Brazilian alumina refinery to be powered by natural gas
US-based New Fortress Energy (NFE) said December 13 it executed on a deal that sees gas from a regasification terminal in Brazil sent to an alumina refinery operated by Norway’s Norsk Hydro.
NFE said it executed a 15-year natural gas supply agreement with a subsidiary of Norsk Hydro to feed the latter’s Alunorte alumina refinery in the Brazilian state of Para.
Under the terms of the agreement, NFE will supply the equivalent of 1mn gallons of LNG/day from a regasification terminal to the refinery. The company said that shifting from oil to natural gas could reduce the refinery’s annual CO2 emissions by as much as 700,000 metric tons/year.
“Supply of natural gas from NFE’s Barcarena LNG terminal will support Hydro in shifting Alunorte to cleaner fuels and will significantly advance Brazil’s energy transition,” NFE Chairman Wes Edens said.
The refinery itself should complete its full transition to natural gas by 2023.