Gas Service News

The U.S. Department of Energy's refusal to grant export permit extensions to liquefied natural gas (LNG) developers that fail to meet a construction deadline poses a new hurdle for greenfield plants, analysts said on Thursday.The DOE last month said it would grant future extensions solely on extenuating circumstances and rejected an extension for Energy Transfer's proposed Lake Charles LNG project.The change will fall heavily on firms without a track record and available financing, analysts said.Around a dozen LNG projects in the U.S.

U.S.-based offshore vessel owner Harvey Gulf announced on Thursday it has converted its fifth offshore supply vessel for tri-fueled operations.Harvey Gulf's feet of carbon-neutral tri-fuel vessels operates on battery power backed by renewable liquefied natural gas (LNG) and diesel.Harvey Gulf said it also completed a sixth vessel with battery power, creating the world’s largest fleet of tri- and dual-fueled oil and gas service vessels and the only ones in the U.S.Harvey Gulf CEO…

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted its ABS SUSTAIN 1 Notation for two Harvey Gulf International Marine offshore support vessels, recognizing how their design and operation are aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).To earn the notation, the Harvey Blue-Sea and Harvey Sub-Sea vessels were among 12 of the Harvey Gulf fleet evaluated by ABS for their performance against six of the UNSDG’s criteria. The remaining 10 vessels are also being considered for Sustain notations.The ABS Sustain notations demonstrate adherence to certain UNSDGs related to vessel design…

As the traditional offshore oil and gas markets continue to struggle, the renewable offshore wind market is hot and getting hotter.As the cumulative maritime, offshore, port and logistics marketplace gears up for offshore wind energy on a huge scale, World Energy Reports (WER), in its report “2021 The Year When Offshore Wind Takes Off in the United States,” shows the anticipated growth trajectory. Service Operations Vessels (SOVs), which can commission and/or maintain turbines…

ABS, a classification services provider to the marine and offshore industries, will provide classification for a series of "highly innovative Self-Elevating Drilling Units (SEDU)" for Silver Eagle Global.Silver Eagle, of Manama, Bahrain, says the self-propelled design is capable of working at greater water depths and in harsh environments. According to Silver Eagle Global, the Silver Eagle SEDU 430WC-4 will have the industry’s largest deck area and deck load capacity, large accommodation…

The Norwegian ship owner Golden Energy Offshore has decided to install Ulstein Blue Box on two of their vessels.The offshore service vessels for the global oil and gas service industry quoted ship owner Per Ivar Fagervoll as saying: “With Blue Box we will manage to reduce our fuel consumption and environmental footprint further, which is very important to us.”Golden Energy Offshore is actively pursuing environmental friendly solutions, and has a green profile. Together with Ulstein, they are now entering into a Blue Box pilot project on two of their vessels.“With this pilot project and the programs aligned with this agreement we will be enabled to consolidate, process and analyse data and target our focus on energy efficiency.

The multinational oil and natural gas service company Weatherford International announced it has signed an $80 million liner-hanger frame agreement with Norwegian oil and gas company Equinor.The four-year deal represents the largest liner-hanger frame agreement ever signed by Weatherford, said the Irish-domiciled company.Mark Hopmann, President of Completions for Weatherford said, “Weatherford is the market leader for liner-hanger technology across the North Sea. Guided by a principle of flawless execution, we deploy our liner hangers for reduced operating expenses and superior performance reliability.”Originally developed for the North Sea, Weatherford liner-hanger systems offer durability in routine and quality-critical applications throughout the world.

Irish-domiciled multinational oil and natural gas service company Weatherford International has entered into an agreement with its top creditors that will allow the company to file for a "prepackaged" Chapter 11 bankruptcy - after more than four years without making a profit.Weatherford expects to implement the Restructuring Agreement through a "pre-packaged" Chapter 11 process and expects to file U.S. chapter 11 and Irish examinership proceedings. As part of this process, Weatherford intends to continue engaging in discussions with, and begin soliciting votes from, its creditors in connection with a proposed Plan of Reorganization prior…

The Belgium-based NHV group, which is specialized in B-to-B helicopter services and has a strong geographic presence in Europe and Western Africa, said that it has signed new contract with Ørsted to provide helicopter services in support of the Borssele 1+2 Offshore Wind farm.The oil and gas industry focused helicopter services provider said that the operations are expected to start in May 2020. Flights will depart from NHV’s base in Zeeland to the Borssele Wind Farm, located 23 kilometres from Westkapelle in front of the Dutch coast.NHV will support this project utilizing the H145 aircraft, the latest Airbus Helicopter 4-tonne-class twin-engine rotorcraft.

Asia's oil and gas producers are starting to revive projects aimed at deflating years of ballooning energy imports after new investment dried up following the 2014 industry crisis. Spending has so far been driven mainly by state oil companies such as India's ONGC, Thailand's PTTEP and PetroVietnam, which need to produce more oil and gas to ensure their countries' energy security, executives said this week during an industry event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Asia is by far the biggest, fastest-growing consumer of oil, yet its output is falling faster than in any other region.

