Eurobench.com

voda 4 december 2015 16:47

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Global big LNG buyers rework contracts as competition hots up

Reuters reported that global oversupply and sliding prices are pushing big natural gas buyers of LNG from India to China to look at reworking long-term agreements in what was for long a producer-controlled market.

Banking on a tide of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply from the US, Australia and Russia hitting markets through 2021, importers are seizing the chance to wring concessions from existing producers wary of losing market share.

Industry sources said that top exporter Qatar, traditionally averse to granting concessions, rolled over in a major contract dispute with India's Petronet last month is likely to trigger a sweep of reviews, as buyers rush to exploit the precedent.

One LNG industry source, said that "A year to 18 months ago, sellers could get what they wanted. But now they will do whatever they can within reason to keep those customers."

A taste of what could come was seen in 2010-2014 when Russian gas producer Gazprom gave its European pipeline clients, smarting from steep import bills, deep discounts to avert arbitrations and repair ties.

This time, global LNG buyers will be seeking changes to the way long-term contracts are structured in the $120 billion annual trade, such as loosening restrictions on cargo diversions and reducing imports below agreed floors. Pricing disputes may take a backseat.

Mr Jason Feer, head of business intelligence at Poten & Partners, said that "I think you will see shorter tenures for contracts, 25 years is a long time. You've also got some countries like Japan that traditionally were very much focused on long-term contracts who are more comfortable with spot markets than they were before."

Sources said that caught out by sinking demand, other buyers likely looking to sweeten deals include Gail India, Chinese state-run energy giants CNOOC and Sinopec and Korea Gas Corp.

Source : Reuters

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voda 28 december 2015 16:33

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GAIL extends bidding deadline for USD 7 billion LNG carriers

PTI reported that state gas utility GAIL India has extended last date of bidding for its USD-7 billion tender for hiring nine newly built ships for ferrying LNG from the US by over two months to allow Indian shipyards to tie up technology for building the specialised vessels.

Official sources said that bids for charter hiring of nine ships quoted in three lots of three ships each were due last week but have now been extended till February 29, 2016.

One ship in each lot is to be built at an Indian shipyard.

The extension in the bid date has been done to accomodate request of Indian shipyards for allowing them time to tie up technology for building the specialised cryogenic carriers.

After postponing the deadline thrice, GAIL had in February scrapped the tender to hire nine LNG carriers to ferry gas from the US, with a caveat that three of them be made in India. At that time no foreign shipyard was willing to share LNG shipbuilding technology.

Negotiations that followed saw Korean shipbuilders Samsung Heavy Industries, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering agreeing to cooperate with Cochin Shipyard, L&T Shipbuilding and Pipapav Shipyard respectively.

L&T Shipbuilding has however walked out of the tender citing its preoccupation with defence projects.

Recently, Cochin Shipyard signed an agreement with French technology company Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT). GTT, which holds patented technology for LNG ships, will give designs, engineering and supervision for building of the cryogenic carriers as also performance guarantee for the ship.

Sources said while two ships will be built at the shipyards of their foreign collaborators, one carrier has to be built in India. Other Indian shipyards are looking at similar tie-up for the same.

Source : PTI

voda 28 december 2015 16:34

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Oil firms rush to exploit end of US crude export ban - Expert

Reuters reported that US energy group Enterprise and oil trader Vitol raced to exploit the end of a 40 year ban on most US crude exports, the first of many firms eager to "stress test" last week's historic opening.

According to some experts, despite a sudden change in global oil market conditions that many oil traders say has eliminated the economic advantage of shipping domestic crude far abroad, some companies that have long lobbied for the change in policy may be eager to show that their effort was not in vain.

Houston-based pipeline group Enterprise Products Partners LP said in a statement it will provide pipeline and marine terminal services to load a 600,000-barrel cargo of domestic light crude oil scheduled for the first week of January.

An Enterprise spokesman said that the cargo belongs to Vitol , which will decide on a delivery destination. A spokeswoman for Vitol could not immediately be reached for comment on where the oil was going. The company did not provide any details on the pricing of the cargo.

Mr AJ "Jim" Teague, chief operating officer of Enterprise, said that "We are excited to announce our first contract to export US crude oil, which to our knowledge may be the first export cargo of US crude oil from the Gulf Coast in almost 40 years."

Some oil traders expressed surprise at the news, saying that with the US crude futures contract trading consistently above Brent for the first time since the shale era began five years ago, exports of most varieties would not be economical.

