Natural Gas News

Caterpillar is touting its Multi-Engine Optimizer (MEO) as a solution for existing cruise ships to burn less fuel, run cleaner, keep uptime and reliability high while keeping costs down.Caterpillar's MEO is designed to lay over the top of a vessel’s existing power management system, us-ing proprietary performance maps and control algorithms to advise the system on which engines to operate and at what load. The second, Asset Intelligence (AI), is a total vessel monitoring solution that collects and analyzes data from onboard systems, then provides recommendations on when and how to take action.

“A new industry is being established in New York, with the primary stimulus being a state-driven procurement process.”New York State Public Service Commission (PSC), July 12, 2018.To a great extent, this PSC comment provides direct insight into the dynamics behind New York’s pace-setting moves to establish offshore wind. First, this new energy development is deliberate – not left to chance or laissez faire markets. Second, state officials are in control, from choosing a contractor to securing money for payment.

Japanese hydrocarbon exploration, production and transportation company, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. (JAPEX) has started the exploratory drilling at offshore Hidaka area of Hokkaido.The drilling job is a part of the offshore exploration project commissioned by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (ANRE).This project is aiming to evaluate the presence of oil and natural gas resources in the area based on the analysis…

Keppel Shipyard Ltd (Keppel Shipyard), has received the Final Notice to Proceed (FNTP) from Gimi MS Corporation, a subsidiary of Golar LNG Limited, to commence full conversion works for the Gimi Floating Liquefaction Vessel (FLNG) project.The wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) said in a press release that  the total contract is worth US$947million and builds on the issuance of the Limited Notice to Proceed (LNTP) on 17 December 2018.Keppel Shipyard's…

On April 15th, 2019, a large bunker supply vessel (BSV) for liquefied natural gas (LNG) “Kairos” provided LNG in a ship-to-ship bunker operation to a product tanker. “Fure Valö”, a vessel of the tanker pool managed by the Gothia Tanker Alliance, received LNG at the anchorage area of Sandhamn, near the Swedish capital of Stockholm. The bunker operation was the first offshore ship-to-ship operation that was conducted by the 117 meter long BSV.The bunker operation was conducted under an agreement for the supply of LNG…

South Korean shipbuilding giant Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has won an order for a 174,000 cbm liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier.With the latest contract with a Greek shipowner, the shipbuilder has secured five orders in two weeks, worth a total 700 billion won ($616 million).According to HHI, the latest LNG carrier newbuild will be equipped with a Hi-ALS air lubrication system on the bottom of the hull to improve fuel consumption. The air lubrication system is expected to cut fuel consumption by eight percent.A report in Korea Times…

McDermott International, provider of technology, engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry, and its joint venture partner, Chiyoda International Corporation, a U.S.-based wholly-owned subsidiary of Chiyoda Corporation, Japan, announced that Train 1 of the Cameron LNG project in Louisiana has reached the final commissioning stage.This includes the introduction of pipeline feed gas into Train 1 of the liquefaction export facility, the precursor for the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG)…

The industry in the port of Rotterdam has released less CO2 into the atmosphere for the second year in a row.According to new figures published by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEA), the sector has cut its emissions by 13.6% (4.2 million tonnes) over the past two years.For the second year in a row, industry in the port of Rotterdam has released less CO2 into the atmosphere. This becomes clear from new figures published by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEA). The sector has cut…

Mixed Government Support for U.S. Shipbuilding.It has been a busy start to the 116th Congress for the U.S. shipbuilding industry, with three congressional hearings in early March focused on the industry’s role as a critical component of the U.S. national security industrial base. In addition, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, which was signed into law on February 15, contained mixed news for shipbuilding programs. Through the congressional hearings and enacted legislation, two opposing themes have emerged.

1000 km of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline has now been laid in the Baltic Sea in Finnish, Swedish and German waters.Two Allseas pipelay vessels - Pioneering Spirit and Solitaire - are currently installing the pipeline in Swedish waters.Some twenty vessels are currently being engaged in the project in the Baltic Sea, with nearly 1,300 people working on board the pipelay, pipe supply and survey vessels.Another milestone was also reached last week, when the project’s coating and logistics contractor Wasco completed concrete weight coating of its share of the steel pipes in its plant in Kotka…

Australian exploration and production company Woodside has opened a liquefied natural gas (LNG) truck loading facility at its Pluto LNG project in Western Australia (WA), as it looks to develop the domestic LNG market for remote power generation and transport fuels.The Pluto LNG project is located 190km north-west of Karratha in WA, in the Northern Carnarvon Basin. It processes LNG from the Pluto and Xena gas fields, which have total dry gas recoverable reserve volumes of 4.4 trillion cubic feet (tcf) and 0.6tcf respectively.Following the completion of commissioning activities…

