Dundee, Scotland. On February 1, Titan’s recently chartered LNG carrier Alice Cosulich delivered 345 metric tons of LNG to the vessel Living Stone from the DEME Group.
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“The seamless execution of this operation underscored the efficiency and professionalism of both the Titan crew and the crew of the receiving vessel. The collaboration between the parties involved, including the Dundee port authorities, played a pivotal role in the success of this delivery,” Titan said.
The supplier also expressed gratitude to everyone involved, noting that the venture establishes a strong foundation for future collaborations in the UK energy market.
To remind, Titan and Italian shipowner Fratelli Cosulich signed a long-term time charter agreement for LNG bunkering vessel Alice Cosulich on June 6, 2023.
The vessel has a total length of 113 meters, a molded width of 20 meters, a molded depth of 13.5 meters, a design draft of 6.35 meters and a load capacity of about 5,300 tons.
Fratelli Cosulich launched and christened Alice at China’s CIMC SOE shipyard at the beginning of 2023, and the vessel set sail from Qidong, China, towards Europe on October 27, 2023.
https://www.offshore-energy.biz/titan-performs-its-first-lng-bunkering-operation-in-uk/
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Technological Development for Cleaner and Greener Environment Hydrogen & Bio-Methane
South Korea: HD Hyundai signs global partnership for maritime transportation of hydrogen
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea’s Hyundai Glovis, Australia’s Woodside Energy and Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) to develop a value chain for the maritime transportation of liquefied hydrogen, the HD Hyundai subsidiary said Wednesday.
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In 2022, the shipbuilder joined hands with the Korean logistics company and the Australian energy firm to study the international trade environment and ship operations related to maritime transport of liquefied hydrogen. Considering MOL’s decades-long experience in the transportation of liquefied natural gas (LNG), the Japanese shipping company’s recent decision to join the project is expected to upgrade the overall global transportation of hydrogen.
The four companies seek to develop safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly technologies by 2030 to better transport hydrogen by sea.
HD KSOE will develop a large liquefied carrier by 2030, as it was recognized in 2022 for developing Korea’s first hybrid engine that uses LNG and hydrogen. The company also received approval in principle from DNV last year for developing a proprietary hydrogen system for large liquefied hydrogen carriers.
Woodside Energy will pioneer the market for liquefied hydrogen. It has continuously made efforts in the global energy supply chain, including a non-binding heads of agreement signed last year with Singapore’s Keppel Data Centres to supply liquefied hydrogen.
Hyundai Glovis and MOL will be in charge of reviewing the feasibility of operating a liquefied hydrogen carrier.
“HD KSOE will be fulfilling its role as a frontrunner in the liquid hydrogen shipping supply chain with its technological competence and years-long experience in building gas carriers,” HD KSOE Chief Technology Officer Chang Kwang-pil said. “This collaboration will be important in many aspects as it will not only be a chance to develop technologies but also discover actual business opportunities going forward.”
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2024/02/419_368767.html
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Technovos’ announces latest innovation GaadE- Electric Wheelbarrow to revolutionise sustainable mobility landscape
With the latest ground-breaking innovation, Technovos is proactively paving the way for a new era of Green Mobility Solutions, amalgamating automotive capacity to eliminate manual labour-intensive tasks.
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Technovos- a leading developer of sustainable mobility solutions disrupting the Cleantech and Agritech landscape has recently launched its latest yet innovative offering the GaadE Electric Wheelbarrow to redefine manual-material handling tasks. The launch signifies a revolutionary stride in labour-intensive tasks, reshaping the peripheral of diverse industries.
Challenging conventions and breaking the boundaries of possibilities in the realm of agriculture, logistics, construction and many more, the Wheelbarrow stands at the edge of sustainability convergence. Moving beyond the limits of being an electric motor-driven upgrade of its traditional counterparts, it embodies an inaugural fusion of cutting-edge technology and eco-friendliness.
Thrilled with the launch of its latest offering, Bharath Anantha Srinivas, CEO and Founder of Technovos, commented, “In a world where technological innovation continues to dominate every facet of our daily lives, Technovos aims to become the catalyst for revolutionising the Agritech and Sustainable mobility space. With our latest product, the dynamic Electric Wheelbarrow, we’ve crafted a breakthrough in the realm of material movement, being the premier platform to offer a purpose-driven electric wheelbarrow, designed to exude excellence from concept development to integration and assembly.”
With Electric Propulsion at its forefront, it employs a 4KW 3 Phase Induction motor which helps in efficiently transporting substantial loads. Utilising advanced sensors and AI algorithms, it has opened the doors to self-navigation, along with obstacle avoidance and precise manoeuvring. Furthermore, it boasts a loading capacity to move 80% of the applications to minimise the need for human effort.