Even so, others are queuing up. Pioneer Natural Resources, an independent producer that along with Enterprise received the green light from the US government last year to ship a lightly processed form of ultra-light crude to test the ban, expects to commence exports by mid-2016, it said in a statement.

The statement said that "The company has been actively working with its midstream partners to secure export facilities along the US Gulf Coast, which will maximize the company’s crude marketing flexibility going forward," adding that Europe, Asia and Latin America are potential markets for US crude.

Source : Reuters

voda 28 december 2015 16:35

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US extreme oil bears bet on USD 25, USD 20 and even USD 15 a barrel in 2016

Bloomberg reported that oil speculators are buying options contracts that will only pay out if crude drops to as low as USD 15 a barrel next year, the latest sign some investors expect an even deeper slump in energy prices.

The bearish wagers come as OPEC’s effective scrapping of output limits, Iran’s anticipated return to the market and the resilience of production from countries such as Russia raise the prospect of a prolonged global oil glut.

Jeffrey Currie, head of commodities research at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., wrote in a note that "We view the oversupply as continuing well into next year," adding there’s a risk oil prices would fall to $20 a barrel to force production shutdowns if mild weather continues to damp demand.
The bearish outlook has prompted investors to buy put options -- which give them the right to sell at a predetermined price and time -- at strike prices of $30, $25, $20 and even $15 a barrel, according to data from the New York Mercantile Exchange and the U.S. Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, is currently trading at about $36 a barrel.

The data, which only cover options deals that have been put through the U.S. exchange or cleared, is viewed as a proxy for the overall market and volumes have increased this week as oil plunged. Investors can buy options contracts in the bilateral, over-the-counter market too.

Investors have bought increasing volumes of put options that will pay out if the price of WTI drops to $20 to $30 a barrel next year, the data show. The largest open interest across options contracts -- both bullish and bearish -- for December 2016 is for puts at $30 a barrel.

The number of outstanding contracts -- or open interest -- below $30 a barrel is relatively small. But the open interest for June 2016 put options at $25 a barrel has nearly doubled over the last week.

Source : Bloomberg

voda 7 januari 2016 21:34

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Petronet LNG to renegotiate Australia gas price

Business Line reported that after successfully renegotiating the gas price with Qatar, Petronet LNG Ltd (PLL) feels that the rates for purchasing gas under its contract with Exxon’s Gorgon project in Australia can be revisited.

A senior company executive said that the Australian contract was signed in 2009, when liquefied natural gas (LNG) sources were limited, resulting in higher prices. But now with the market dynamics changing, PLL will push for renegotiation.

However, the company would like to do this closer to the offtake. The Gorgon gas is expected between end 2016 and early 2017.

This contract is with Mobil Australia Resource Company Pty Ltd for assured LNG supply of 1.4 million tonnes annually for 20 years. The buzz for renegotiation had gained momentum when gas rates were at a peak and the contracted fuel was ending up being the most expensive gas country has imported.

The official said that at the prevailing rates, once supplies begin from 2016-17, the delivered price to end consumers of power, fertiliser as well as small and medium gas-based units will be at least a dollar more, adding that “the dynamics of gas price keeps changing. We cannot say it will remain the same throughout.”

GAIL (India), one of the public sector promoters of Petronet, has been pushing for the contract price to be reviewed in the context of the changing dynamics of the global LNG industry.

Source : Business Line

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voda 8 januari 2016 15:36

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Shell krijgt vergunning voor LNG-export Canadees project

AMSTERDAM (Dow Jones)--Canadese toezichthouders hebben donderdag ingestemd met een 40-jarige exportvergunning voor een vloeibaar-aardgas-installatie voor de Canadese kust onder leiding van een consortium aangevoerd door Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDSA).

De Canadese National Energy Board heeft de vergunning, de langstlopende ooit, afgegeven, nadat Shell en andere partners van het project in juli een aanvraag indienden.

Het LNG-Canada project is e e n van circa 24 terminals aan de Canadese westkust, die volgens voorstellen de energie-hongerige markten in Azie per schepen zouden moeten voorzien van vloeibaar aardgas. Geen van de terminals is nog gebouwd, vanwege zorgen over de kosten en obstakels in de regelgeving.

Het door Shell geleide consortium is blij met de vergunning en stelt dat de lange looptijd van de vergunning het project een competitieve boost geeft.

"Wij geloven dat [de vergunning] de concurrentie verbetert van de nieuwe LNG-industrie in Canada, ten opzichte van onze internationale concurrentie", aldus Andy Calitz, CEO van LNG-Canada, in een verklaring.