Tim Charters has joined the staff of the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) as Senior Director of Governmental and Political Affairs. Charters comes to NOIA from the National Stripper Well Association (NSWA) where he represented more than 18,000 small business men and women in America’s upstream energy industry as Vice President of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs. Charters brings nearly 20 years of Congressional experience to NOIA. From 2008-2015, he served as Staff Director of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee under Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.). During his tenure…

After proving out its frac protection coatings in mobile and static frac and acid tanks, Castagra’s Ecodur veggie-plastic coating is being applied to one of the world’s largest offshore fracking ships in Houma, Louisiana. “This is major progress for us,” commented CEO, Peter Roosen. “Our coatings have proven themselves in the harshest possible scenarios in the land-based fracking industries in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Canada, especially with harsh acids. “Now we have entered offshore fracking where…

Danos, a family owned oil and gas service company, announced plans to expand its fabrication capabilities, by opening a 120,000 square-foot fabrication facility in Amelia, La. The new facility, set to begin operations in October 2014, sits on about 45 acres of waterfront property and will create employment opportunities for about 150 workers. “The demand for our services is growing rapidly, and the size, location and condition of the Amelia facility allows us to better meet the needs of our customers,” Eric Danos, executive vice president, said. The company’s current fabrication shop, a 14,000 square-foot, 50 employee operation located in Larose…

Western sanctions against Russia may slow down exploration for oil and gas on both the Norwegian and Russian side of the Arctic Barents Sea, lobby group Norwegian Oil & Gas told Reuters on Wednesday. "We have many members working on both sides of the border, where coordination of fields will be a key topic. Collection of seismic and other joint activities may be affected," said the group's head of legal affairs, Oluf Bjoerndal. The association represents oil firms, including most supermajors, as well as some of the world's biggest oil and gas service firms. "We fear that this could become a problem. There's a worry about that. It may mean that some areas aren't explored well enough, that potential discoveries are delayed," he added.

This being the “Yearbook” edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News, it would be remiss to not have coverage of LNG, one of the hottest fueling trends in maritime circles, particularly in North America. For a unique insight on a rapidly evolving market, MR caught up with Edward Scott, COO, Excelerate Energy, which is making big strides in the LNG Regasification sector, and recently received on the of the world’s largest and most capable units, the FSRU Experience which he touts as the world’s largest and most capable FSRU.

When the Offshore Supply Vessel Dynamic Positioning Authority (OSVDPA) held its first board meeting in March, it began charting the course toward a new dynamic positioning operator (DPO) certificate especially designed for the offshore service vessel industry. As the Executive Director for the newly created Offshore Supply Vessel Dynamic Positioning Authority (OSVDPA), Aaron Smith is charged with managing the day-to-day operation of the Authority. Along with the OSVDPA Board of Directors and Technical Advisory Council (TAC)…

International oil and gas service specialist HSOG has joined forces with the Chowgule Group, a multi-industrial International conglomerate, to offer a full range of maintenance and modification services to the offshore sector to service the international market. HSOG will now offer services to the world offshore market from the Chowgule Groups newly built Lavgan Dockyard, situated midway between Mumbai and Goa on the west coast of India. The $200m shipyard development has been completed over the last five years, and offers full Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) and Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) repair capability from a range of sheltered deep-water quays off the Arabian Sea.

Shipping solutions provider BASS is going deep into Malaysian waters, signing on Sealink Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned unit of Sealink International Bhd, to equip it with the state-of-the-art Human Resource Management solution, BASSnet  HRM 2.8. The contract, finalized at the end of June, involves equipping the publicly-traded Sealink’s fleet of more than 40 ships with BASSnet  HRM 2.8, the latest edition in Human Resource Management solutions. BASSnet  HRM 2.8, a web-based solution…

TWMA, the leader in integrated drilling services and environmental solutions for the international onshore and offshore oil and gas industry, has appointed Leif Ove Svensen as Scandinavia region manager. Mr Svensen has more than 22 years’ experience in the upstream oil and gas sector and previously held senior management positions within a number of Norwegian oil and gas service companies. Responsible for managing the implementation of TWMA’s growth strategy for the region, Svensen will play a key role in the further development of the company’s Stavanger and Mongstad bases.

Two members of the Gulf Economic Survival Team testified at a U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy & Mineral Resources Oversight hearing. Two members of the Gulf Economic Survival Team – Chett Chiasson, Executive Director of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission and Cory Kief, Director of Business Development for Crosby Tugs – testified on behalf of the offshore industry.The hearing examined the economic importance and energy contribution of the industry, as well as the need to support industry growth through appropriate policies, including robust lease sales. Port Fourchon director Chiasson testified about the importance…

Aberdeen, Scotland-based XPD8 Solutions' condition monitoring team secures contracts valued at more than £2-million. The company, which specializes in the management of maintenance systems for oil and gas producing assets, has been awarded contracts to deliver further condition monitoring support to CNR, Wood Group PSN and Hess over the next three years. XPD8 currently has a full order book, and to prepare for future growth the company will create 18 positions across all departments in 2013. The contract to provide condition monitoring services to CNR’s platforms in the North Sea will see XPD8 maintain its existing links with the operator stretching back more than five years.

Gulfstream Services Inc. (GSI), provider of equipment to the international oil and gas industry, has successfully completed two six figure decommissioning contracts with oil and gas service companies, Helix Well Ops U.K. and Dof Subsea. The Helix contract was part of the BP North West Hutton decommissioning project where GSI tools were used to remove 10- and 20-inch pipelines from the seabed. GSI’s Hydraulic Shear was an effective engineering solution in the situation due to the quick boat to boat times.

Douglas-Westwood (DW) has released the fifth edition of the World Offshore Wind Market publication where we forecast offshore wind installations averaging 3.2 GW per year over the next 10 years. Capital expenditure is expected to hit a peak of €18B in 2016. The market will remain highly concentrated in the Northern European region, particularly in U.K. and German waters. The Chinese market will also grow quickly in the forecast period. Why Offshore Wind? Due to low carbon targets and a need to secure new energy supplies…