GE to supply gas turbines for HPCL Vizag refinery expansion
GE Power today said it has got a Rs 220-crore order to supply gas turbine and generator for a captive power unit planned at Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd’s (HPCL) refinery at Visakhapatnam. The order for the supply of a 6F.03 gas turbine and a generator was placed on it by state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) – the principal contractor for the project. “The order, worth Rs 220 crores, is part of the capacity expansion plan of HPCL refinery from the current 8.33 million tonnes per annum to 15 million tonnes. The gas turbine will generate close to 60 MW of power to run the plant operations, while the exhaust steam energy generated will be used for process applications,” GE Power said in a statement here. The HPCL Vizag order also marks the foray of GE’s F-class technology into India’s refinery segment, which offers a significant opportunity for technology upgrades in future, it said. Delivering the heat rate improvement of more than 25 per cent over the traditional Frame 5 machines, the 6F.03 gas turbine will bring significant cost benefit to HPCL in terms of fuel savings during the power plant operations, it said. “Globally, GE’s 6F-class gas turbines (6F.01/6F.03) are offering superior performance… These machines are also a perfect replacement to the frame 5 and 6B gas turbines that are powering the refineries in India for more than a decade,” said Deepesh Nanda, CEO, Gas Power Systems, GE South Asia. GE’s gas turbine fleet in the O&G sector in India comprises of an installed base of approximately 2.5 GW. Damian Lillard Authentic Jersey
‘About 200 new oil and gas projects to be sanctioned in 2018’
In 2018, about 200 new oil and gas projects, with a collective amount of US$127bn, might get approval by year-end, according to Rystad Energy rystad 16Subsea tie backs have been favoured the most by operators in 2018. (Image source: Alan Jamieson/Flickr) The 45 offshore projects that have been approved year-to-date are already more than the amount approved in 2016. In addition to beating 2016’s activity, this year’s offshore project sanctioning is on track to surpass 2017’s sanctioning levels by 50 per cent. About US$34bn of onshore projects are expected to be approved in 2018. Despite a steady stream of onshore projects being sanctioned during 2018, the size of these projects varies significantly. “This has caused a mere US$3bn increase in onshore commitments from May through September. In addition, the fourth quarter will see US$15.1bn of onshore projects approved,” said Rystad Energy. Subsea tie backs have been favoured the most by operators in 2018. Collectively, about US$26bn in subsea tie-back projects have been approved, with an additional US$7bn forecasted by year-end. This will give subsea contractors a potential US$7.4bn in greenfield contract opportunities over the next few years. ExxonMobil’s Neptun Deep project is poised to approve a subsea tie back to the Domino field in Romania in late-2018. The development will give US$1.5bn in new contract opportunities to service companies, including more than US$420mn in EPCI contracts. The project aims to start-up in early-2022. The rest of the year will see more fixed facilities and floater projects approved than subsea tie backs. The Marjan Expansion project in Saudi Arabia is set to be the largest fixed facility project up for sanctioning. Once approved, it will look to award contracts in excess of US$4.6bn over the next several years, allowing Saudi Aramco to construct and install more than 20,000 tonnes of topsides for their steel platform. Recent cost reduction efforts have moved a few significant projects in South America below the US$60 per barrel breakeven threshold. However, there are still US$14bn to-be-sanctioned offshore and onshore projects globally for 2018 require breakeven prices above US$60 per barrel. Total’s Lake Albert project in Uganda will look to develop their Jobi-Rii asset for more than US$2.4bn. However, the project will require a breakeven oil price above US$60 per barrel. If approved, this onshore development would target a 2022 start-up. Luke Stocker Jersey
Government tells ONGC to list overseas unit
The Indian government has asked its biggest state-owned firm, Oil and Natural Gas (ONGC) , to list its overseas unit ONGC Videsh, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The move to float the unit – which has investments in 11 producing assets in countries including Russia, Brazil and Iran – is part of a government push to sell state-assets to raise funds. A listing would also help unlock value in the unit by improving its corporate governance and efficiency, the letter from the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management to ONGC said. The letter, sent last week, did not state how much of ONGC should be offered to outside investors.