De NEB-vergunning maakt het mogelijk een jaarlijkse export van maximaal 1,34 biljoen kubieke voet aardgas te realiseren, het equivalent van 3,7 miljard kubieke voet per dag, en vereist dat LNG-Canada in 2022 begint met de export van LNG.

Door Chester Dawson; Vertaald en bewerkt door Patrick Buis; Dow Jones Nieuwsdienst +31-20-571-52-01; patrick.buis@dowjones.com

voda 15 januari 2016 19:16

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'Pakistan verkiest Qatar boven Shell in LNG-deal'

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Pakistan State Oil zal over een periode van vier jaar geen aardgas van Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDSA) afnemen, en kiest in plaats van de Brits-Nederlandse energiereus voor olie uit Qatar, meldde The Wall Street Journal vrijdagavond op basis van e e n bron.

Aanvankelijk zou Pakistan tussen 2016 en 2020 60 LNG-cargo's van Shell kopen en 60 van het Zwitserse handelshuis Gunvor Group, zo werd in december bekend. De twee partijen hadden echter verschillende verkoopprijzen.

De prijs voor de contracten is gerelateerd aan de prijs voor een vat Brent. Gunvor rekende een prijs met een toeslag van 13,37% op de Brent-prijs, terwijl Shell daarboven zat op 13,83%.

Staatsbedrijf Qatargas, dat niet mee deed aan de oorspronkelijke tender, bood aan om Pakistan een toeslag te rekenen die gelijk ligt aan die van Gunvor, en dus onder de toeslag die Shell rekende, waardoor Pakistan dus heeft besloten niet met de oliereus in zee te gaan.

Door Miriam Malek; vertaald en bewerkt door Dow Jones Nieuwsdienst; +31 20 5715 200; amsterdam@wsj.com

voda 27 januari 2016 17:13

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Hiranandani Energy to deliver its first gas by 2017

Hiranandani Energy, energy arm of real estate firm Hiranandani Group, is planning to deliver four million tonnes LNG to domestic consumers in next 4 years. The company will bring in its first cargo of LNG at Jaigarh, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, by the end of next calendar year or early 2018.

Mr Darshan Hiranandani, MD, Hiranandani Group of Companies, said that "We are hoping to start delivering gas from our Jaigarh terminal by the end of next year or early 2018."

Once operational, this will be the fifth LNG import terminal on the west coast. The west coast already has four LNG import terminals including: Dahej and Hazira in Gujarat; Dabho in Maharashtra and Kochi in Kerala. Jaigarh also houses the 5 million tones Dabhol LNG terminal operated by gas utility Gail India Limited.

H-Energy, is building two LNG terminals in the country at the cost of USD 3 billion: one in Jaigarh and second, a floating LNG import terminal off Haldia, West Bengal.

Mr Hiranandani said that the terminals are tolling terminals, but H-Energy could also import gas for the Indian market. Tolling terminals allow third party to import LNG for conversion to natural gas for a fee paid to the operator.

He said that "While it is a tolling terminal, we have agreements to pick up gas and deliver the same for our customers in power and fertilizers. We have signed an agreement with three power players."

However, the company would be picking gas up from players who have portfolio supply.

Source : Business Standard

voda 28 januari 2016 22:15

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Royal Dutch Shell investors back USD 50 billion BG takeover

It is reported that Royal Dutch Shell shareholders approved its USD 50 billion takeover of BG Group on Wednesday, clearing the last main hurdle to creating the biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) trader in the world.

BG shareholders are also expected to approve one of the biggest deals in the energy sector in the past decade at a meeting on Thursday, a vote that would allow the two oil and gas companies to merge on February 15th.

Few investors have openly challenged the deal's strategic benefits for Shell. But with oil languishing near USD 30 a barrel and only a slow recovery forecast, some had questioned the viability of a deal that would increase Shell's debt burden.

Mr Ben van Beurden chief executive of Shell said that "Our immediate focus is on the successful completion of the transaction and we now await the results of tomorrow's BG shareholder vote."

In the vote at the meeting in The Hague, 83 per cent of Shell shareholders voted in favour of the deal with 17 per cent against. More than 40 per cent of Shell's shareholders also own about half of BG's stock.

The report said that if the deal is approved by all shareholders Shell will become the world's most powerful LNG trader and gain access to valuable oil resources off Brazil and in Australia.

Source : Reuters

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voda 12 februari 2016 19:45

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Australian good outcome from LNG exports - Energy analyst

According to a new report by energy analyst, EnergyQuest, Australia’s rising LNG exports are helping to offset the rapid deterioration in the country’s balance of payments.

