December | 2023 | | Petropipe

ACWA Power Signs $4 Billion Contract to Develop Green Hydrogen Project in Egypt

Saudi-listed ACWA Power, the world’s largest private water desalination company, leader in energy transition, and first mover into green hydrogen, has signed the framework agreement, following the MoU that was signed to outline the development of the first phase of the green hydrogen project in Egypt with a capacity of 600,000 tonnes-per-year of green ammonia, with an investment in excess of USD 4bn, with the intention of scaling up to a second phase with a potential capacity of 2 million tonnes-per-year

The agreement was signed between ACWA Power and The Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE), the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC), and the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA).

The signing ceremony took place in the presence of the H.E. Dr. Moustafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt; H.E. Dr. Mohamed Shaker, the Egyptian Minister of Electricity; H.E. Osama Bin Ahmed Nugali, Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Egypt, Mr. Ayman Soliman, CEO of the TSFE, Mr. Waleid Gamal Eldien, Chairman of SCZone, , Eng. Sabah Mashaly, Chairman of EETC; Dr. Mohamed El Khayat, Chairman, NREA; Marco Arcelli, CEO, ACWA Power, Thomas Brostrom CIO, ACWA Power, Driss Berraho VP, Business Development-Green Hydrogen and Hassan Amin, Country Director- Egypt, ACWA Power. This Framework agreement marks the next step in the development of this large-scale Green Hydrogen facility.

The framework agreement lays out the development of the first phase of a green ammonia project with a capacity of 600,000 tonnes-per-year powered by wind and solar plants, with the intention of working on a larger green hydrogen project in the country which could have a capacity of up to two million-tonnes-per-year of green hydrogen.

Marco Arcelli, Chief Executive Officer of ACWA Power commented “As a first mover in green hydrogen, ACWA Power is proud to bring its expertise in this new and exciting market to Egypt. We commend our partners for their bold step into producing the fuel for the future, for which there will be great demand in Europe and the rest of the world. Egypt is well-positioned to become one of the world’s top producers of green hydrogen and we are elated to be a part of the country’s energy transition”

ACWA Power has a history of developing significant renewable projects to ensure a reliable supply of clean and low-cost energy to Egypt. This latest project brings the total number of ACWA Power’s assets in operation, under construction, and in advanced development in Egypt to 5 – all renewable energy projects with a total power generation capacity of 1.4 GW.

It will be a significant addition to ACWA Power’s rapidly expanding green hydrogen portfolio. Development is well underway at the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project, a joint venture between ACWA Power, Air Products, and NEOM to create the world’s first utility-scale green hydrogen plant in the northwest of Saudi Arabia. The project will be capable of producing 1.2 million tonnes of green ammonia per year. The first wind turbines were delivered to the site in October.

On November 27^th, the company broke ground on its second green hydrogen project, in Uzbekistan. The first phase of this project will be capable of producing 3,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year, with the intention to expand to a second phase. Once the second phase is complete, 2.4 GW of wind energy will power the production of 500,000 tonnes of green ammonia per year.

The company also signed further agreements during COP28 for green hydrogen projects in Jordan and Indonesia.

Source: ACWA POWER

L&T Construction Wins a Major EPC Contract in Saudi Arabia

The Construction arm of Larsen & Toubro has been chosen as the turnkey Engineering, Procurement, and Construction contractor to establish various systems related to renewable energy generation and utilities, for the Amaala project in the Red Sea region, Saudi Arabia.

AMAALA is an ultra-luxury destination set in the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Natural Reserve along Saudi Arabia’s northwestern coast. Spanning an area of 4155 square kilometers, the project features pristine landscape and diverse natural ecosystems, coupled with unique and intriguing heritage and local culture. Once completed, this destination will have 25 hotels and 900 luxury residential villas, apartments and estate homes alongside high-end retail establishments, fine dining, wellness and recreational facilities.

The consortium of UAE’s clean energy powerhouse, Masdar, and French Electricity utility EDF has signed the concession agreement for the fully integrated utility project with the developers of AMAALA. Larsen & Toubro has entered into an EPC agreement with the Sponsors viz. EDF and Masdar.

In line with the ambition of going beyond sustainability and have a regenerative impact on environment, the project awarded to L&T will have an optimized off-grid renewable energy system comprising of ~250MWp Solar PV plant and >700MWh Battery Energy Storage System. The scope for power systems also involves biofuel based internal combustion engines, three Gas Insulated Substations, high voltage transmission lines and medium voltage distribution networks.

The scope for water systems involves constructing a 37 MLD Seawater Reverse Osmosis Plant, 6 MLD Sewage Treatment Plants, marine works including intake and outfall, tank farms, potable water network, wastewater network and treated sewage effluent network.

