Environment

HVO: Fuel for the Future

The advancement of the energy transition is leading to a growing imperative to reduce carbon emissions in challenging-to-transform sectors. Various industries are adopting alternative fuels and embracing increased electrification to promote sustainable practices within the construction and extraction sectors. In this regard, hydrated vegetable oil (HVO) represents a pioneering alternative fuel source.

Keyera Completes 357-Mile Key Access Pipeline System

(P&GJ) — Keyera Corp. has successfully completed the Key Access Pipeline System (KAPS), a 575-kilometer (357-mile) NGLs and condensate pipeline. It will transport 350,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) of NGL and condensate from the Montney and Duvernay basins to Keyera's processing hub in Alberta's Industrial Heartland, Fort Saskatchewan.

Residual Stress in Predicted Failure Pressure Calculation—Part 2

(P&GJ) — An objective was to determine residual stress values corresponding to target probabilities, such as the 90th percentile. Every reference reviewed reported maximum stress levels, but only one-third of the references presented other residual stresses as they vary with position in the pipe.

Democratic Lawmakers Urge Biden to Halt Carbon Pipeline Permits Amid Safety Concerns

The United States should not permit any new carbon dioxide pipelines until updated federal safety regulations are finished, a dozen Democratic members of Congress said in a letter sent to President Joe Biden on Tuesday.

Biden Angers All Sides with Scaled Back Offshore Oil Drilling Plan

The Biden administration's plan to slash offshore oil and gas leasing drew fire from both the fossil fuel industry and environmentalists on Friday, with energy companies saying it will raise fuel prices and greens saying it undermines efforts to stop global warming.

Woodside Needs New Seismic Approval for Scarborough Gas Project

Australia's federal court on Thursday halted approval for Woodside to conduct seismic blasting under the seabed for its $12 billion Scarborough gas project after a legal challenge by an Indigenous woman.

Analysis: US Carbon Capture Pipeline Setbacks Reflect Challenges in Climate Fight

A series of permit rejections for two high-profile carbon pipeline projects in the U.S. Midwest could bode poorly for carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a widespread solution to climate change, reflecting deep-seated public concern about its risks and environmental impacts.

Collaboration Helps Balance Public, Owner Pipeline Project Interests

(P&GJ) — For linear projects such as pipelines, dealing with the unexpected should be expected. The best preparation for these surprises is to partner with a team structured for close collaboration between the real estate and engineering disciplines as well as everything in between.

TC Energy's Coastal GasLink Pipeline Fined for Environmental Non-Compliance

British Columbia has fined Coastal GasLink, the natural gas pipeline being built by TC Energy, $256,810 for non-compliance with environmental regulations, the Canadian province said on Thursday.

How Emissions Are Measured: Gas Concentration vs. Emission Rate

(P&GJ) — The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) proposed a rule in May that included significant measures to reduce emissions from pipelines and other midstream infrastructure.

Greenpeace Blocks Arrival of New LNG Unit at French Port

A new LNG floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) arrived in western France on Monday morning, a TotalEnergies' spokesperson said, as activist group Greenpeace tried to prevent it from entering port.

Irish Planning Body Rejects Major LNG Terminal, Cites Climate Plan

Ireland's top planning body has refused permission for a major new LNG terminal, citing the government's greenhouse gas reduction targets, a possibly fatal blow to a project supporters say is essential to the country's energy security.

Marathon Galveston Bay, Texas, FCC Expected to Remain Shut Through Late This Week

The fire-damaged, gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic cracker (FCC) at Marathon Petroleum's 593,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, Texas, is expected to be shut until late this week, said people familiar with plant operations on Friday.

BP Commits to Germany with $11 Billion Low-Carbon Investment Push

BP plans to invest up to $10.7 billion in low-carbon fuels, renewables and EV charging in Germany by the end of the decade to rival local power firms, as competition over the energy transition of Europe's largest economy intensifies.

EPA: Biden's Climate Act to Cut US Emissions by 2030 by 35-43%

The U.S. economy is on track to spew between 35% and 43% less carbon dioxide by 2030 from 2005 levels as a consequence of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a U.S. government report released on Tuesday showed.