Australia’s total trade deficit across all goods and commodities in December last year was AUD 3.54 billion (seasonally adjusted) compared with only A$786 million a year earlier in December 2014.

However, an assessment of the latest Australian trade statistics by EnergyQuest reveals that in December, despite the 40% slump in global oil prices, the value of Australian LNG and other petroleum exports just about completely offset the huge cost of importing crude oil, petrol and other petroleum products, for the first time in more than five years.

Dr Graeme Bethune CEO of EnergyQuest said that “This good outcome reflects the growth in Australian LNG exports. Australia’s established LNG projects – Woodside’s North West Shelf and Pluto and ConocoPhillips’ Darwin LNG – have been performing exceptionally well. Now the three new Queensland projects have joined that total LNG production flow.”

Dr Bethune said that “Altogether, Australian LNG production reached a record 9.1 million tonnes in the December quarter 2015, up by 48% from a year earlier. Increased LNG production has offset the fall in LNG prices resulting from the slump in oil prices.”

Source : The Observer

voda 15 februari 2016 21:21

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Australia to look for ways to ship cheap gas - Report

Economic Times reported that Australia is willing to look at a regulatory framework for facilitating supply of gas at lower prices for India's gas-fired power stations, which may hold the key to the success of Mr Narendra Modi government's 100 GW (giga watt) solar dream envisaging round-the-clock clean and affordable power to all.

At the third bilateral energy security dialogue in Canberra, Australian resources and energy minister Mr Josh Frydenberg said while the government could not determine the price, a regulatory framework could be worked out to facilitate lower rates through "vertical integration" with power plants.

Mr Frydenberg's assurance came in response to Goyal's proposal for adopting a new paradigm for pricing gas in accordance with the changed dynamics of the global hydrocarbons market, devastated by sustained oversupply and crashing price as well as demand.

This marks a major step forward for Modi government's energy diplomacy. India had in December succeeded in reworking some provisions of a 25-year contract for liquid gas with Qatar's RasGas in tune with the market reality.

At the energy dialogue too, Goyal was frank to note that Indian consumers have a limited capacity to pay for power, while PM Narendra Modi was committed to 24X7 clean and affordable power supply to all through a 100 GW solar power plan.

Mr Goyal wants to use the existing 24,000 mw of gas-fired plants as spinning reserve for stabilising solar power projects. India could thus, provide a readymade and steady market for Australian gas and safeguard its investments — if the price was right.

Mr Goyal has been flexing India's market muscle to push his idea for cheap gas. He wants gas producers to work backwards from a tariff of, say, 5 cents per unit of power from a gas-fired plant to arrive at the gas price and fix the rate for 3-4 years.

Source : Economic Times

voda 16 februari 2016 20:04

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Pakistan signs 15 year LNG deal with Qatar

Pakistan said that it has signed a 15-year agreement to import up to 3.75 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas a year from Qatar, a major step in filling Pakistan's energy shortfall.

A government official said that the deal, Pakistan's biggest, will help the country add about 2,000 megawatts of gas-fired power-generating capacity and improve production from fertilizer plants now hobbled by a lack of gas.

The official said that "This is a huge and significant achievement because this diversifies Pakistan's energy mix. This is the single largest commercial transaction that Pakistan has entered into."

Official said that supplies will start in March, Qatar's state news agency QNA said. They will eventually come to around five LNG cargoes per month.

Pakistan, a nation of 190 million people, can only supply about two-thirds of its gas needs. The ruling party, which campaigned on promises of resolving the energy crisis, wants to ease shortages by expanding LNG shipments before a 2018 general election.

Official added that the deal signed between Pakistan State Oil company and Qatari's Qatargas-2, the world's biggest LNG producer, was witnessed by Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

According to the statement, LNG arriving in any particular month will fetch 13.37 percent of the preceding three-month average price of a barrel of Brent crude oil.

However, a price review is permitted 10 years after the start of supply. A cancellation option could shorten the deal to 11 years if the parties fail to agree a new price. A period to build up supply is provided for.

Source : Reuters

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voda 26 februari 2016 16:40

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Uganda targets 60,000 tonnes of LPG annually

The Observer reported that the government has no plans of subsidising the local industry that will develop Uganda’s gas reserves, with a top official from the ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD) saying the liquefied petroleum gas produced will certainly be cheaper.

Mr Dozith Abeinomugisha, the acting commissioner, Directorate of Petroleum, in the MEMD, said that Uganda could start to consume locally-produced LPG by 2020, the year oil production is expected to start, but consumers should not expect some financial benefits from the government.

