Activity News

Equinor’s Empire Wind 1 project in the United States has now secured a project financing package of over $3 billion, reaching a financial close at the end of December 2024.The expected total capital investments, including fees for the use of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT), are approximately $5 billion including the effect of expected future tax credits (ITCs).The Empire Wind lease was awarded to Equinor in 2017. It is being developed in two phases, Empire Wind 1, with a contracted capacity of 810 MW…

BP has started gas flow from Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) Phase 1 deepwater project, offshore Mauritania and Senegal.The gas from wells at the GTA Phase1 liquefied natural gas (LNG) project now flows to the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel for the next stage of commissioning. The GTA FPSO, located approximately 40 kilometers offshore, arrived to Mauritania and Senegal in the second quarter of 2024. It is designed to process over 500 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.

Shell has contained the oil leak from its oil processing units at the Shell Energy and Chemical Parks at Pulau Bukom in Singapore, following the shut down of facilities to investigate the source of the leak.Efforts by Shell to locate the source of the leak in the oil processing unit are ongoing, according to an update by Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA).Additional containment and absorbent booms have been laid in the channel and at the mouth of the channel as precautionary…

Offshore services firm Subsea7 has secured a ‘sizeable’ contract by Turkish Petroleum Offshore Technology Center (TP-OTC) to provide inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) services for the Sakarya gas field development in the Black Sea.The contract scope includes project management and engineering executed and managed from Subsea7 offices in Türkiye and Scotland, as well as the provision of equipment, including two work-class remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).Also, Subsea7 will…

Saipem’s pipelay vessel Castorone has crossed the Bosphorus Strait in Türkiye, continuing its journey toward the Black Sea for a pipeline installation job as part of the second phase of the Sakarya project for Turkish Petroleum - Offshore Technology Center (TP – OTC).In the early hours of December 26, the vessel crossed the Dardanelles Strait, covering a distance of 36 nautical miles in approximately six hours.In the afternoon, it continued its journey through the Sea of Marmara.

Shell has shut down one of its oil processing units at the Shell Energy and Chemical Parks at Pulau Bukom in Singapore, to facilitate investigation into a suspected leak in the system, Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) and National Environment Agency (NEA) said.The oil processing unit is used to produce refined oil products such as diesel. Water drawn from the sea is used as part of the process to cool the refined oil products in the unit.Shell estimated that a few tonnes of the refined oil products were leaked…

The first Russian-built ice-class liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier has entered sea trials, LSEG data showed on Friday, as part of Russia's efforts to raise global LNG market share despite U.S. sanctions.The tanker, named Alexey Kosygin after a Soviet statesman, was built at the Zvezda shipyard and is due to join the fleet of vessels for Russia's new Arctic LNG 2 plant, which has been delayed because of the U.S. sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine.The U.S. Treasury has also placed sanctions on the new vessel…

Oil rose almost 1% on Thursday in thin holiday trade driven by hopes for additional fiscal stimulus in China, the world's biggest oil importer, and supported by an industry report showing a decline in U.S. crude inventories.Chinese authorities have agreed to issue 3 trillion yuan ($411 billion) worth of special treasury bonds next year, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two sources, as Beijing ramps up fiscal stimulus to revive a faltering economy.Brent crude futures rose 48 cents, or 0.7%, to $74.06 a barrel by 1445 GMT. U.S.

Total exports of Russian gas to European countries have so far been 18-20% higher this year than in 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday.In January to November, supplies of pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exceeded 50 billion cubic metres, Novak said."Despite all the statements and sanctions pressure because gas is a highly ecological product, it is in demand. And Russian gas is the most cost-efficient, both in terms of logistics and the price…

ABS and Akselos have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance engineering and certification processes for floating offshore wind projects.The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on solutions aimed at optimizing design, reducing costs, and improving efficiency for the floating wind sector globally.The collaboration utilizes ABS's expertise in offshore certification and classification with Akselos' simulation technology for structural risk mitigation and optimization. Together, they aim to support the U.S.

