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Energy Consultancy News

30 Oct 2023

US Reviews of Gas-export Permits Slow Under Biden Administration

© Wojciech Wrzesień  / Adobe Stock

U.S. Department of Energy reviews for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export permits have lengthened under President Joe Biden's administration to 11 months or more, from seven weeks, according to government data.The delay could mean nearly completed LNG projects may not being able to supply big European buyers because of a lack of the permit. Increasing LNG exports is opposed by some U.S. industries who fear it could raise domestic prices, while environmental groups have raised concerns about continued expansion of a fossil fuel industry.Big swaths of U.S.

22 Aug 2023

Shipyard Capacity: A Brake on Decarbonization?

In mid-July, Hornbeck Offshore revealed a deal with  Eastern Shipbuilding Group to convert a recently delivered Jones Act-compliant offshore supply vessel into a SOV. Image courtesy HOS

The IMO’s latest crunch meeting in early July may not have aligned global shipping with mid-century targets established in the 2015 Paris Agreement. However, its 2023 Strategy indicates a clear direction of travel. Energy supplies by sea are essential for many countries and therefore ships have a key role in supporting the world’s energy transition – not only on their own account, but at a global level.As world shipping accounts for about 3% of greenhouse gas emissions, its environmental importance attracts wide attention. And plenty of criticism.

20 Feb 2023

US LNG Producers Poised to Leapfrog Rivals with Three New Projects

© moofushi / Adobe Stock

At least three proposed U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants have likely found enough customers to receive financial approvals this year, according to Reuters calculations, developments that would make the country the world's largest LNG exporter for years to come.After a dearth of plant approvals last decade, developers have secured dozens of long-term contracts to finance new multibillion-dollar LNG plants. The pace of approvals has accelerated as Europe has shifted…

08 Feb 2023

Frontiers Extend as Developers Eye Floating Wind Potential

CREST Wind, a joint venture between Crowley and ESVAGT, has selected Fincantieri Marine Group to build a service operation vessel for operations in the U.S. offshore wind sector. (Image: CREST Wind)

America may have only entered the offshore wind sector recently, but it is wasting no time in playing catch-up. The White House has set targets of 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 110 GW by 2050. The focus so far has centred on bottom-fixed installations, but the prospect of higher energy yields in deeper waters where the wind blows stronger and longer now beckon. The White House has also set a floating wind deployment target of 15 GW by 2035.From a standing start, there are immense challenges in America’s offshore wind development.

09 Sep 2021

US Gulf of Mexico Oil Production Losses Lead to Cargo Cancellations

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U.S. oil offshore losses remained at 76% on Thursday after Hurricane Ida hit the Gulf of Mexico, according to government data, which prolonged outages and caused the first oil cargo shipment cancellations to buyers in Asia.Production should be disrupted for several more days amid lasting damages to transfer stations and offshore facilities used by different companies, analysts said, with impact to oil prices."It seems to be at least more than a week away until most of the shut-in Gulf of Mexico production is restored…

24 Aug 2021

Crowley, Massachusetts Maritime Academy Setting Up Offshore Wind Training

Credit: Crowley Maritime Corporation

Crowley Maritime Corporation and Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) said Tuesday they'd create a first-of-its-kind training and workforce development program dedicated specifically to the New England region’s offshore wind energy industry.The program will be certified by the Global Wind Organisation (GWO), a non-profit that sets international standards for safety training. The academy will coordinate with Relyon Nutec, the world’s largest provider of specialized instruction for energy and industrial sectors…

21 Jul 2021

BP, EnBW to Invest Billions if Bid for Scottish Offshore Wind Lease Successful

Credit: BP

British oil major BP and the German renewables firm EnBW submitted their bid for offshore wind acreage in the ScotWind leasing round, looking to secure the rights for a lease area off the east coast of Scotland that could support offshore wind projects with 2.9 gigawatts (GW) generating capacity.The seabed round in which firms apply for the license to build wind farms has attracted the interest of both "traditional" renewables giants such as Iberdrola, Orsted, Ocean Winds, and Vattenfall…

21 Jun 2021

As Iran Eyes Return to Oil Trading, Storage at Sea Rises

© namning/AdobeStock

Iran could quickly export millions of barrels of oil it is holding in storage if it reaches a deal with the United States on its nuclear program and has been moving oil into place to prepare for an eventual restart, four traders and industrial sources said.The U.S. and Iran began in mid-June their sixth round of indirect talks on reviving a 2015 nuclear deal that former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of in 2018. Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran’s energy sector, leading…

