NJ Governor Doubles Offshore Wind Goal
As New Jersey steps up efforts to eliminate fossil fuels over the next three decades, the state is more than doubling its target for offshore-wind energy production under an executive order signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.The order would increase the goal to 7,500 megawatts by 2035, from 3,500 set for 2030.Murphy made the announcement with former Vice President Al Gore, a clean energy advocate, at a news conference in Jersey City at Liberty Science Center.The Executive Order will deliver the clean, renewable energy generation needed to meet the State’s goals of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030 and a 100 percent clean energy economy by 2050…
Enbridge to Put More of Ohio TEAL Natgas Pipe Into Service
Canadian energy company Enbridge Inc on Wednesday sought permission from U.S. energy regulators to put the remaining part of its Texas Eastern Appalachian Lease (TEAL) Phase 1 natural gas pipeline in Ohio into service.In a filing with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Enbridge said it expects to complete work on the last part of the $200 million TEAL project by Oct. 26 and would like FERC to approve of its request by Oct. 30.The facilities Enbridge is seeking to put into service include about 4.4 miles (7.1 kilometers) of new 36-inch…
Emerson Launches Roxar Tempest 8.2
Emerson has launched Roxar Tempest 8.2 – the latest version of its reservoir management software, bringing advanced uncertainty analysis tools and increased support to the Big Loop workflow and robust risk analysis and reserves estimates across the seismic to simulation workflow. The announcement also further strengthens Emerson’s end to end Exploration & Production (E&P) software portfolio, helping operators achieve top-quartile performance and greater project certainty on investment and operational goals within new and established reservoirs.Enhancements to the Big Loop workflow within Tempest ENABLE…
Emerson Upgrades Reservoir Simulation Software
Emerson Automation Solutions has launched the latest version of its reservoir management software suite - Roxar Tempest 8.1, designed to provide robust and efficient numerical solutions to support reservoir engineers in maximizing field recovery. The release complements and enhances the advanced uncertainty analysis delivered by Ensemble Smoother Based History Matching, previously introduced in the Tempest 8.0 release, and provides new means of representing flow behavior in the vicinity of fractures. The Roxar Software Solution portfolio also now offers a complete seismic to simulation package runnable in Big Loop workflows for advanced decision support.
US LNG Exports to Increase: EIA
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)'s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook projects that the United States will export more natural gas than it imports in 2017. The U.S. has been a net exporter for three of the past four months and is expected to continue to export more natural gas than it imports for the rest of 2017 and throughout 2018. The nation’ status as a net exporter is expected to continue past 2018 because of growing U.S. natural gas exports to Mexico, declining pipeline imports from Canada, and increasing exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The U.S. is currently the world's largest natural gas producer, having surpassed Russia in 2009.
U.S. Natgas pipeline companies seek FERC decisions before Bay leaves
Three U.S. natural gas pipeline companies on Friday asked the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for permission to move forward on their projects by Feb. 3, which is when one of the FERC commissioners will step down. Only one of the three companies, Nexus Gas Transmission, specifically said it was making the request for a certificate to build its pipeline because Norman Bay, the former FERC chairman, said he would step down at the end of next week. Bay said on Thursday he would leave his post after President Donald Trump appointed Commissioner Cheryl LaFleur as acting chairman. When Bay steps down, only two of FERC's five commissioner slots will be filled.
Fortis Joins Energy Impact Partners Utility Coalition
Energy Impact Partners LP (EIP) today announced the addition of Fortis Inc. to its Nexus strategic partner network. Fortis joins Southern Company (NYSE:SO), National Grid plc (NYSE:NGG), Xcel Energy Inc. (NYSE:XEL), Ameren Corporation (NYSE:AEE) and Great Plains (NYSE:GXP) as strategic partners investing in innovative technologies to improve customer service, reduce costs and increase revenues. EIP is a private equity fund that invests in emerging technologies, products, services and business models across the full electricity supply chain from generation to consumption.
Van Oord lands Bilfinger Bounty
offshore wind parks and harbour construction. The agreement covers the acquisition of assets and employees related to the offshore wind activities. This acquisition will give a strategic boost to Van Oord’s Offshore Wind Projects business unit. The acquisition will be finalised after it has been approved by the Bundeskartellamt, the German competition authority. In addition to this acquisition, Van Oord will be investing in a significant modification of its installation vessel Aeolus. The current crane, which has a lifting capacity of 900 tonnes, will be replaced by a crane with a lifting capacity of 1,600 tonnes. At the same time the transport capacity will be extended.
Oil Bosses Break Climate Silence with Urgent Initiative
For an industry used to cautious, long-term evolution, the speed at which leaders of Europe's biggest oil and gas companies moved to take a joint stand in the climate debate speaks volumes. Discrete talks in the eyrie of Davos in January led to a spontaneous, light bulb moment on a stage in Oslo in February. The result: a joint statement two months later. The executives agreed they had to go public, and with alacrity. Faced with growing pressure from shareholders, vocal divestment campaigns by the media and advocacy groups, there looms the critical moment of the United Nations climate summit in Paris in December. The industry campaign will speed up before then.
Van Oord’s Cable-laying Vessel Deployed
Van Oord deployed the Nexus, its first cable-laying vessel for constructing offshore wind parks. With a two-day event on the Wilhelminakade in Rotterdam, students and business contacts were given a tour of the vessel on Friday, 6 March. On Saturday, 7 March, the vessel was christened by Ms J. Damen-Carli, the wife of Mr K. Damen, member of the supervisory board at Van Oord and chairman of Damen Shipyards Group, in the presence of Van Oord’s guests and employees. The vessel was built by Damen Shipyards Group at its shipyard in Galati, Romania. The modern vessel is nearly 123 metres long and more than 27 metres in the beam.
ABIS Projects Bags £1m Contracts
ABIS Projects has won a clutch of contracts worth around £1million over the next 15 months. The oil and gas project services consultancy has secured frame agreements and call-off contracts with ADTI, Hunting, Talisman Sinopec and North Sea newcomer, MOL. Aberdeen-based ABIS Projects is working with these new clients providing multi-discipline resources covering business strategy, acquisitions, risk, projects and management systems across the supply chain. Francis Kiernan, who acquired an interest in ABIS Projects earlier this year, said: “With the considerable drop in oil price…
Van Oord to Acquire Activities of Ballast Nedam Offshore
Van Oord has reached agreement on the acquisition of the activities of Ballast Nedam Offshore. The acquisition consists of the assets of Ballast Nedam Offshore, the dedicated EPCI staff (Engineering, Procurement, Contracting and Installation), heavy lift installation vessel Svanen and the Westermeerwind project (144 MW). The activities will be integrated into Van Oord’s Offshore Wind Projects business unit. The acquisition will strengthen Van Oord’s leading position in the offshore wind market for north west Europe. This acquisition is part of Van Oord’s strategy to expand its Offshore Wind Projects business unit.
Van Oord Cable-layer Launched by Damen
Van Oord’s new DP2 cable-laying vessel, Nexus, was officially launched at Damen Shipyards Galati on June 30. The 123 m multipurpose vessel will be deployed installing electricity cables for offshore wind farms. The international contractor for dredging, marine engineering and offshore energy projects has made the investment in this vessel to pursue its strategy to offer Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts to offshore wind farm developers. With a beam of 28 m and a dynamic positioning system (DP2), the Van Oord vessel will be equipped with a cable carouse able to carry more than 5,000 metric tons of cable, and a crane that will enable it to lay heavy export cables.