Trans Mountain Pipeline May Face 9-Month Delay Over Route Dispute

The Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion could be delayed by up to nine months if regulators do not approve a route deviation request, the Canadian government corporation building the project said in a regulatory filing on Monday.

US Army Corps Holds Off Endorsing Energy Transfer’s Dakota Access Oil Pipeline Alternative

On Friday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for Energy Transfer's Dakota Access oil pipeline. The statement evaluated five alternatives, including options like abandoning or rerouting the pipeline, but it did not make any recommendations.

Eni, Snam Set Ambitions for Italy's First Carbon Storage Project

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is key to ensuring the survival and the competitiveness in Italy of industries including steel, cement and chemicals, energy group Eni and gas grid operator Snam said on Friday.

Kinder Morgan Says Idalia Caused Minimal Damage to Florida Terminals

Kinder Morgan on Wednesday said its Port Manatee, Port Sutton and Tampaplex terminals in Florida sustained minimal damage due to Hurricane Idalia, and that it was also planning to shut its Charleston area terminals later in the day.

Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Faces Further Delays Over Route Change Dispute

Trans Mountain Corp. fears that the expansion of its Canadian oil pipeline may be delayed further unless a regulator allows it to change its route in British Columbia, according to a First Nation that opposes the route adjustment.

Kinder Morgan Prepares to Close Florida Pipeline System Ahead of Hurricane Idalia

U.S. oil producer Chevron on Tuesday said it evacuated staff from three U.S. Gulf of Mexico oil production platforms while Kinder Morgan planned to shut its Central Florida Pipeline system, as the energy companies braced for Hurricane Idalia.

First US Gulf Offshore Wind Auction to Fuel Region's Green Hydrogen Push

The U.S. Gulf Coast region, the nation's primary offshore source of oil and gas, has cheap electricity and lacks state mandates for renewable energy procurement, making it an unlikely place to expand one of the most expensive forms of clean energy.

Equitrans Provides Root Analysis for 2022 Gas Leak at Pennsylvania Storage Facility

(P&GJ) — Equitrans Midstream Corp. has submitted information to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) regarding the root cause investigation and analysis related to the Rager Mountain Storage facility incident that occurred in November 2022.

Commonwealth LNG Partners with Baker Hughes to Enhance Louisiana LNG Facility

(P&GJ) — Commonwealth LNG has signed a strategic agreement with Baker Hughes related to Commonwealth LNG's liquefied natural gas facility under development in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

Draft Environmental Study on Dakota Access Pipeline Expected in Fall

A U.S. court last year ordered the federal government to undertake a more intensive environmental study of the pipeline's route under a lake that straddles the border of North Dakota and South Dakota.

Key Hearing for 2,000-Mile Carbon Capture Pipeline Begins in Iowa

Iowa residents living along the route of the U.S.'s largest proposed carbon capture and storage (CCS) pipeline told state regulators they were worried about possible ruptures and land takings at the start of a hearing that will determine the fate of the project.

Fidelis New Energy to Develop Carbon Neutral Hydrogen Facility in West Virginia

(P&GJ) — Fidelis New Energy has made the strategic decision to establish its inaugural net-zero carbon hydrogen production facility, featuring FidelisH2 proprietary technologies, along with a data center campus and a greenhouse system in Mason County, West Virginia.

Residual Stress in Predicted Failure Pressure Calculation

(P&GJ) — Pipeline safety regulations require performing a calculation of the predicted failure pressure (PFP) of defects as part of an engineering critical assessment. Whether to include residual stress from pipe manufacturing, and selecting the magnitude of residual stress, can significantly affect the outcome of the PFP calculation. Guidance for accounting for residual stress is inconsistent.

Pipeline Operator Trans Mountain Says British Columbia Fires Pose No Risk to Its Operations

Canadian oil pipeline system operator Trans Mountain said on Sunday that the British Columbia wildfires posed no risk to its pipeline operations or its expansion project.

Bakken Success Boosts Need for Gas Capture Innovations

(P&GJ) — While one of North Dakota’s top energy officials, Justin Kringstad, readily leads the cheers for his state’s success with industry in curbing the economic and environmentally harmful practice of flaring associated gas at well sites.