Commenting on the development Mr. T. Madhava Das, Whole-Time Director & Sr. Executive Vice President (Utilities), Larsen & Toubro said, “The award of this prestigious contract stands testimony to the synergistic strength of diverse offerings of L&T Construction in providing innovative solutions to customers keen on sustainable, clean and reliable electricity and water systems.”

Source: Larsen & Toubro

ADNOC to Acquire OCI’s Stake in Fertiglobe for $3.62 Billion

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company P.J.S.C. and OCI Global announced that they have entered into a sale and purchase agreement (the “SPA” or the “Agreement”) for the acquisition by ADNOC of OCI’s entire majority shareholding in Fertiglobe plc (ADX: FERTIGLB) (“Fertiglobe”). Fertiglobe is listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (“ADX”) and is the world’s largest seaborne exporter of urea and ammonia combined, the largest nitrogen fertilizer producer in the Middle East & North Africa, and an early mover in sustainable ammonia, with production facilities in Egypt, Algeria and the UAE.

The transaction, which will see ADNOC become majority shareholder in Fertiglobe, supports the Company’s ambitious chemicals strategy and its plans to establish a global growth platform for ammonia, a key lower carbon fuel and hydrogen carrier that is expected to play an important role in the energy transition.

For Fertiglobe, this transaction supports the company’s future growth plans, enabling it to accelerate the pursuit of new market and product opportunities and expand its focus on clean ammonia as an emerging fuel and hydrogen carrier.

Under the terms of the Agreement, ADNOC will purchase OCI’s 50% + 1 share stake in Fertiglobe at a price of AED 3.20 per share, representing a total purchase price of AED 13.28 billion ($3.62 billion). The SPA also incorporates an earn-out mechanism for FY2024 and FY2025, linked to commodity pricing and the free cash flow performance of the Fertiglobe business during the relevant period. Following the completion of the transaction, ADNOC’s shareholding in Fertiglobe will increase to 86.2% while the free float traded on ADX will remain at 13.8%.

Khaled Salmeen, Executive Director, Downstream, Marketing & Trading Directorate at ADNOC, said: “Working in close partnership with OCI since 2018, we have successfully listed and grown Fertiglobe into the world’s largest seaborne exporter of ammonia and urea fertilizers. Today’s agreement reinforces ADNOC’s long-term commitment to Fertiglobe and our continued focus on delivering growth and maximizing value for the company’s shareholders. This important transaction supports ADNOC’s ambitious chemicals growth strategy and accelerates our plan to establish a global growth platform for ammonia and clean ammonia.”

Building on ADNOC and OCI’s strong and long-standing strategic partnership, the two companies have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) to explore potential cooperation on future growth opportunities for ammonia imports into Europe and product distribution. Both partners have deep knowledge and understanding of the role that ammonia has to play in global decarbonization and energy transition, and the MoU provides a robust framework to leverage each Company’s strengths in pursuing opportunities in the energy transition and decarbonization areas.

Nassef Sawiris, Vice Chairman of Fertiglobe and Executive Chairman of OCI Global, commented: “Today marks a pivotal juncture in Fertiglobe’s journey with ADNOC, which began in 2018. Within the ADNOC Group, I am confident that Fertiglobe has found its optimal long-term home, and that with ADNOC’s continued support and guidance, significant value creation and exciting growth opportunities lie ahead. OCI looks forward to continued collaboration with ADNOC which will focus on value accretive growth projects outside the Middle East.”

The transaction is expected to close in 2024, subject to the completion of all necessary legal and regulatory conditions, including anti-trust approvals.

ADNOC, OCI and Fertiglobe will provide further material updates as and when appropriate.

Source: ADNOC

Saipem & Valmet signed an MOU to develop integrated solutions to decarbonize hard-to-abate industries

Saipem and Valmet, a Finland-based leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation, and services, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop joint solutions to decarbonize the industrial sectors that face significant challenges in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, also known as hard-to-abate industries.

The companies will collaborate to offer effective solutions combining Saipem’s technologies for CO2 management with the heat recovery and flue gas treatment units engineered and produced by Valmet for the pulp, paper and energy segments, thus bringing integrated and flexible options to their customers in both existing and new facilities.

Both Saipem and Valmet are engaged to support customers along their Net Zero journey and are distinctively placed to ensure effective end-to-end CO2 management for carbon emission-intensive industries.

“Sustainability is at the core of Valmet’s business strategy and operations. In our climate program − Forward to a carbon-neutral future − we have set ambitious targets as we believe that technology plays a key role in mitigating climate change and global warming in the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. We have already achieved our target of enabling carbon-neutral production for all our pulp, paper and energy customers who have access to carbon-neutral energy sources. We are also continuously improving the energy efficiency of our current offering. Our collaboration with Saipem fully supports these targets, and we are proud to be part of this initiative,” says Lari-Matti Kuvaja, Director, Environmental Systems, Pulp and Energy, Valmet.

