Industry

Natural gas future in ASEAN power sector

17/05/2021 Posted by Dale

The development of electricity markets in the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) is in a dynamic stage, both for demand and supply. Countries are continuing their path towards increasing level of electrification, while the region’s power industry and policymakers intend to improve the environmental sustainability of the sector in the context of strengthening clean air policies. Mitigating reliance on coal through the diversification of energy sources for electricity generation is becoming an important trend, which paves the way for higher natural gas penetration and scaling-up of renewables.

This is the view of Dr Alexander Ermakov, Economy...

Santos endorses interim National Gas Infrastructure Plan

11/05/2021 Posted by Dale

Santos has welcomed the Federal Government’s release of the interim National Gas Infrastructure Plan.

Santos Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Kevin Gallagher said the Plan is based on an open, competitive market approach and encourages investment in new local supply and infrastructure, which is the best way to put downward pressure on east coast domestic gas prices.

“The best thing the government could do to get gas prices down on the east coast is to remove barriers to investment and promote private investment in new gas supply sources and pipelines through stable energy and fiscal policy,” Mr Gallagher said.

Poll reveals Australians can’t live without oil and gas … or related products

10/05/2021 Posted by Dale

New polling of more than a 1000 Australians has shown that Hand Sanitiser was seen as the most vital product during COVID 19 with computers second.

The polling also showed that clothing was the number one product Australians can’t do without in their everyday lives.

Spokesperson for Brighter with Natural Gas and renowned consumer advocate Christopher Zinn said both products wouldn’t exist without the oil and gas industry.

“When most of us think of the oil and gas industry we focus on fuel for the car or gas to heat your home but it does so much more,” Mr Zinn said.

CGG expands environmental monitoring portfolio with SeaScope

10/05/2021 Posted by Dale

CGG has launched SeaScope, an “innovative pollution monitoring solution”, as part of its growing portfolio of products and services for environmental application.

Combining expertise in remote sensing science, earth observation data, machine learning and high-performance computing, CGG said that SeaScope provides critical sea surface slick intelligence for a range of industries to strengthen situational awareness of the interaction between offshore assets, coastal facilities, local vessel activity and the natural marine environment.  

For energy companies with offshore assets, SeaScope’s proactive monitoring enables the establishment of production water baselines and provides early detection of anomalous events and third-party pollution incidents, as well as surveillance of natural seeps.

CO2 injection phase complete on major CCUS research project

02/05/2021 Posted by Dale

CO2CRC has announced the successful completion of the safe injection of CO2 into a saline formation 1.5km below ground at the Otway International Test Centre (OITC) in Nirranda South, Victoria.

This is a major milestone in CO2CRC’s Otway Stage 3 Project which is developing next generation subsurface CO2 monitoring and verification technologies for application in commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.

The CO2 has been safely injected deep into the subsurface, marking the end of field operations for the Otway Stage 3 Project.

Total declares Force Majeure on US$20 billion LNG plant in Mozambique

27/04/2021 Posted by Dale

French supermajor Total has declared Force Majeure on its Mozambique-led LNG plant and withdrawn all of its staff from conflict zone areas close to the construction site.

This follows the killing of dozens of people in the town of Palma in March in the northeastern part of the east African country which is a focal point for three major LNG projects worth US$60 billion.

Total said of the latest decision: “Considering the evolution of the security situation, Total confirms the withdrawal of all Mozambique LNG project personnel from the Afungi site.

Oil and gas industry ‘leads in hydrogen and carbon capture’

27/04/2021 Posted by Dale

Australia’s peak body for the oil and gas industry said the announcement of $539.2 million in new hydrogen and carbon capture, use and storage projects by the Morrison Government was a massive boost for the industry and will help to further cut Australia’s emissions.

APPEA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said many of the association’s members are already at the forefront of hydrogen development and carbon capture solutions and this announcement will help accelerate development.

Taurob and Equinor introduce autonomous robots on Norway’s offshore platforms

20/04/2021 Posted by Dale

Equinor is introducing autonomous ATEX-certified robots for inspection and maintenance on their oil and gas installations.

The partner in the project is inspection robotics specialist Taurob of Austria. Its robot will be used to conduct routine inspection and maintenance tasks on offshore installations.

Taurob initially developed robotics for human safety, particularly in emergency response situations, 11 years ago. Safety is also the main driver for the energy domain to step into robotics and ‘Taurob Inspector’ was the result of an intensive two-year collaboration between Taurob, French energy giant Total and UK's OGTC.

Total was the first energy major to implement robotic inspection on their plant in the North Sea's Shetland Islands.

Wärtsilä gas conversion ‘accelerate’s Senegal’s move to cleaner energy’

13/04/2021 Posted by Dale

Technology group Wärtsilä is converting the 90 MW Bel-Air power plant in Dakar, Senegal to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The plant, which is owned by Senelec, Senegal’s public utility company, currently operates on heavy fuel oil and Wartsilia said the conversion will future-proof the facility as Senegal’s long-term strategy is to lower the carbon footprint of energy production by switching to gas when domestic supply is available. This project is part of an interim LNG-to-Power ‘bridge’ solution, and is the first ever power plant gas conversion in Senegal.

“Our two main aims were to improve the plant’s environmental profile and to lower the operating costs.

Wood and NEL Hydrogen enter into global framework agreement

13/04/2021 Posted by Dale

Wood, the global consulting and engineering company, has entered into a new, three-year engineering framework agreement with Norway-based NEL Hydrogen, aligning with the company’s ambition to unlock sustainable solutions to global energy challenges.

Through the provision of its project execution expertise, Wood said it will work with NEL Hydrogen to support the delivery of large-scale green hydrogen production plants and play a leading role in the transition towards an integrated, lower carbon future.

Craig Shanaghey, President of Wood’s Operations across Europe, Middle East, and Africa, said: “If the world is going to realise the potential of hydrogen as a sustainable, clean, and plentiful energy vector, a vast increase in production is necessary.