Singapore's Keppel Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Infrastructure Holdings, has completed its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo import under Singapore's spot import policy.The policy allows gas customers in the Republic to import up to 10 per cent of their annual long-term contracted LNG intake on a spot cargo basis.The spot cargo of 160,000m3 of LNG originated from an LNG liquefaction project in North America, marking the first time that Keppel Gas has diversified…

Norwegian classification bureau DNV GL and Singapore-based Keppel Marine and Deepwater Technology (KMDTech), a subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M), have signed a framework agreement to boost the uptake of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as ship fuel.The deal covers potential newbuilding projects including LNG bunker vessels, small-scale LNG carriers and floating storage regasification units (FSRUs), as well as LNG related assets employing battery and hybrid technologies.“The…

Chevron, the second-largest US oil and gas company, has agreed a $50bn deal to buy Anadarko Petroleum (APC)  in a massive deal that will bolster its natural gas and shale operations.The cash and stock deal announced Friday values Anadarko at $65 per share, 39% higher than the oil company's closing stock price on Thursday. Based on Chevron’s closing price on April 11, 2019 and under the terms of the agreement, Anadarko shareholders will receive 0.3869 shares of Chevron and $16.25 in cash for each Anadarko share.

U.S. shipments of liquefied natural gas are expected to fall to their lowest level in six months in April, after a leading U.S. supplier shut units for maintenance at a time when a glut of supply has driven some worldwide prices to near three-year lows.Based on exports through April 10, the United States is on track to sell roughly 91.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of natural gas as LNG, which would be the lowest since October. That compares with an estimated record 139.8 bcfd shipped in March…

To curb global marine and air pollution, stricter limits on the sulphur dioxide content of marine exhaust gases stipulated by the EU and IMO (International Maritime Organization of the UN) will apply from 2020. From an engineering point of view, this can be achieved by using natural gas or fuels with a low sulphur content, and by cleaning the exhaust gases with a scrubber.For on-board exhaust gas cleaning systems KSB ITUR Spain S.A., a KSB Group company of located in Zarautz,…

South Korean shipyard Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co (DSME) said  that it has secured a deal to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier from Maran Gas Maritime Inc.DSME is expected to deliver the 174,000-cubic meter LNG ship during the first quarter of 2022 to  Maran Gas, the gas shipping unit of Angelicoussis Shipping Group, said a report by Yonhap.The deal is estimated to be worth some US$188 million, industry sources said. Since 1994, Daewoo Shipbuilding has secured orders from the Greek shipping firm to build a total of 105 ships.So far this year…

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reductions of up to 21% are achievable now from LNG as a marine fuel, compared with current oil-based marine fuels over the entire life-cycle from Well-to-Wake (WtW).An independent study report confirms that emissions of other local pollutants, such as sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM), are close to zero when using LNG compared with current conventional oil-based marine fuels.The study, commissioned by SEA\LNG and SGMF, was conducted by leading data and consultancy provider thinkstep according to ISO standards.

Royal Dutch Shell has decided to withdraw from the Baltic liquefied natural gas (LNG), its joint project on the Russian Baltic coast with Gazprom after the Russian gas holding decided to change the concept of the project’s development.“Following Gazprom’s announcement on March 29 regarding the final development concept of Baltic LNG, we have decided to stop our involvement in this project,” Cederic Cremers, Shell Russia’s chairman, said in a statement.According to Reuters, the…

French energy giant Total and its partners ExxonMobil and Oil Search have signed the Gas Agreement with the Independent State of Papua New Guinea defining the fiscal framework for the Papua LNG Project.The Papua LNG project Gas Agreement allows the partners to enter the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase of study that will lead to the Final Investment Decision in 2020.“The finalization of the Gas Agreement is a major milestone for Papua LNG project that confirms the commitment of all partners and the Government of Papua New Guinea to make the project a success for all stakeholders”…

Malaysian oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) said that it is well-positioned to meet rising LNG demand and expands its flexible and innovative LNG solutions for existing and new markets."With its growing portfolio of LNG supply sources in Malaysia, Australia, Egypt and soon in Canada, Petronas is well-positioned to provide clean energy through its flexible and innovative LNG solutions to existing and new demand markets, as well as to emerging trading hubs…

Swiss firm specialising in reciprocating compressors, Burckhardt Compression AG is outfitting a 30,000 m3 LNG carrier operated by Knutsen OAS Shipping AS with Laby compressors.The Laby compressors will be delivered to Hyundai Mipo Dockyard as part of the fuel gas supply system built by Wärtsilä Oil & Gas Solutions and will supply the LNG carrier’s WinGD X-DF 2-stroke, dual-fuel engine with LNG boil-off gas as fuel.The X-DF engine, a two-stroke engine from Winterthur Gas & Diesel…

Japanese shipping and logistics giant Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) has signed a contract with Edison SPA, a Milan-based energy company, to charter out a newly built liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier for up to 20 years, including optional extension periods.The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2022 from Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. The newly built LNG carrier will be propelled by WinGD-manufactured, dual-fuel slow-speed diesel engines.Dual-fuel slow-speed…