Fabrizio Botta, Chief Commercial Officer at Saipem, commented: “Technology is the key to successfully tackle the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors. Together with Valmet, our ambition is to integrate processes and technologies, providing clients with an end-to-end decarbonized solution in line with their Net Zero targets. This MoU expands Saipem’s portfolio of energy transition innovations, further strengthening our unique ability to cover the entire CO2 capture, re-utilization and storage value chain, through our drilling, onshore and offshore know-how, assets and technologies”.

Source: Saipem

Petrofac and Hitachi Energy announce second project in support of TenneT’s 2GW Programme

Petrofac, alongside with its partner Hitachi Energy has announced the award of a second project under a US$14 billion, multi-year Framework Agreement with TenneT – the Dutch-German Transmission System Operator – to expand offshore wind capacity in the North Sea.

This second contract is for Nederwiek 1, a Dutch transmission station which forms part of TenneT’s landmark 2 Gigawatt (2GW) Programme. The project is to be executed as a standalone project, with Petrofac’s portion of the second contract valued at around US$1.4 billion.

Under the terms of the agreement, we will undertake the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) of offshore platforms and elements of the onshore converter stations while Hitachi Energy, as global technology partner, will supply its HVDC converter stations, which convert AC to DC power offshore and DC to AC onshore.

Close collaboration

Since we announced the framework agreement in January, we have been collaborating closely with Hitachi Energy on preparatory works, reserving production capacity for multiple platforms and HVDC technology and initiating the detailed design process for the first platform awarded under the agreement, Ijmuiden Ver Alpha.

Additional projects within TenneT’s 2GW Programme are expected to be awarded at approximately six-month intervals. These are the grid connections landing at Geertruidenberg or Moerdijk (Nederwiek 3) and Eemshaven (Doordewind 1 and Doordewind 2). The sixth project, the German connection LanWin5, will be connected near Rastede, Germany.

John Pearson, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Energy Transition Projects, Petrofac, said:

“We have been collaborating with our partner Hitachi Energy, and client TenneT, on the first project, Ijmuiden Ver Alpha. The award of Nederwiek 1 continues our focus on the standardisation and harmonisation of design and execution that will be central to the ‘design one, build many’ philosophy of the 2GW Programme. By aligning ourselves with TenneT’s objectives, we are creating a blueprint for the rapid deployment of large-scale infrastructure projects crucial to Europe’s energy transition”.

Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business said:

“As a pioneering technology and market leader, we are delighted to collaborate to deliver our HVDC solution for Nederwiek 1, combining world-class energy and digital systems. Our strong collaboration with Petrofac, based on an agile business model, scalable solutions and synergies among projects, allows us to join forces and support TenneT in its ambition to accelerate offshore wind deployment in the North Sea, granting European citizens more sustainable and reliable power.”

Source: Petrofac

Chiyoda Corporation & Technip Energies Awarded Feasibility Study for Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Project in Japan

Chiyoda Corporation is pleased to have been awarded a Feasibility Study (FS) contract by a Japanese domestic developer (Customer) to verify the feasibility of Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) design and execution plan for specific sea area in Japan.

Chiyoda will plan to coordinate the entire project as the main contractor and plan the fabrication, transportation, storage, installation and supply chain of floater in Japan, and consider the compliance with Japanese regulations etc. which is being considered by Customer for the construction of a FOWT with Technip Energies.

Chiyoda and Technip Energies have built continuous and strong relationship through numerous natural gas projects over two decades and have a non-exclusive agreement to pursue the opportunity of FOWT project in Japan. Based on their strong relationship, Chiyoda and Technip Energies will utilize Technip Energies’ proprietary semi-submersible floater technology for this project.

Technip Energies has delivered a high number of floating facilities in the energy industry. Their semi-submersible floating technology, such as INO™, is one of the most proven and they have numerous references in FOWT projects around the world especially in Europe and Korea. In complement, Chiyoda also has a lot of achievements of renewable energy and petrochemical and LNG terminal EPC projects in Japan and have been building up our knowledge since 2018 and have been awarded and/ or completed a number of works for projects of bottom-fixed Offshore Wind project in Japan such as Pre-FEED etc.. Chiyoda and Technip Energies believe that, by integrating the technology, skills and know-how of both companies, they can come up with a cost competitive and feasible execution plan to conduct the FOWT project.

Recently, building on the perspective of energy security stemming from the Ukraine crisis and the goal of achieving net-zero targets by 2050 based on the Paris Agreement, expectations are increasing for offshore wind as future main source of renewable energy in Japan. In particular, floating offshore wind is a very promising decarbonized power source which can rely on Japanese geographical advantages as a maritime nation. Chiyoda will accumulate knowledge in this field through practical experience in execution planning of floating structure construction, 2 procurement, transportation, wind turbine installation and project execution management, and will also actively work towards a net-zero society through the social implementation of safe and feasible FOWT projects.