Mr Abeinomugisha said that “There is no plan for subsidization given that locally-produced LPG will by all means be cheaper than imported LPG.”

Uganda plans to convert its natural gas reserves to LPG for domestic consumption and electricity generation. The country plans to produce 60,000 tonnes of LPG per year from associated gas alone.

He said that the country is set to embark on the promotion of LPG to replace wood energy and also develop LPG regulations to harmonize distribution, transportation, storage and marketing.

He added that “We need to begin sensitizing our people to switch from wood fuel to LPG. This will even help save the environment. As long as we produce oil, it will come with gas; so, we have to consume the gas or find ways of making the gas useful.”

In producing its own petroleum products, with LPG included, the government could save the money it has been spending to import these products.

According to the Statistical Abstract from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, dated October 2015, petroleum and petroleum products took the highest import bill and its expenditure bill increased from $1.3bn in 2013 to $1.4bn in 2014.

Mr Abeinomugisha said about one per cent of this amount is spent on liquid petroleum gas.

The 2014-2015 ministry of Energy and Mineral Development Sector review report notes that the country’s recoverable gas reserves are estimated at 672 billion cubic feet, of which 499 billion is non-associated gas and 173 billion is associated gas.

Non-associated gas is gas found in reservoirs or gas caps and can, therefore, be produced independently from oil. Associated gas, on the other hand, is gas dissolved with oil, and therefore produced as a by-product during the production of crude oil.

He said that “Whereas the associated gas is expected to start with first oil, the non-associated gas, may not be produced until the oil in the respective fields is fully depleted.”

He added that associated gas will be generated at the central processing facilities (CPFs) and at the oil refinery. The country plans to have two CPFs – one in the Buliisa area for the northern oil fields and another CPF for the Kingfisher field.

He further added that because of differing properties of the associated gas in the different fields, only the Kingfisher gas can be used to produce LPG. In addition to LPG, he explained, associated gas from Kingfisher fields will be used to generate 35MW of electricity which shall be used for heating feeder pipelines, pumping of crude and well pad facilities.

Source : The Observer

voda 26 februari 2016 16:41

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LPG remains unfeasible as alternative feedstock at North Asian steam crackers - Traders

Trade sources said that Northeast Asia’s petrochemical producers are not considering the use of propane and butane as an alternative feedstock to naphtha at their steam crackers, even as LPG prices are steadily approaching the threshold for the switch.

The spread between front-line March Argus Far East Index propane and Platts CFR Japan naphtha swaps was at minus $20.50/mt, which puts propane at 94% of naphtha’s value.

End-users typically switch to using LPG when LPG prices fall to about 90% of naphtha values, or about $50/mt below naphtha.

But with outright CFR Japan naphtha having now plunged to the $300s/mt following the steep fall in crude oil prices over the last 20 months, traders said end-users would make the switch only when LPG prices are about $40/mt cheaper than naphtha prices, or around 86% of naphtha’s value.

As of now, Northeast Asian petrochemical producers are seen seeking just spot naphtha for second-half March and H1 April delivery and that demand has been robust, thanks to strong petrochemical cracking margins which help keep steam cracker run rates at relatively high levels.

Source : Platts

voda 3 maart 2016 17:14

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GAIL India postpones USD 7 billion LNG ship tender by 1 month - Report

PTI reported that state gas utility GAIL India Ltd has again postponed its USD 7-billion tender for hiring nine newly-built ships to ferry LNG from the US, by 1 month.

Bids for the tender, which was re-floated in September, were to close on February 29, but the last date of bidding has now been postponed to March 31.

Mr BC Tripathi CMD of GAIL said that "The postponement has been done at the request of bidders to allow them time to finalise their bids. There are no changes in tender conditions."

GAIL is seeking 9 LNG ships of cargo capacity of 1,50,000-1,80,000 cubic metres to help transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) it has tied up from Sabine Pass and Cove Point LNG projects in the US, with supplies slated to start from December 2017.

Bids were originally to close on December 17, but were postponed to February 29 to allow Indian shipyards to tie up technology for building the specialised vessels.

GAIL is seeking quotes in three lots of three ships each. One ship in each lot is to be built at an Indian shipyard.

After postponing the deadline thrice, GAIL had in February last year scrapped the tender to hire nine LNG carriers to ferry gas from the US, with a caveat that three of them be made in India.

At that point, no foreign shipyard was willing to share LNG ship-building technology.