GAIL seeks foray into solar power plants, battery charging stations
State-owned GAIL India has sought shareholder nod to amend the charter of the company to invest in start-ups, build solar power plants and set up battery charging stations for electric vehicles as it looks to diversify its portfolio beyond gas and petrochemicals. The nation’s biggest natural gas transporting and marketing company wants to insert six new sections in the main objects clause of the memorandum of association of the company, according to shareholder notice. It wants to invest in “start-ups in core business areas (of natural gas, petrochemicals, and energy) and non-core areas (like health, social and environment, safety, and security) either directly or indirectly.” “The investment can be made through special purpose vehicle (SPV), alternative investment fund (AIF), fund of funds (FoF) and trust,” it said. GAIL said that there is a necessity to adopt new and different pathways to provide clean, cost-effective and efficient mobility services that are safe, reduce dependence on oil imports and achieve more efficient land-use in cities with the least environmental footprints and impacts on human health. With the objective in mind, the firm wants to set up “battery charging stations and providing charging services” to electric vehicles. With the government planning to make a major shift to electric vehicles by 2030, GAIL felt that charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in India has not been fully developed yet. GAIL with its “pan-India presence through the natural gas network is deep-pocketed and has the capability of setting up charging infrastructure at a faster pace,” the notice said. The 34th annual general meeting of the company is scheduled for September 11. The company also wants to “explore the business opportunity in waste-water treatment plants, water distribution, large water pipeline laying as an early mover.” With groundwater depleting and monsoons becoming less predictable and unreliable, availability and utilisation of water are becoming key issues in modern India. Many cities are sourcing the fresh water through long-distance transport ranging from 50-200 km. Stating that with growing population and industrialisation the effluent water discharged has increased significantly, GAIL said the treatment of the effluent water and maintaining of the freshwater table is a big challenge and a business opportunity. It is also looking to “harness solar power potential available at its various sites and installations which can be connected to grid for sale or for own use at other installations through wheeling of power.” In line with its strategy to promote the use of green fuel, it is contemplating to promote gas appliances in households to increase gas usage and minimise electric usage in housing equipment and appliances such as gas boiler, gas-based air conditioner and bathroom heater. Operating nearly 14,000-km of natural gas and LPG pipeline and executing more than 4,500 km of new lines, GAIL feels it can provide services such as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), engineering, procurement, construction management (EPCM) and project management consultancy (PMC) in the field of hydrocarbon pipelines. “GAIL also has adequate experienced manpower and infrastructure for providing these services,” the notice said. It also wants to “carry on the business of manufacture, import, distribution, and marketing of appliances relating to gas marketing and distribution, such as gas meter and CNG kits.” Andy Dalton Womens Jersey
Now IOC targets clothes ironing shops with gas iron boxes
Energy major Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is now looking at newer market segments with products like gas-powered iron boxes for neighbourhood launderers, value-added gas for metal cutting units and bigger gas cylinders for rice mills, food factories and hotels, said a senior official. The company has got a big order for its Indane Nanocut-specialised LPG for cutting metals from integrated lignite mining-cum-power generation company NLC India Ltd. “One of the new market segments we are tapping is the neighbourhood laundry units with our gas powered iron boxes. We are offering LPG in various capacities from 5 kg cylinders to 425 kg cylinders for different kind of users ranging from mobile food vendors to big food factories and hotels,” R. Sitharthan, Executive Director, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry told IANS. He said the IOC will soon launch its liquified petroleum gas (LPG) powered iron boxes which works out economical and also a healthy option for launderers as compared to charcoal and electricity powered iron boxes. “The LPG iron boxes weighs almost the same as the traditional coal fired iron boxes- about six kg and costs about Rs 7,000. But the startup time is far shorter – two minutes- as compared to about 45 minutes in the case of coal fired ones. The costs works out to just about fifty paise per cloth whereas it is about Re 1 and Rs 2 for coal and steam powered iron boxes respectively,” Sitharthan said. Further the gas iron boxes are environment friendly owing to low carbon emissions and is also healthy option for the users. That apart, there is no risk of damage to clothes due to coal sparks, he added. “Launderers can use five kg or 19 kg LPG cylinders,” he said. The oil and gas company is selling its innovative Indane Nanocut gas cylinders to units where metal cutting is involved. “We are now selling about 18 tons per month of Indane Nanocut in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. We have recently got a trial order from NLC India for 240 cylinders. The order value is about Rs 36 lakh,” Sitharthan said. On the sales of jumbo LPG cyclinders weighing about 425 kg Sitharthan said the company is targeting food factories and hotels as it would replace a battery of small cylinders and free up costly space. He said IOC is looking at new clients for its jumbo LPG cylinders as well as converting its existing ones. According to Sitharthan, a big biscuit unit and couple of rice mills in Tamil Nadu have opted for LPG fuel. Customer Service Womens Jersey