Source: Chiyoda Corporation

NEXTCHEM awarded waste-to-chemicals feasibility study

MAIRE announces that NEXTCHEM (Sustainable Technology Solutions BU), through its subsidiary MyRechemical, a leader in waste-to-chemicals, has been awarded a feasibility study for the integration of its proprietary Waste-to-Syngas technology in a large-scale conversion plant that would transform solid municipal waste into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This is the first major project in the UAE aimed at producing up to 120,000 tons per year of SAF.

MyRechemical will provide the gasification unit to transform solid waste streams into synthesis gas (syngas); this syngas will be converted into low carbon ethanol and then to SAF.

“We are happy to participate in the first waste-to-chemicals initiative in the UAE” commented Giacomo Rispoli, CEO of MyRechemical. “This achievement further confirms our commitment in valorizing alternative feedstocks contributing concretely to the reduction of the carbon footprint in the aviation sector. This happens in a country like UAE where we boast a long-standing presence in the transformation of natural resources, and which is now open to sustainable innovation”.

Source: MAIRE

Petrofac secures brownfield EPC framework with TotalEnergies

Petrofac, a leading provider of services to the global energy industry, has secured an engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) framework agreement with TotalEnergies.

Under the three-year framework, Petrofac will have the opportunity to deliver brownfield EPCC solutions across TotalEnergies’ UKCS assets.

Nick Shorten, Chief Operating Officer of Petrofac’s Asset Solutions business, said: “In a mature basin like the UKCS – where enhanced recovery, field life extension and decarbonisation are key – this framework recognises our ability to combine our extensive engineering and construction expertise and offshore operations experience to support TotalEnergies.”

Source: Petrofac

NEXTCHEM Awarded an Engineering Design Study by Saras for the Green Synthetic Fuels Pilot Plant in Italy

MAIRE announces that NEXTCHEM (Sustainable Technology Solutions BU), through its subsidiary NextChem Tech, has signed an agreement with Saras S.p.A for an engineering design study to accelerate the path towards decarbonization of Saras’ refinery in Sarroch, Sardinia.

The study relates to the development of a pilot plant for the production of green synthetic fuels from low carbon hydrogen and CO₂ in the refinery with the potential for scaling-up to an industrial facility. This project will be among the first initiatives in the EU to demonstrate the viability of producing synthetic fuels for the aviation sector.

NextChem Tech will leverage on its proprietary NX CPO technology[1], an advanced innovative process to produce synthesis gas via a controlled partial oxidation, through a very fast reaction. When applied to the synthetic fuel production, this versatile technology is able to boost carbon efficiency and global yield of the overall process.

The activity will contribute to Saras’ decarbonization strategy as part of its green synthetic fuel initiatives developed, among others, under an Italian NRRP (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) which implies the utilization of clean hydrogen in the hard-to-abate sectors.

Alessandro Bernini, CEO of MAIRE, commented: “This award represents a further confirmation of the soundness of MAIRE’s technology value proposition aimed at meeting global decarbonization goals. In this way, we are able to support our traditional clients in the conversion of existing refineries into valuable assets for a sustainable future”.

NX CPO (Catalytic Partial Oxidation) technology, constitutes a solution for syngas production. Hydrocarbon or biobased feedstocks undergo a controlled partial oxidation in presence of a catalyst that facilitates the conversion into syngas through an entirely heterogeneous very fast reaction.

Source: MAIRE

Petrofac begins FEED for Neptune Energy’s L10CCS carbon storage project in the Netherlands

The Petrofac consulting team has recently begun work on the front-end engineering design (FEED) on a project that aims to play a key role in supporting the European Union in reaching its decarbonisation goals.

The FEED has been awarded by Neptune Energy for its L10 Operation facilities – a carbon storage infrastructure development that will connect to the Netherlands’ flagship Carbon Capture, Transportation, and Storage (CCS) project, Aramis.

The L10 Operation is being developed by Neptune Energy, alongside its partners EBN, Tenaz Energy, and ExxonMobil, and seeks to store up to five metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, which will be captured from industrial emitters in the region.

Our scope covers the first two phases of the project, L10 South (1A) and L10 North (1B), and is being executed by our consulting team, based in Woking, UK:

Phase 1A: L10-South – installation of an L10 hub/injection platform in the L10 south storage complex and installation of a spur line from the Aramis DHUB (distribution hub) platform to the L10 hub platform

Phase 1B: L10-North – The installation of an injection platform (L10-Y) in the L10 north storage complex (L10-BE) and the installation of an inter-field pipeline between the L10 hub and injection platform

John Pearson, Chief Operating Officer, Energy Transition Projects commented: “Energy transition projects like this reflect our growing role in helping deliver key infrastructure that will be vital to achieving a lower-carbon future. We look forward to deploying our multi-disciplinary engineering capabilities and more than 20 years of experience of offshore pipelines and infrastructure to support Neptune Energy and its partners. This development builds on our strong track record in CCUS, from emitter capture at the asset, through transportation and ultimately long-term geological storage.”