26 Jun 2020

China's Saudi Oil Imports Surge to All-time High

© Riekelt / Adobe Stock

China's crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia nearly doubled in May from a year earlier to all-time high as refineries snapped up cheap fuel, while the kingdom retained its position as the top supplier to the world's biggest oil buyer.Arrivals from Saudi last month reached 9.165 million tonnes, or 2.16 million barrels per day (bpd), up about 95% from 1.11 million bpd in May 2019 and up 71% from 1.26 million bpd in April, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.Chinese refineries have cranked up throughput to meet a recovery in fuel demand…

15 Jun 2020

Iran Plans to Continue Shipping Gasoline to Venezuela

Iran could send two to three cargoes a month in regular gasoline sales to ally Venezuela, sources say, helping offload domestic oversupply but risking retaliation from U.S. President Donald Trump who has sanctions on both nations.Iran has since April sent five tankers totalling about 1.5 million barrels to the leftist government of fuel-starved Venezuela, though the shipments have done little to alleviate hours-long lines at gas stations.The Trump administration, which is seeking both to block Iran's energy trade and bring down Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, has threatened reprisals and warned ports, shipping companies and insurers against facilitating the tankers.But Tehran plans to keep up the shipments…

07 May 2020

China's Crude Oil Imports Rebound in April

© Igor Groshev / Adobe Stock

China's crude oil imports rebounded in April from a month earlier on daily basis as refiners ramped up output amid a recovery in fuel demand with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak easing while crude prices crashed on slumping consumption elsewhere.Crude oil arrivals were 40.43 million tonnes last month according to a full data table released by the General Administration of Customs on Thursday, equivalent to 9.84 million barrels per day (bpd).That was more than the 9.68 million bpd imported in March…

24 Oct 2019

BLUE Acquires 20|20 Marine Energy Consultancy

Specialist maritime consultancy 20|20 Marine Energy (20|20) founded by bunker industry veteran Adrian Tolson has been acquired by UK-based BLUE, the business, brand and communications consultancy for the marine and energy markets.20|20 will be re-named BLUE Insight to provide commercial advisory and research services for key transformative areas within the maritime industry.The practice - which will be led by Adrian Tolson, 20|20’s Senior Partner - provides BLUE with a physical presence in North America, as well as wider and deeper support to BLUE’s current clients.BLUE Insight will provide strategic commercial advisory services for business-critical areas that are fundamentally changing the marine and energy markets and evolving and disrupting traditional business models.

11 Oct 2019

U.S. Sanctions Deal Blow to LSFO for 'IMO 2020'

file image (credit: AdobeStock / © dbvirago

Highly sought after types of oil best suited to making cleaner shipping fuel are suddenly finding they are a tougher sell for thirsty East Asian markets, traders say, in an unintended consequence of U.S. sanctions on a Chinese shipping fleet.With just over two months until environmental rules are set to mandate the biggest changes to ship power in over a century, certain rare types of West African oil have soared in value but have had to be marked down due to the higher costs of transport.The United States imposed sanctions on units of China's COSCO on Sept.

12 Jul 2019

Scottish Offshore Wind Supply Chain Readies

International energy consultancy Xodus Group is working with Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International (SDI) to showcase the expertise of Scottish supply chain companies in the global offshore wind sector.The aim of the collaboration is to create a directory and gap analysis which helps Scotland-based suppliers capture a greater share of the burgeoning offshore wind market — forecast to be worth an estimated GBP 30 billion per annum by 2030 — by advertising their experience and capabilities on the new Scottish Industries Directories platform.Due to launch later in 2019, it is hoped the website will become a one-stop…

14 Jun 2019

Oil Prices Jump 2% After Tanker Attacks

(Photo: Islamic Republic News Agency)

Oil prices settled 2.2% higher on Thursday after attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman stoked concerns of reduced crude trade flows through one of the world's key shipping routes.The attacks near Iran and the Strait of Hormuz reignited worries about an impact to flows from the Middle East if insurance companies begin to reduce coverage for voyages through the region and additional shipping companies suspend new bookings, analysts said.Such a disruption "could further exacerbate the supply problem…

13 Feb 2019

Offshore Wind: Good Supply, Growing Demand

© iweta0077/AdobeStock

In its 2019 “Annual Energy Outlook” the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that electric generation from renewables (wind, solar, hydro) will go from 500 billion KWh in 2018 to 1500 billion KWh in 2050, just 30 years from now.“The AEO highlights the increasing role of renewable energy in the US generation mix,” said EIA Administrator Linda Capuano. “Solar and wind generation are driving much of the growth. In fact, our reference case projects that renewables will grow to become a larger share of U.S.