Source : PTI

voda 9 maart 2016 20:29

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Russia’s Rosneft hopes to get access to European natural gas exports - Mr Leontyev

Mr Mikhail Leontyev, the company’s official representative and vice president said that Russia’s top oil producer Rosneft hopes to get an opportunity to export gas to Europe, similar to Novatek.

Mr Leontyev said that “Now we assume Rosneft as a major budget revenue generating company will receive opportunities as good as Novatek. We hope for it very much and see no reasons to be denied once again.”

Kremlin spokesman Mr Dmitry Peskov did not give comments regarding discussion over potential access of Novatek to European gas exports, though he stressed out that no decision regarding the issue has been made yet.

Mr Peskov said Wednesday when commenting media reports that the company had applied to President Vladimir Putin seeking permission to export gas to Europe that “No decisions have been made yet regarding the issue.”

Source : TASS

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voda 11 maart 2016 17:10

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Egas makes first LNG payments for year - Sources

Trade sources said that Egypt's state-owned Egas has made its first payments to liquefied natural gas (LNG) suppliers since payment terms for deliveries were extended.

Egypt imports around six to eight cargoes of LNG per month and traders said that until last week Egas had not paid suppliers since December when it extended payment terms to 90 days from the usual 15 days, due to the country's foreign currency crisis.

Mr Khaled Abdel Badie head of Egas said that his company has made all payments that were due on LNG shipments but did not specify whether these were the first payments this year.

Mr Abdel Badie said that "We agreed with the companies to paying dues owed to them over a period of 90 days, and we are committed to this payment process."

Egypt became a major market for LNG shippers after the launch of two floating import terminals last year as the country looks to plug an energy shortage that has halted industrial production during summer months and caused rolling blackouts.

A sharper decline in foreign currency receipts since the Russian airliner disaster in October, which has hit tourism, combined with low oil prices limiting aid from Gulf allies, has hindered Egypt's ability to pay for commodities.

Market participants said Egypt now owes LNG suppliers up to $1 billion and the extended payment terms have increased the country's risk profile for future LNG deals.

In January British oil major BP diverted a LNG tanker to Brazil rather than discharging in Egypt, a move which traders said was related to payment delays from Egas, but BP and Egas said the cargo was postponed.

BP declined to comment on whether they had received any payments from EGAS subsequent to the extended payment terms.

A spokeswoman for BP said that "We remain comfortable with our contractual arrangements with Egas under which we continue to deliver," adding that contract details were confidential.

Source : Reuters

voda 11 maart 2016 22:24

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8 dingen die je moet weten over vloeibaar aardgas, het schone alternatief voor diesel

Gepubliceerd: 11 maart 2016 17:50 | Laatste update: 11 maart 2016 18:05

Shell opende vorig jaar in Rotterdam Waalhaven het eerste LNG-tankstation voor vrachtwagens in Europa. Foto ANP
Shell opende vorig jaar in Rotterdam Waalhaven het eerste LNG-tankstation voor vrachtwagens in Europa. Foto ANP

Vloeibaar aardgas is een fossiele brandstof, maar ook een schoner alternatief voor diesel en conventionele scheepsbrandstoffen. Moet de transportsector de overstap maken? DuurzaamBedrijfsleven.nl zoekt het uit.

Na een lange geschiedenis in onder meer Frankrijk en Spanje verwerft liquid natural gas (LNG) nu ook in Nederland een positie. Aardoliebedrijven als Shell en Total zetten sterk in op het gebruik van deze schonere fossiele transportbrandstof.

Ook nieuwkomers in de brandstoffen zien kansen voor LNG. Jan Joris van Dijk, directeur van Engie LNG Solutions, is enthousiast over de opmars van vloeibaar aardgas. Met Van Dijk bespreekt DuurzaamBedrijfsleven.nl de eigenschappen en voordelen van LNG, aan de hand van acht vragen.

1. Waarom maken we aardgas vloeibaar?

Een kubieke meter aardgas neemt in vloeibare vorm minder dan 0,2 procent van het volume van de gasvormige brandstof in. Daarmee is LNG veel beter op te slaan en te vervoeren dan gasvormig aardgas. Ook samengeperst aardgas, CNG (compressed natural gas), neemt nog drie keer zoveel ruimte in als LNG.

“LNG is een floating pipeline”, zegt Van Dijk. “Als je gas tussen werelddelen of over land over meer dan enkele duizenden kilometers moet transporteren dan kun je het beter vloeibaar maken en per schip vervoeren.”