The FEED is expected to be completed in the second half of 2024, and Neptune Energy aims to progress towards a Final Investment Decision in 2025.

Source: Petrofac

DEME AWARDED DREDGING CONTRACT FOR PORT OF NEOM IN NORTHWEST SAUDI ARABIA

A consortium of Saudi Archirodon and DEME has been awarded the second phase of transformation work for the Port of NEOM, the primary seaport of entry to northwest Saudi Arabia.

Based in Oxagon, the Port of NEOM is strategically located along the coast of the Red Sea and is adjacent to the nearby Suez Canal, through which 13% of global trade passes. The port will be a critical enabler to the overall build, operations, and economic ambitions of NEOM, facilitating the import of goods and materials during the development phase and as a new global port serving the region.

The project will commence in December 2023. DEME will work in a consortium with leading international marine construction group Archirodon to deliver on the contract to form the basin that will enable the world’s largest ships to call at Port of NEOM. All materials recovered as part of the channel development will be used to support the wider development of Oxagon.

Christopher Iwens, Managing Director Dredging at DEME: “We are proud to be awarded this important project which focuses on building a next generation sustainable port in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This contract underscores our technical and engineering expertise which, alongside the capabilities of our partners at Archirodon, were undoubtedly key factors in DEME securing this landmark contract.”

Source: DEME

JGC Signs Collaboration Agreement with Exyte Singapore for SE Asia Market

JGC Holdings Corporation (Representative Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer: Masayuki Sato) announced that JGC Corporation (President: Farhan Mujib) has entered into a strategic Collaboration Agreement with Exyte Singapore Pte. Ltd, an Asian subsidiary of Exyte GmbH, for the promotion and execution of Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects for high-tech industries in Southeast Asia’s emerging markets.

With the signing of the Collaboration Agreement, Farhan Mujib, JGC Corporation President, has said that both Exyte and JGC share similar values on safety, quality and execution excellence. “Through this collaboration, we will offer unique solutions with industry-leading technical expertise and customer knowledge of Exyte coupled with regional knowledge and project delivery capability of JGC for our customers.”

Exyte’s CEO, Wolfgang Büchele, has stated that “Since its inception, Exyte has been very successful in pursuing its ‘follow the client’ strategy. We are present where our clients invest. The Southeast Asian emerging countries are highly attractive for investments in high-tech industries. For Exyte and JGC, there are promising business opportunities in future markets. We are pleased to have found the right partner in JGC, who has already successfully implemented other EPC projects in these countries rich in potential.”

Along with the development of the digital society, the market size of high-tech industries is continuously expanding. In recent years, the market has been supported by the incentive policies of respective countries for the strengthening of security and supply chains. Capital investment in high-tech industries in Southeast Asia’s emerging countries is expected to significantly grow, not just in developed countries such as Japan, Europe, the US, and Singapore.

JGC Corporation and Exyte will jointly promote and execute projects for high-tech industries in targeted South East Asian countries namely Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. Under this collaboration, the two companies will conduct joint business development, estimation and execution of EPC projects, collaborately expanding business fields in the region.

Exyte Group has a history of over 100 years and is recognized as a global leader in providing EPC services specializing in facilities for high-tech industries, such as data centers, semiconductor and battery cell manufacturing, as well as bio-pharma and life sciences. Exyte has outstanding knowledge and experience in the design, engineering and delivery of facilities in those fields. Exyte offers a full range of services from consulting to managing the implementation of built complete solutions with the highest standards in safety and quality. The company has executed numerous projects globally for well-known blue chip clients, international tech, software and mobility companies.

As Exyte’s Southeast Asian regional organisation, Exyte Singapore operates in Singapore and Malaysia, and plans to explore business opportunities in its target industries in Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand, where further industrial development and market expansion is expected.

JGC Corporation is the JGC Group’s overseas EPC business company. JGC Corporation provides professional services through three business units: Energy Solutions, which is involved in EPC projects in the fields of energy transition including LNG; Sustainable Solutions in EPC projects in the fields of sustainable energy such as hydrogen, nuclear and fuel ammonia; and Facility Solutions in EPC projects in the fields of industrial and social infrastructure. JGC has local subsidiaries in South East Asia including Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, where it has successfully delivered a number of large projects over the past 50 years.

Under our long-term management vision “2040 Vision,” JGC is promoting business diversification in the five business domains of “Energy Transition”, “Healthcare/Life Sciences”, “High Functional Materials”, “Resource Recycling”, and “Industrial/Urban Infrastructure” under the corporate purpose of “Enhancing Planetary Health”. In particular, JGC plans to accelerate overseas business expansion in the “healthcare and life sciences” as well as the “industrial and urban infrastructure” business domains.