Vard has delivered a new cable laying vessel (CLV) to Denmark’s subsea specialist NCT Offshore less than two years after the contract was signed.The newly delivered vessel, based on the VARD 9 01 design, has been specially designed and equipped for subsea cable laying operations.In less than 18 months since the first steel was cut, the vessel has been assembled, outfitted, commissioned, and is ready to commence her maiden voyage towards Denmark where she will be further fitted and tested…

Belgium-based offshore installation contractor Jan De Nul, in partnership with Greek cable maker Hellenic Cables, has entered into a framework agreement to supply and install export cables for two 750 MW floating wind farms off the coast of Southern Brittany in France.The agreement was signed with France's transmission system operator RTE, which is developing an offshore power grid to connect future wind farms.Jan De Nul will install the cables that transport the renewable energy…

The Interior Department has now approved more than 19 gigawatts of offshore wind energy.The Biden-Harris administration today announced the approval of the SouthCoast Wind Project – the nation’s 11th commercial-scale offshore wind energy project approved under President Biden’s leadership. With today’s approval, the Department and its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management have approved over 19 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy from offshore wind energy projects – enough to power more…

U.S.

KENC Engineering has secured multiple contract awards from an unnamed transport and installation (T&I) contractor to provide engineering work for a jack-up vessel set for operations at U.K. offshore wind farm.KENC’s scope of work includes the design and engineering of a hose reel platform that houses the HPU (hydraulic power unit), a hose saddle, a control cabin work frame and a gangway platform. The challenge was to come up with custommade solutions that were light, stable and strong to fit the deck requirements of the jack-up vessel.Engineering is already well underway…

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract with Golar LNG, valued over $25 million, to provide an integrated package of electrical, control, safety and propulsion systems for the Golar MK II floating liquified natural gas (FLNG) vessel.Konsberg’s equipment will form key part of the new onboard systems for a major rebuild project in which Golar’s LNG tanker Fuji LNG, will be lengthened by nearly 100 meters and converted to a FLNG vessel.The work is being carried out at the CIMC Raffles shipyard in Yantai…

Alexandre de Gusmão floating, production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit has departed in China and is now on its way to Brazil where it will be deployed at Petrobras’ Mero field, in the Santos Basin.The Alexandre de Gusmão FPSO left China on December 16, following the completion of the construction at COSCO Shipping’s shipyard and the delivery to leasing partners SBM Offshore and Petrobras.The FPSO can produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day and compresses 12 million cubic meters of gas daily.The unit is expected to start operations in 2025…

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has awarded Hanwha Ocean an Approval in Principle (AIP) for its Pre-FEED standard FPSO design intended to create an asset optimized for deployment in the deep waters of West Africa.The FPSO design is 340 meters long and capable of storing approximately 2.38 million barrels of crude oil, with a daily crude oil production capacity of 190,000 barrels.Developed to accommodate topsides for crude oil and or gas production facilities, the hull is designed…

With four commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs) currently under construction, German shipowner Windward Offshore has formed strategic partnerships with major industry suppliers such as Ampelmann, MAN Energy Solutions, and others, to ensure safe and high-quality delivery of the vessels.The CSOVS, two being built in Norway and two in Vietnam, are part of the contracts Windward Offshore signed with Vard for the design and construction of two hybrid CSOVs, which was later expanded to four vessels.The first vessel is scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2025…

Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) have partnered up to develop Floating CO2 Storage Units (FCSU) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects in the Republic of Korea in an effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions.The collaboration will center on validating and certifying cutting-edge CCS technologies that are cost-effective and sustainable.By blending BV's certification expertise with SHI's innovative technology, the partnership aims to set new industry standards and accelerate the deployment of CCS solutions that can drive a greener…

Golar LNG has decided to call off the floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel conversion job with Seatrium, following the sale of a Moss type liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier Golar Gandria for demolition.The first two floating liquefaction vessels delivered by Seatrium to Golar LNG are Hilli Episeyo deployed in the Kribi gas field located offshore Cameroon, and Golar Gimi FLNG deployed in the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim field located offshore Mauritania and Senegal.Following Golar LNG’s sale of the 1977-built Golar Gandria for demolition in 2023…

Wind parks operating in the Spanish region of Galicia will be obliged to replace ageing turbines after 25 years under a package of measures approved by the regional parliament on Tuesday, sparking an outcry from the renewables industry.Under the rules which come into force on Jan. 1, developers risk losing their operating permits unless they begin replacing 25-year-old turbines with new, more efficient and taller wind mills.Critics say the measure - the first of its kind to be approved in Europe - jeopardises the development of essential renewable projects and increases legal uncertainty.

Geoquip Marine, a Njord Partners portfolio company, has added a seventh vessel to their fleet, which is being converted from a platform supply vessel (PSV) to the geotechnical services platform for the offshore energy sector.The Geoquip Silvretta vessel, originally built as PSV by Green Yard Kleven (Green Yard), is being converted in Norway.The conversion, scheduled for completion in spring 2025, will include the installation of Geoquip's largest drilling rig, the GMTR150.The rig will ensure a low carbon footprint…