2. Waar komt LNG vandaan, en is bio-LNG een optie?

De meeste LNG in Nederland komt uit Qatar. Dat land is ook wereldwijd gezien de belangrijkste exporteur van fossiel vloeibaar aardgas. Verder behoren Maleisië en Australië tot de belangrijke producenten en de VS zal deze maand voor het eerst schaliegas exporteren als LNG, vooral naar Azië.

In Frankrijk is Engie betrokken bij een pilot met de productie van LNG uit biogas. Ook in Nederland zijn er enkele proefprojecten en in Drenthe komt een tankstation voor bio-LNG. Van Dijk: “In Nederland is het leveren van groengas aan het aardgasnet nu nog aantrekkelijker vanwege subsidies.”

De productie van duurzame LNG als transportbrandstof komt daarom volgens de directeur in Nederland niet zo snel van de grond. “Maar bio-LNG zal eerder goed beschikbaar zijn dan waterstof.”

3. Is fossiele LNG ‘schoon’?

“LNG is het beste alternatief voor het zware transport, daar waar de gewenste CO2-neutrale oplossingen nog niet beschikbaar zijn”, zegt Van Dijk. Volgens de directeur is elektrische aandrijving voor grotere vermogens voorlopig geen economisch haalbare optie. Het duurt bovendien nog jaren voor waterstof een impact kan maken op de sector. “LNG is nu beschikbaar.”

Het imago van aardgas is de laatste tijd minder positief geworden volgens Van Dijk, mede door de problemen in Groningen en de ongenuanceerde stelling dat alle fossiele brandstoffen per direct zouden kunnen verdwijnen.

“Maar 10 tot 15 procent minder CO2 per kilometer is een aanzienlijke vooruitgang ten opzichte van diesel.” En naast de lagere CO2-uitstoot liggen vooral de fijnstof- en stikstofemissies van LNG-motoren veel lager. Respectievelijk ongeveer 95 procent en 80 procent.

4. Wie gebruiken LNG?

Ahold was in Nederland als één van de eersten actief met LNG. Het concern gebruikt de brandstof voor bevoorrading van winkels in binnensteden. “Naast schoner zijn LNG-motoren ook stiller. In de binnensteden mogen LNG-trucks daarom op meer tijden rijden dan dieseltrucks”, zegt Van Dijk.

LNG is het meest geschikt voor zwaardere voer- en vaartuigen, die lange afstanden afleggen. Inmiddels maken binnenvaartschepen, kustvaarders en vrachtwagens gebruik van de brandstof, binnenkort gevolgd door cruiseschepen.

LNG zou volgens Van Dijk in potentie ook een luchtvaartbrandstof kunnen zijn. “Ik weet dat er in de VS onderzoeken naar de kansen van LNG in de luchtvaart lopen”, zegt Van Dijk. Concrete pilots lijken er echter nog niet te zijn.

5. Is de productie en het transport van LNG ook duurzaam?

Om aardgas vloeibaar te maken is elektriciteit nodig. Van Dijk: “Op dit moment komt die uit conventionele elektriciteitscentrales, maar op termijn kan hier zeker duurzame elektriciteit voor worden ingezet, om daarmee de productie te vergroenen.”

De overgrote meerderheid van tankers die LNG over de wereld transporteren varen op het gas dat vrijkomt bij ‘kokende’ LNG dat als lading aan boord is. Een minderheid van tankers die nog op olie vaart, wordt ook geschikt gemaakt voor ‘dual-fuel’-gebruik.

In de eerder genoemde CO2-reductie door de inzet van LNG — 10 tot 15 procent ten opzichte van diesel — is rekening gehouden met de extra CO2-emissies die resulteren uit de huidige LNG-productie en het transport van de brandstof.

6. Waar is LNG te koop? En is het voordelig?

“We hebben al een goede start gemaakt met de aanleg van een LNG-infrastructuur in Nederland”, zegt Van Dijk. “Op dit moment zijn er 16 tankstations in Nederland, vooral bij distributiecentra en op de logistieke hoofdroutes.”

Engie werkt met verschillende partners aan de bouw van meer tankpunten voor het wegtransport in Nederland. Volgens Van Dijk wordt er ook in de rest van Europa flink aan de weg getimmerd. “In Engeland, Spanje en Italië zijn er diverse LNG-stations en ook in België en Frankrijk zijn de eerste stations geopend. Alleen Duitsland loopt wat dat betreft wat achter.”

Volgens Van Dijk is het vloeibare aardgas “altijd goedkoper dan diesel”. Wel erkent hij dat de lage olieprijs de groei van LNG-gebruik afremt. “De prijzen liggen nu dichter bij elkaar dan bij een hoge olieprijs. Daarom aarzelen transporteurs om te investeren.”