Through this Collaboration Agreement, Exyte, with its extensive knowledge and experience in the area of high-tech industries, and JGC Corporation, with its extensive EPC experience in Southeast Asia, will jointly expand EPC business by integrating the strengths and competitiveness of both companies and demonstrating to customers superior proposal, technology, and EPC execution capabilities.

Source: JGC Holdings Corporation

Chiyoda Awarded Feasibility Study of CO2 capture / liquefaction plants by J-POWER

Chiyoda Corporation (Chiyoda) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a Feasibility Study for CO2 capture/liquefaction plants by the Electric Power Development Co., Ltd（J-POWER.)

Chiyoda’s scope includes the design of a CO2 capture plant, liquefaction plant, and utility facility.

J-POWER is participating in the public call for commissioned research for a CCS project selected by the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), along with ENEOS Corporation and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation. Chiyoda will collaborate with J-POWER by applying its CCS project experience to support their plans.

As an integrated engineering company, Chiyoda has been engaged in CCS projects, and the development of technologies to realize a carbon neutral society, around the world and will continue contributing to the development of a sustainable society in line with our management philosophy of ‘Energy and Environment in Harmony’.

Source: Chiyoda Corporation

NEXTCHEM awarded a process design contract by DG Fuels for a bio-waste to SAF facility in the USA

MAIRE S.p.A. announces that NEXTCHEM (Sustainable Technology Solutions BU), through its subsidiary MyRechemical, leading the Waste-to-Chemical segment, has been selected by DG Fuels Lousiana to provide the Process Design Package in relation to a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) facility under development in St. James Parish, Louisiana (USA).

The plant, expected to be operational in 2028, will produce 350,000 tons per year of SAF derived from biomasses and waste resources. MyRechemical has been selected as a technology licensor in relation to a gasification unit and a gas treatment unit able to process 1,000,000 tons per year of bagasse and sugar cane trash and pulp, representing the first step for SAF production.

The gasification technology and the know-how to transform synthetic gas into valuable products play a pivotal role within NEXTCHEM’s technology portfolio, making MAIRE a key player to enable the decarbonization of the world’s industries through the circular economy. Contributing to a sustainable mobility with the use of a wide range of clean fuel solutions, including the valorization of agricultural waste is, in fact, one of MAIRE’s main objectives as envisaged in its business plan.

DG Fuels (the parent of DG Fuels Louisiana) is a U.S. company engaged in renewable hydrogen and biogenic based, synthetic low emissions aviation fuel. The company has established several partnerships and offtake agreements with major global airlines and is currently developing its first SAF facility. The project meets the requirements set in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Clean Fuels & Products Shot initiative aimed at decarbonizing the aviation sector through the industrialization of SAF. Additionally, SAF derived from biomass or waste resources is eligible under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to reduce the carbon offsetting requirements of airlines.

Alessandro Bernini, MAIRE CEO, commented: “The award is a strong recognition of our efforts to implement and industrialize the waste-to-chemicals solutions developed by NEXTCHEM. The industry is rewarding our expertise and commitment to technologies that support the global decarbonization roadmap. Having been selected for this strategic project confirms that our technology is best positioned in a competitive market such as the US, where circularity is playing a key role in achieving carbon footprint reduction targets”.

Michael Darcy, DG FUEL CEO & Chairman, commented: “We are very happy to formalize our agreement to use the NEXTCHEM gasification technology in our first zero carbon SAF production facility. NEXTCHEM’s superior technology, extremely strong engineering capabilities and unquestioned financial wherewithal makes them the ideal partner in our efforts to decarbonize the aviation industry”.

Source: NEXTCHEM

Metito and Tahliya Group Sign an Agreement to Jointly Develop two Water Projects in Morocco

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco signed a declaration to develop a “solid and innovative partnership” in efforts to develop economic, trade, and investment cooperation. Following this announcement, Metito Utilities, a global investor and developer of sustainable water management solutions and climate resilient water assets, signed an agreement with Tahliya Group, a prominent UAE-based infrastructure company specializing in power generation and desalinated water production plants in Africa. Together, Metito and Tahliya intend to develop a multi-user irrigation project, by way of desalinated water, in Morrocco. The desalination projects will be powered by renewable energy.

The official signing ceremony took place at the Metito’s offices in the National Industries Park in Dubai, coinciding with the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event was hosted by Rami Ghandour, CEO Metito Utilities and Zouheir Bensaid, the Chairman and CEO of Tahliya Group.