01 Feb 2019

Deepwater Oil Output to Reach 10 mb/d in 2019

Global deepwater oil production was expected to grow 700,000 barrels  per day (b/d) this year to hit a record high of more than 10 million b/d.Norwegian research group Rystad Energy said that it "expects global deepwater production to reach record high level and surpass 10 million bb/d.""With new fields starting up in Brazil and Gulf of Mexico, we expect the total deepwater liquid production to reach 10.3 million bbl/d in 2019. This is an increase of 700 kbbl/d compared to 2018," it said.In addition to Brazil and the US, Angola, Norway and Nigeria are the largest deepwater producers.Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency has estimated that the share of deepwater in total offshore production will rise to 30% in 2040…

19 Dec 2018

Xodus Appoints Phil Cooper as New Director

The Scottish energy group Xodus Group has appointed Phil Cooper as a new corporate development director to support the continued growth of the company.The Aberdeen-based international energy consultancy said in a press release that Cooper has more than 35 years of experience and was most recently London general manager at Heerema Marine Contractors where he led a team of engineers engaged in heavy lift and subsea technical activities.Previously, he was the global technology director at INTECSEA and was responsible for defining and delivering its technology strategy.This new role will see Cooper strengthen the Xodus leadership team as the business enters a new phase of growth in the UK and beyond…

12 Nov 2018

China Becomes Top Natural Gas Importer

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China has overtaken Japan to become the world's top importer of natural gas, as Beijing's crackdown on pollution boosts its demand for the more environmentally friendly fuel, while the restart of nuclear reactors in Japan reduces its LNG imports.China's total natural gas imports over January to October this year via pipeline and as liquefied natural gas (LNG) were at 72.06 million tonnes, up a third from the same period last year, according to Reuters calculations based on General Administration of Customs data.Japan…

09 Nov 2018

Low EU River Stir Fuel Markets in Singapore

File Image: An inland cargo movement on the Danube River. CREDIT: Adobestock / © digitalstock

Rhine water levels hit record lows in October; river is a key fuel transport hub for Europe.Low water levels on the Rhine river have caused a fuel supply deficit in parts of Europe's industrial heartlands that is sucking up cargoes from more than 10,000 km away in Singapore.Following a long, scorching summer, water levels on the Rhine - a key commodity shipping lane connecting industrial centres in Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands to major seaports - fell to record lows…

20 Jul 2018

S.Korea LNG Imports Set to Ease from Record

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South Korean imports of liquefied natural gas are set to ease from record levels racked up in the first-half of the year, with appetite for the fuel from utilities seen fading as a raft of nuclear power stations come back online.The country's imports of the commodity jumped nearly 16 percent year-on-year to a record 22.7 million tonnes in the first six months of 2018, according to customs data in mid-July, boosted by demand from power firms as around half the nation's 24 nuclear…

12 Jul 2018

US Oil Exports to India Soar Ahead of Iran Sanctions

© Anatoly Menzhiliy / Adobe Stock

U.S. crude oil exports to India hit a record in June and so far this year are almost double last year's total as the Asian nation's refiners move to replace supplies from Iran and Venezuela in a win for the Trump administration.U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has been pressuring its allies to cut imports of Iranian goods to zero by November and India's shift advances the U.S. administration efforts to use energy to further its political goals.The United States has become a major crude exporter…

11 Jul 2018

India Cuts Iranian Oil Imports Ahead of Sanctions

© Jose Gill / Adobe Stock

Indian refiners cut imports of Iranian oil last month as they started weaning their plants off crude from the country to avoid sanctions by the United States that are set to take effect in November.India's monthly oil imports from Iran declined to 592,800 barrels per day (bpd) in June, down 16 percent from May, according to data from industry and shipping sources.The United States in May said it would reimpose the sanctions after withdrawing from a 2015 agreement with Iran, Russia…