Behalve op de weg is LNG ook in verschillende havens te tanken. Volgens Van Dijk is de animo voor het gebruik van LNG in de scheepvaart op dit moment nog iets hoger dan in het wegtransport.

7. Is vloeibaar aardgas veilig?

In het verleden werd LNG gelijkgesteld aan autogas (Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG), dat ook in Nederland al tientallen jaren bij tankstations verkrijgbaar is.

voda 11 maart 2016 22:26

0

8. Wat kan LNG nog duurzamer maken?

Naast het opwerken van biogas tot vloeibaar methaan, is ook duurzaam synthetisch aardgas een potentiële bron voor LNG. Autobouwer Audi produceert in Duitsland, met behulp van stroom uit windparken, al hernieuwbaar aardgas voor zijn CNG-modellen.

Op verschillende afgelegen boorplatformen fakkelen olieproducenten aardgas nu nog af, omdat de infrastructuur om het gas nuttig te gebruiken ontbreekt. General Electric heeft in de VS al machines ontwikkeld om vrachtwagens op dit gecomprimeerde fakkelgas te laten rijden, maar ook het vloeibaar maken van dit gas is mogelijk.

Voor welke toepassing dan ook, LNG wordt voor gebruik altijd weer opgewarmd tot gas. Bij die opwarming komt veel koude vrij. Van Dijk: “Door de combinatie te maken met behoefte aan kou, zoals bij koelwagens of vriesruimtes aan boord van schepen, zijn er nog interessante mogelijkheden voor energiebesparing.”

Lees ook op DuurzaamBedrijfsleven.nl

www.z24.nl/ondernemen/vloeibaar-aardg...

voda 16 maart 2016 13:52

0

US rejects multibillion-dollar Jordan cove gas export plan - Report

Bloomberg reported that US regulators rejected Veresen Inc.’s multibillion-dollar proposal to build a terminal in Oregon that would export as many as two tankers of natural gas a week. They also denied its plan to a build a pipeline with Williams Partners LP to supply gas to the terminal.

Williams and Veresen failed to demonstrate that the pipeline’s benefits would outweigh the “adverse effects on landowners,” the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said Friday in an order denying authorization. And without a pipeline supplying gas, the Jordan Cove export terminal “can provide no benefit to the public to counterbalance” the impacts associated with its construction, the agency said.

The rejection throws into question the future of a project that has waited almost three years for regulatory approval. A worldwide glut of liquefied natural gas is meanwhile emerging, threatening the economics of such export terminals in the U.S. As much as half of the nation’s LNG export capacity is at risk of being shut between 2017 and 2020, according to the research and consulting group Wood Mackenzie Ltd.

“Jordan Cove was one of the few projects off the West Coast we would have expected to move forward,” Het Shah, an analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance in New York, said by e-mail late Friday. The terminal would have “brought much-needed relief” to gas markets in Western Canada and the Rockies by creating another outlet for the region’s production, he said.

‘Extremely Surprised’
Calgary-based Veresen said in a statement that it was “extremely surprised and disappointed” by the decision and plans to request a rehearing on it. “We will continue to advance negotiations with customers to address this concern,” Don Althoff, the company’s chief executive officer, said.

Williams, based in Oklahoma City, didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
While Veresen has estimated in previous presentations that the Jordan Cove terminal would cost $5.3 billion, a report issued by the federal energy commission’s staff last year estimated construction would total about $3 billion.

Shale Boom
Jordan Cove isn’t the first terminal to have been rejected by the federal energy commission, but it may be the first export project to be denied since the U.S. shale boom touched off a flurry of applications to send natural gas abroad. The commission had approved at least seven export plans as of Jan. 6 and was weighing applications for nine more, including Jordan Cove, reports on its website show.

Veresen had proposed to build four “trains,” or LNG production plants, at Jordan Cove that would have been capable of making 6.8 million metric tons of LNG a year. The 232-mile (373-kilometer), $1.74 billion Pacific Connector gas pipeline proposed to supply the plant would have been owned by Veresen and Williams Partners.

Regulatory Setbacks
The project has been mired in regulatory setbacks since it was first proposed, from delays over a state water permit to the extension of its public commenting period.

“The more adverse impact a project would have on a particular interest, the greater the showing of need and public benefits required to balance the adverse impact,” the federal energy commission said in its order on Friday.

The companies showed “little or no evidence of the need” for the Pacific Connector pipeline considering they hadn’t conducted an open season for capacity on the system and didn’t have contracts for it, the agency said in the order.

Source : Bloomberg

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