In response to the unveiling of this strategic partnership, Rami Ghandour expressed, “Metito’s founding principles are Impact, Sustainability, and Innovation. Guided by these principles, we are thrilled to join forces with Tahliya Group to adeptly tackle pressing issues concerning water scarcity, food security, and sustainable development in Morocco. Leveraging Metito’s proficiency in high-value engineering, coupled with our proven track record in developing large-scale desalination plants, and Tahliya Group’s expertise in infrastructure development, we are poised to establish a sustained and meaningful impact through the projects we are developing together.” Metito has topped the global charts for being the provider of the largest desalination plants, in capacity, for 2 years in a row 2021-22 and 2022-23 as announced by the Global Water Intelligence report.

Zouheir Bensaid, Chairman and CEO of Tahliya Group, underscored the significance of both projects, “Aligned with the UN Sustainability Development Goals, Metito and Tahliya Group, will mark a new milestone in the water industry by developing alternative energy powered desalination plants at a scale, for the purpose of irrigation in Morocco. Both companies possess all essential attributes and a shared vision that positions this collaboration as one poised for genuine impact on the communities and individuals we aim to reach through our projects. We are confident that our projects will result in substantial and far-reaching effects.”

Morocco is a key market for Metito and Tahliya which promises immense potential as an investment hub, given the nation’s diverse assets and conducive business climate. Metito will examine mobilising multiple pockets of capital and expertise to realise the planned projects, including potentially Africa Water Infrastructure Development (AWID).

Source: Metito

Thyssenkrupp Uhde Won BEP & FEED Contract for Biopolymer Plant in the Arabian Peninsula

thyssenkrupp Uhde has secured a Basic Engineering Package (BEP) and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) package for the establishment of a biopolymer plant on the Arabian Peninsula. The plant is intended to produce an industrial large-scale volume of polylactic acid (PLA) polymer, utilizing lactic acid from corn as the primary feedstock. While polymer specialist Uhde Inventa-Fischer will perform the BEP for the PLA production based on its proprietary state-of-the-art technology, its sister company thyssenkrupp Uhde India will perform the FEED which covers the complete production complex including associated offsite and utilities.

The design of the biopolymer plant focuses on stringently optimized feedstock utilization during all stages: from starch conversion to lactic acid production, and finally polylactic acid production. An integral aspect of this project is the plant’s ability to sustainably produce a range of PLA grades, addressing the diverse requirements of various industries such as packaging, textiles, and hygiene supplies.

“Replacing fossil feedstocks with renewable ones can minimize the ecological impact of entire value chains,” stated Dr. Cord Landsmann, CEO thyssenkrupp Uhde. “This project is another proof that we can significantly contribute to a more sustainable production of much-needed materials for global key industries.”

Harald Kroll, CEO Gulf Biopolymers Industries: “We are proud to announce the establishment of the first large biopolymer plant in the MENA region. This project is a milestone for the reduction of fossil-based plastics, and advancing the adoption of environmentally friendly PLA polymers.”

Derived from lactic acid, PLA stands out as a genuine biopolymer. It is produced from renewable biomass sources, and it is also biodegradable. This positions PLA as a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil-based plastics, offering a pragmatic solution for reducing the environmental footprint associated with plastic production and consumption.

Source: thyssenkrupp Uhde

Hyundai E&C to expand cooperation in the nuclear power plant project with Energoatom

Hyundai E&C is picking up speed to enter into the global market for nuclear power plants through activities such as building a collaborative network with Energoatom. Hyundai E&C signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Energoatom on the overall nuclear power plant project in Paris, France. Prior to this, in January of last year, Hyundai E&C signed a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA) for mutual exchange of project information. This agreement was entered into during the World Nuclear Exhibition 2023(WNE) that was held in Paris Nord Villepinte from November 28th to 30th, and management executives from both companies including President Yoon Young-joon of Hyundai E&C and President Petro Kotin of Energoatom participated in the signing ceremony.

Hyundai E&C and Energoatom are planning to seek out cooperation in nuclear power based on the LOI including support in pursuing the SMR and large nuclear power plant projects in Ukraine, securing resources for the development of new nuclear power plant and exchange of experience and technology related to research and development of nuclear power plants.

Hyundai E&C signed an MOU with ‘Holtec International’, a company specializing in nuclear power plants in US, to install up to 20 SMRs in the future following a pilot SMR installation in Ukraine by march 2029, and last month, it entered into an agreement with Ukrenergo on the new construction and repair of transmission and transformation facility in Warsaw, Poland, to further expand its breadth in the energy infrastructure rebuilding project of Ukraine. In particular, European market that is adjacent to Ukraine is a region where active discussions are being carried out on the construction of SMR and additional orders of large-scale nuclear power plants with activities such as the inclusion of nuclear power generation technology as the beneficiary of the Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA), that is known as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of Europe. Through this cooperation, Hyundai E&C is expected to gain traction in perusing the entrance into the nuclear power project in Europe in addition to the recovery of the power system in Ukraine.

