Oil Handling News

UAE's Fujairah must step up investments for storage and supply of new alternative fuels as these markets are still lacking traction at the world's third-largest bunkering hub despite the urgency for maritime decarbonization, industry executives said on Wednesday.The maritime industry must seek out alternative fuels to meet carbon emission reduction targets set out by the U.N.'s International Maritime Organization, which include cutting carbon emissions by 40% from 2008 levels by 2030 and overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2050.Despite being a key bunkering port…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will modify the Department of the Army permit for the BP Cherry Point Marine Terminal’s North Wing dock to ensure complies with the Magnuson Amendment’s restrictions regarding the handling of crude oil at Puget Sound facilities, and Endangered Species Act and other applicable legal requirements through additional permit conditions. This comes from the Record of Decision issued Monday, following completion of a Final Environmental Impact Statement…

Chinese ports are struggling to unload record volumes of crude with storage tanks full after the country rushed to buy extra barrels during April's oil price crash, according to traders and shipping data seen by Reuters.More than 80 million barrels of crude oil are currently waiting to be discharged from tankers in Chinese ports, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.Half of those are at the Qingdao port area in Shandong province, where the waiting time is two-three weeks or sometimes even longer…

The May 2019 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News features a 10-page feature section on "Thought Leadership" in the marine power sector. Here we extract and present the interview with Rolf Stiefel, Vice President Sales, Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd., in its entirety.Please put in perspective and discuss – using your career as the time span – the current environment and pressure to reduce emissions in the maritime industry.When I started in the marine industry (coming from the power generation markets) back in the early 2000’s…

Port Master Plans for 12 major ports have been prepared keeping in view the requirements for cargo handling till 2035. A total of 142 Port Modernization and 30 Port Connectivity projects have been identified in the Master Plans. The objectives of these projects are to promote port led development and to provide infrastructure to transport goods to and from ports quickly, efficiently and cost effectively and efficient evacuation to and from hinterland. These identified projects will be taken up over the next 20 years (till 2035) for implementation in phases. 3. Creation of dedicated coastal infrastructure i.e. 8. Central Scheme for providing assistance to Major ports and Oil Handling non-major ports under State Maritime Boards/State Govt.

Tri-Marine Management Co., Tri-Marine Fishing Management and Cape Mendocino Fishing (Tri-Marine) have agreed to pay $1.05 million in civil penalties and to perform fleet-wide inspections and other corrective measures to resolve claims stemming from an October 2014 oil spill in American Samoa and related violations of spill prevention regulations, the Department of Justice and the Coast Guard announced today. In its complaint, filed today along with the lodging of a consent decree in the U.S.

Halcón Resources Corporation (NYSE: HK) ("Halcón"or the "Company") today provided an operational update related to its 314,000 net acre position in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale ("TMS"). The Horseshoe Hill 11-22H-1 (92% WI) well in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, achieved a 24-hour average initial production rate of 1,208 barrels of oil per day and 1.1 million cubic feet per day of 1,551 BTU natural gas on a 19/64 inch choke. Based on gas composition analysis and assuming full ethane recovery, the Company estimates that the well would produce an additional 212 barrels of NGLs per day for a total 24-hour average initial production rate of 1,548 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The report aims to improve Canada's system for ship-source oil spill preparedness and response in order to better protect the public and the environment. "I want to thank the panel for its detailed, thoughtful work, and the invaluable expertise they have brought to this critical issue," said The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport. "I look forward to studying the report, speaking with stakeholders about their views, and discussing it with my cabinet colleagues. The independent panel consulted with pan-Canadian industry stakeholders…

The Minister of Transport reintroduced in the House of Commons the Safeguarding Canada’s Seas and Skies Act, an important piece of legislation first tabled in Parliament on March 18, 2013, as part of the government of Canada’s comprehensive measures to establish a World-Class Tanker Safety System. “As the Speech from the Throne reiterated this week, our government remains committed to protecting Canada’s coasts and shores and building a world-class tanker safety system in Canada”, said the Honorable Lisa Ratite, Minister of Transport. Proposed amendments to the Marine Liability Act will fill a critical gap in the current liability and compensation regime and implement a new international convention that covers incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances carried by ships.

It has been over three years since the tragic accident occurred aboard the Deepwater Horizon on April 20, 2010. The industry and the relevant federal agencies have done much to put in place improved safeguards to prevent such an accident – which left 11 dead and 17 injured – from happening again. Congress, on the other hand, has done little to intervene to force new requirements on either the federal government or industry. Meanwhile, energy-related work in the Gulf of Mexico is rapidly increasing and forecasts are that it will remain busy for the next few years.

Wärtsilä has developed the GasReformer, a product which converts associated gas, which is often flared, into usable fuel for its dual-fuel engines. When producing oil, associated gas is also released from the deposits. In many places this gas is commonly burnt off in gas flares, a waste of energy and a pollutant of the atmosphere. In addition to useful methane, this gas consists of heavier hydrocarbons including ethane, propane and butane. The composition of the gas typically also vary during the production phase of the oil field.

Cat® 16CM32C generator sets selected to provide main power for a fixed platform & FPSO slated to operate in the Enping Oilfield. Four 16CM32C generator sets will be installed on the fixed drilling production platform; the remaining four will be installed on the FPSO, with the option to purchase another 2 generator sets at a future date. Each of the 16CM32C generator sets offers 7,680 kWe (9,600 kVA) and 60 Hz @ 720 rpm. CNOOC China Ltd. placed the order with delivery of the units, including auxiliary systems, to be provided in the summer of 2013.