Accelerating green mobility to an elevated level, it operates with zero-emissions and energy-efficient mechanisms, emerging as the gateway to fostering a sustainable environment.
Offering an opportunity to partake in a future driven by automation, the introduction of electric wheelbarrows in the Precision AgriTech segment is a game-changing innovation. Being a labour-intensive sector, it will deliver farmers and agronomists an escape from manual lifting, opening doors to a versatile and efficient solution that is designed to improve farm operations, whilst enhancing crop management.
With multifaceted warehouse operations, the seamless integration of the GaadE- Electric Wheel-Barrow marks a significant leap forward in material handling and sustainability endeavours. This ingenious solution is poised to transform the warehousing and logistic industries, with access to streamlined operations and reduced costs, whilst enhancing the notions of industrial safety and environmental responsibility.
In the absence of a purpose-built machine for the hyper-local segment, Technovos has carved a distinctive niche with the augment of India’s premier purpose-driven Electric Wheelbarrow. With the launch of this innovative solution, the company has showcased its commitment to becoming the vanguard developer of sustainable mobility solutions that address the gap of implausible material movement methods in an array of markets. Autonomous wheelbarrow after this Electric wheelbarrow is the next innovation planned by Technovos.
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US: AI-Powered Collaboration Aims to Fast-Track Next-Gen EV Battery Development
In a groundbreaking collaboration, Monolith, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) software provider, has teamed up with About: Energy, a pioneering battery technology innovator, to revolutionize the development of next-generation electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
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The partnership aims to address the pressing need for more accurate and scalable battery modelling and testing, driven by the increasing demand for advanced EV technologies. By leveraging AI-powered battery modelling, Monolith and About: Energy seek to significantly reduce EV development time, potentially shaving off 12 to 18 months from the R&D process.
Engineers from both companies are working hand-in-hand to develop pre-trained AI models within the Monolith platform, utilizing precise battery data provided by About: Energy. These models, trained on a wealth of battery data, will enable more accurate predictions for battery degradation and thermal propagation, leading to fewer tests, lower testing costs, and enhanced battery performance and safety.
The integration of advanced testing and validation practices will offer vehicle manufacturers unprecedented insights into battery physics, paving the way for higher-performing EV batteries in a fraction of the time previously required. While the initial focus is on the automotive sector, the partnership holds potential for expansion into other transport industries such as micromobility and aerospace.
Dr Richard Ahlfeld, CEO and founder of Monolith expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting the potential of AI models to optimize battery validation test plans and expedite the development of superior EVs. Gavin White, CEO and Co-Founder of About: Energy, emphasized their commitment to innovation and adding value to the industry through cutting-edge technologies and collaborations like this.
The collaboration between Monolith and About: Energy represents a significant step forward in the EV industry, offering a synergy of AI expertise and top-tier battery data to drive innovation and accelerate the adoption of advanced EV technologies.
https://www.timesev.com/ai-powered-collaboration-aims-to-fast-track-next-gen-ev-battery-development/
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Australia: MOL, Woodside, HD KSOE and Hyundai Glovis look to build LH2 carrier by 2030
MOL said the group will focus on developing an 80,000-m3 liquefied hydrogen (LH2) carrier The international group of companies have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a study into the technology, safety, construction, operation and economics of an LH2 carrier with an 80,000-m3 tank capacity.
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“If a project results from the MoU, the parties’ aspiration is to have the vessel built and in operation by 2030,” MOL said in a statement.
The liquefied hydrogen carrier would, under its concept design, use hydrogen as its main fuel, which is anticipated to significantly reduce CO2 emissions during operation.
According to MOL, Australian energy company Woodside Energy and the pair of South Korean shipyards, HD Korea Shipbuilding and Engineering (HD KSOE) and Hyundai Glovis, have been developing a project related to the bulk maritime transport of liquefied hydrogen since 2022.
Ultimately, MOL said, the goal would be for the companies involved to establish a liquefied hydrogen supply chain in “Asia and other regions”.
“Discussions between the parties contemplate that, if a project results from the MoU, Woodside would be responsible for producing hydrogen and storing it at loading and discharging ports, HD KSOE would design and build the vessel, and Hyundai Glovis and MOL would be responsible for providing ship operational input into the vessel design, including logistics, propulsion, storage and cargo handling,” the companies said.
Liquefied hydrogen takes up about 1/800th the volume of hydrogen gas. While liquefied hydrogen is non-toxic and can be transported safely and efficiently, it must be cooled to -253°C, which requires advanced technology. According to MOL, Woodside, HD KSOE and Hyundai Glovis evaluated the shipping company’s experience in transporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) and approached the company to co-operate in this study, leading to the conclusion of the MoU.
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