Natural Gas Daily: October 7th, 2020

European Tech Consultancies Join Up in CCUS Push

Three technology research companies – DNV GL, Sintef and Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) – have joined forces to promote carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) technology in emissions-heavy industries.

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• The companies, which have all contributed to the work behind Norway’s Longship project, signed a memorandum of understanding to make full-scale CCS a reality globally, they said.

• DNV GL's 2020 Energy Transition Outlook published a month ago forecasts that the technology will help mitigate more than 2 gigatons of CO₂ emissions by mid-century.

NextDecade Targets Zero CO2 at Rio Grande LNG

US LNG developer NextDecade aims to reduce CO₂ emissions at its planned Rio Grande liquefaction terminal by 90% using carbon, capture and storage technology and other processes, it said on October 6. The company added it was exploring options to deal with the remaining 10%.

• NextDecade had hoped to take a final investment decision on the 27mn metric ton/year Rio Grande project this year, but has delayed the move until 2021.

Russian LNG Producer Joins Methane Initiative

Private Russian gas producer and LNG plant operator Novatek has signed the Methane Guiding Principles Initiative (MGPI), it said. The MGPI is a partnership between industry and non-industry organisations set up to continually reduce methane emissions along the natural gas value chain.

• The upstream gas industry, keen to protect its reputation as a relatively clean energy producer, is threatened by the net zero carbon goals set by many countries, including LNG importers in the European Union (2050) and now China (2060).
  

Managing methane: Canada’s other GHG

Canadian industry and government officials are attempting to reduce primary and secondary methane emissions some 90% over the next decade as part of the country’s long-term climate change strategy, according to a discussion on methane mitigation October 5, part of NGW’s Canadian Gas Dialogues webinar series.

• Methane is second only to CO₂ as a source of greenhouse gas linked to climate change.

• On September 25, the Alberta government announced a C$52mn (US$39mn) programme to help companies pay for equipment to reduce those emissions.

Equinor Reports Project Delays and Cost Overruns

Norway's Equinor announced project delays and cost overruns, blaming the setbacks on the coronavirus pandemic and a weak Norwegian krone.

• Linge was cleared for development in 2012, and since then its costs have ballooned 96%, or by almost kroner 30bn, Equinor said.

Myanmar Developing 4 GW of RLNG Power Capacity

Myanmar is building 4 GW of regasified LNG-based (RLNG) power capacity, amid challenges faced by hydro and domestic gas-based power plants, country’s energy minister said in a video message ahead of the Japan Producer-Consumer Conference 2020.

• Earlier this year, Japan’s Marubeni Corporation, with Sumitomo Corporation, Mitsui, and Eden Group, was granted permission to develop a 1.25 GW RLNG-fired power plant in the Thilawa region of Myanmar.

• Malaysian state-run Petronas said in June it has begun deliveries of LNG to Myanmar, with two cargoes delivered in May and June 2020.