Harper government announces pan-Canadian risk assessment study on marine safety. The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, today announced that Transport Canada, in collaboration with the Canadian Coast Guard and Environment Canada, is commissioning a pan-Canadian risk assessment study on readiness to respond to ship-source spills in Canadian waters. “Our government is working to protect the safety of Canadians and the environment,” said Minister Lebel. “Canada depends on marine shipping for jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (“BSEE”) issued three significant documents addressing response, enforcement, and safety issues related to offshore operations in August 2012. Specifically, BSEE issued (1) new guidance concerning regional Oil Spill Response Plans (“OSRPs”), (2) formalized policy addressing direct enforcement actions against contractors engaged in offshore activities, and (3) a Final Rule implementing new safety measures related to well control operations occurring on the outer continental shelf (“OCS”). The following is a summary of these new developments.

In September 2006, state lawmakers directed Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) to adopt stringent oil transfer rules after 4,700 gallons of heavy fuel oil spilled during an oil transfer operation at Chevron-Texaco's Richmond Beach fuel terminal in December 2003. Swift currents drove the oil ashore on the Suquamish Tribe shellfish beds at Doe-kag-wats beach and salt marsh at Indianola in Kitsap County. In 2008, nearly 15 billion gallons of oil were transferred over Washington waters by ship, fueling facility, tank truck or rail, according to Ecology reports. That equals 1.7 million gallons an hour. Since the rules went into effect, Ecology has seen reductions in the amount of oil spilled. In 2008, only about 158 gallons were spilled to Washington waters during fuel transfers.

Port of Kiel (SEEHAFEN KIEL GmbH & Co KG) Managing Director Dirk Claus said: “passenger and cargo traffic developed in different ways last year. We just missed the 5 million ton mark in cargo handling, but at the same time we can look back on the port’s highest passenger totals for ten years. Given the current global economic situation, it’s a good thing that we are so multi-faceted in the Port of Kiel. The number of passengers passing through Kiel last year grew by 12.6 %. “The significance of sea tourism has increased a lot over the past few years and has grown into an important market segment for the Port of Kiel”, said Claus. “Our investment in terminal facilities is now paying off”.

Designs for a family of replenishment ships capable of supporting warships on rapid response missions are being displayed by Rolls-Royce at the Pacific 2008 exhibition in Sydney. The family of underway replenishment ships is based on existing Rolls-Royce commercial designs, which means the company is able to meet conflicting pressures of capability, requirement and cost. The Rolls-Royce designs, which range from 9,000 – 2,5000dwt and are designed for speeds of 18-27 knots, offer a cost-effective alternative to taking ships up from trade or building bespoke naval design ships. The ships feature a full range of Rolls-Royce propulsion and motion control equipment. The Rolls-Royce family of replenishment ships is based on commercially-proven hullforms for fast Ro-Ro ferries.

Four oil-handling facilities in Washington had unannounced spill drills sprung on them last week by the state Department of Ecology and all four passed. The four facilities that participated in the simultaneous drills were the BP Cherry Point Refinery in Ferndale, Shore Terminal in Tacoma, Tesoro Terminal in Port Angeles and ConocoPhillips-Yellowstone Pipeline in Spokane. Beginning around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 9, staff from Ecology, the U.S. Coast Guard and the federal Environmental Protection Agency arrived at the facilities and presented scenarios that called for the companies to notify appropriate officials, organize a command center, and assess what type of spill response was needed to protect the public, the environment and workers.

Shipping companies and oil-handling facilities should take immediate steps to increase the number of boats available to respond to oil spills in Puget Sound and along Washington's coast, according to Ecology Director Jay Manning. A newly released study commissioned by the Department of Ecology (Ecology) found that there are not enough vessels available to simultaneously deploy oil booms, transport oil-spill equipment and supplies, and provide other spill-response assistance needed during a major oil spill. "With as much shipping and tanker traffic as we have in Washington's waters, a significant oil spill is a very real threat, and we have to be able to stage a rapid and aggressive response effort," said Manning.

The Washington State Department of Ecology issued amendments to its regulations regarding oil spill prevention and response. The oil spill contingency plan rules are being revised to require companies to demonstrate that they can rapidly mount an effective response if oil is spilled. The facility oil handling standards and the vessel oil transfer advance notice and containment requirements are being revised to require, among other things, placement of oil spill containment boom around barges, ships, and other vessels when they are delivering or taking on oil. All recreational boats are exempt. The changes come into effect on October 26. source: HK Law

In anticipation of adopting new safeguards regarding oil transfers over water and early spill response requirements, the Department of Ecology (Ecology) has added new spill prevention inspectors, a spill responder and a contingency plan reviewer to oversee mobile oil facilities. For the first time, Ecology is stationing a vessel and oil-handling facility inspector and a hazardous material responder in Bellingham. Both positions will focus on prevention and response activities in Island, San Juan, Skagit and Whatcom counties. There are three oil refineries and two oil pipelines in the region that generate heavy ship traffic in northwest Washington. To prevent oil spills in the Puget Sound and lower Columbia River, the department has added four inspectors.

Washington waters and to improve response readiness. trucks and rail cars. facility and vessel operators who transfer oil to or from vessels. practices to prevent spills. required to deploy oil-spill containment boom prior to transferring oil. activities. that they can mount an effective, timely response if they spill oil. spill readiness drills.

The Washington State Department of Ecology released proposed Oil Spill Contingency Plan Regulations. The proposed rules would totally replace the current ones and are intended to ensure that ship owners and operators and oil handling facilities demonstrate they can quickly and effectively respond to oil spills. The proposed rule focuses on early spill response actions, staging response equipment throughout the state, and conducting scheduled and unannounced spill readiness drills. The Preliminary Cost Benefit Analysis estimates the annual cost of the proposed rule to be $6.8 million. Compliance benefits are estimated to be in the range of $20 million to $159 million (that is a large range and it assumes that these proposed rules would prevent an Exxon Valdez-type spill).