On one hand, this year, Hyundai E&C participated in the World Nuclear Exhibition, the world’s largest private nuclear exhibition that started in 2014, for the first time, to be proactive in networking with global companies specializing in nuclear power plants and relevant institutions. This year, 610 companies from 76 countries participated in the exhibition, and as such, Hyundai E&C is thought to be targeting the overseas nuclear power plant market. Relevant personnel of Hyundai E&C said, “From Shin-Gori Nuclear Power Plant, which was the first nuclear power plant in Korea, to Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in UAE that Hyundai E&C exported for the first time, Hyundai E&C that set critical milestones in the nuclear power plant industry of Korea is solidifying its leading position in the entire value chain of nuclear power plants including SMR, decommissioning, storage facility, and large next-generation nuclear power plants,” and added, “We look forward to Korea’s nuclear industry entering into the global market as we are continuing to actively pursue the entrance into the European market through the signing of agreements and participation in exhibitions, and so forth”.

Recently, Hyundai E&C proved its unrivaled construction quality and technical capability by being selected as the construction company for the construction of the main facility of Shin-Hanul nuclear power plants 3 and 4 that amounts to KRW 3.1195 trillion

Source: Hyundai E&C

Mexico Pacific Awards Sierra Madre Pipeline EPC Contract to GDI SICIM PIPELINES and BONATTI

Mexico Pacific, GDI Sicim Pipelines, and Bonatti announced that they have executed the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (“EPC”) contract for the Sierra Madre pipeline project. The 500-mile Sierra Madre pipeline will be utilized as the primary natural gas supply path for the transportation of up to 2.8 Bcf/d natural gas from the U.S. border to the first phase of Mexico Pacific’s 15 million tonne per annum (“MTPA”) Saguaro Energia liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) export facility located in Puerto Libertad, Sonora, Mexico.

Under the lump-sum-turnkey EPC contracts, the GDI Sicim Pipelines and Bonatti joint venture will engineer, procure and construct the Sierra Madre pipeline with Bonatti’s scope extending to the required compressor stations.

“We are pleased to be partnering with GDI Sicim Pipelines and Bonatti. A team of best-in-class international pipeline contractors with proven track records of pipeline execution and delivery in Mexico” said Ivan Van der Walt, Chief Executive Officer of Mexico Pacific. “Execution of our pipeline EPC contracts represents yet another important inflection point for our project as we prepare to move into construction. We look forward to working with GDI Sicim Pipelines and Bonatti in delivering a project that will bring transformational value to Mexico and critically needed cleaner energy supply to global markets.”

“GDI Sicim Pipelines is very pleased to participate in this project and being part of this team. We are committed to the successful execution of the Sierra Madre Pipeline Project and will provide the best of our resources and experience to achieve this goal.”

“Bonatti is extremely proud to be part of this flagship project and to keep contributing to the development of Mexico’s energy infrastructure. We are committed to delivering this challenging project together with our partners.”

Source: Mexico Pacific

Saipem awarded two offshore contracts worth approximately 1.9 billion USD

Saipem has been awarded two offshore contracts, one in Guyana and the other in Brazil, worth approximately 1.9 billion USD.

The first contract has been awarded by ExxonMobil’s subsidiary ExxonMobil Guyana Limited for the proposed Whiptail oilfield development located in the Stabroek block offshore Guyana, at a water depth of approximately 2,000 meters. Saipem’s scope of work includes the design, fabrication and installation of subsea structures, risers, flowlines, and umbilicals for a large subsea production facility.

Saipem will perform operations using its state-of-the-art vessels FDS2, Constellation, and Castorone, and will deploy as a key fabrication site for its execution model Saipem’s Guyana Offshore Construction Facility located at the Port of Georgetown, enhancing a sustainable steady growth in the country. Subject to the necessary government approvals, the project sanction by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and its Stabroek block coventurers, and an authorization to proceed with the final phase, the award will allow Saipem to begin some limited activities, namely detailed engineering, and procurement.

The second contract has been awarded by Equinor for the Raia project, the development of a pre-salt gas and condensate field in the Campos Basin, located about 200 km offshore the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Saipem’s scope of work encompasses the offshore transport and installation of a subsea gas export line and associated equipment in water depths of around 2,900 meters, as well as the horizontal drilling activities for the shore approach. Saipem will deploy its state-of-the-art pipelaying vessel Castorone for the installation works.

With this project, Saipem will contribute to the realization of one of the most important gas development projects in Brazil, which could represent 15% of the total domestic demand of the Country. The extracted gas will be transported through pipelines installed by Saipem for approximately 200 km from the field to a gas receiving facility to be built in Cabiúnas, in the city of Macaé in the State of Rio de Janeiro.

The two awards confirm, once again, the competitiveness of Saipem’s offer in bidding processes and the ability to build long term partnerships based on consistent performances. Moreover, they further strengthen the visibility on Saipem’s key assets utilization throughout 2027.

Source: Saipem