Shell recovers most oil from Nigerian spills, pipeline still shut
Royal Dutch Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary has recovered more than 95 per cent of the oil from two spills that took place this year, although the pipeline that carries crude to the coast for export remains closed, the company said on Monday. The Trans Ramos pipeline, which carries some Forcados crude oil to the export terminal of the same name, closed in late April following two leaks, one in Abhoro in Bayelsa State and one in Odimodi, in Delta State. A spokesman for Shell said there had been no change in the operating status of the pipeline. “As soon as clean-up and site assessment are completed, we are committed to starting the immediate remediation of the impacted areas in Aghoro and Odimodi,” Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd said in a statement. The Forcados grade, along with Bonny Light and Qua Iboe, is one of Nigeria’s three largest crude streams. Montee Ball Womens Jersey
Poland and Germany disagree over planned Russian gas pipeline
Poland, unlike Germany, strongly opposes Russia’s plan to build a new gas pipeline across the Baltic Sea, and shares U.S. opinion that the project would help strengthen Moscow’s market position, Polish foreign minister Jacek Czaputowicz said. Berlin has given political support to the building of a new, $11 billion pipeline to bring Russian gas across the Baltic Sea called Nord Stream 2, bypassing traditional routes through Ukraine, despite qualms among other EU states. In July U.S. President Donald Trump publicly criticised Germany for supporting the pipeline deal with Russia. “I would like to underline that Poland’s stance differs here from the German one. We see this dispute as an existing one between the U.S. and Germany,” Czaputowicz said at a joint statement with his German counterpart Heiko Maas. Poland buys most of the gas it consumes from Russia but has taken steps to reduce that reliance. “In this U.S.-Germany dispute we are at the U.S. side, as its arguments are more convincing and besides, we have raised them before,” Czaputowicz also said in a broadcast speech. He reiterated Poland’s concerns that Nord Stream 2 was a harmful and political project that will strengthen Russia’s dominant position in the gas market and be a threat to Ukraine. “I know about these objections but the German government does not share them,” Maas said. The foreign ministers spoke in Harmeze, south of Poland, near the Auschwitz Nazi death camp, which Maas visited earlier on Monday. Keith Magnuson Womens Jersey
Vedanta to invest $2.3 billion in ‘near term’ on oil and gas
Vedanta Limited has said it will be investing USD 2.3 billion towards capital expenditure on its oil and gas activities in the “near term” to increase the reserve base by around 375 million barrels. According to its latest annual report, Vedanta aims to increase production from the current 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day to 300,000 Barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), over the next few years. “In the near-term, we are investing gross capex of USD 2.3 billion to increase our resource and reserve base by around 375 million barrels. Our rich project portfolio is comprised of enhanced oil recovery projects, tight oil and gas projects and exploration prospects. As well as boosting production, this investment will generate sustainable employment opportunities, directly and indirectly, and bring cutting-edge solutions to community needs,” the metals and mining giant said. For FY2019, it expects to achieve a significant growth in production with total volumes in the range of 220-250 kboepd through executing growth projects, with opex of sub-USD 7/boe (Barrel of Equivalent). “We estimate the net capex commitment at USD 600-800 million (for FY 19),” it said. Kuldip Kaura, Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta, said the company’s vision was to contribute 50 per cent of the country’s domestic crude oil production by increasing their gross production to 500,000 boepd. “Working towards this goal, we announced growth projects, including Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), tight oil and gas projects, upgrade of liquid handling facilities and exploration, for which key contracts have been awarded to world-class partners. These projects, along with an exit run rate of 200,000 boepd in March 2018, will pave the way to achieve 300,000 boepd in the near-term and 500,000 boepd in the medium-term,” he said. As the largest private sector producer of crude oil in India, and with a strong track record and growth pipeline in exploration and development, Vedanta is well positioned to benefit from the Governments desire to boost domestic production and to leverage Indias oil and gas resource potential, it said. Vedanta had recently bid for all 55 blocks on offer in the first round of oil and gas auctions under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) auction. The Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta is likely to bag as many as 40 oil and gas exploration blocks in India’s maiden open acreage auction, official sources had earlier said. Joshua Dobbs Womens Jersey