Daily Energy News
Policy & Regulatory
Brazil registers 94 GW of projects for the A-5 auction in September 2021
11 Jun 2021
The Brazilian state-owned company Energy Research Office (EPE) has registered 1,694 projects totalling 93,859 MW for the A-5 new energy auction, expected on 30 September 2021, including 52 gas-fired power projects totalling 34.6 GW, 32.3 GW of solar (835 projects) and 22.8 GW of wind (690 projects). In addition, 3 coal-fired power projects (1.3 GW), 31 biomass-fired projects (1.5 GW), 71 hydropower projects (1.1 GW) and 12 urban waste projects (315 MW) have registered for the auction.
South Africa will ease licensing rules for private power project up to 100 MW
11 Jun 2021
South Africa will ease rules for private power generation, exempting projects up to 100 MW from licensing requirements. In April 2021, the country relaxed licensing regulations for private power projects up to 10 MW.
Iran spent US$35bn on natural gas subsidies in 2020
10 Jun 2021
The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) paid U$35bn in natural gas subsidies in 2020 (+35% compared to 2018). According to the Ministry of Oil, Iran would be experiencing the most significant rise in subsidies to fossil-based electricity, alongside Venezuela, Mexico, Egypt and China.
The Netherlands grants half of SDE++ subsidies to the Porthos CCS project
10 Jun 2021
The Dutch government has awarded €2.1bn subsidies to the 2.5 MtCO2/year Port of Rotterdam Transport Hub and Offshore Storage (Porthos) project, as part of the first €4.6bn SDE++ round. In total, nearly 3,500 projects will receive a subsidy, including more than 3,400 solar projects, for a total amount of up to €4.6bn. If all the projects are fully realised, they could result in 3.29 Mt/year of CO2 emission reduction.
Companies
Equinor will sell the 5.5 Mt/year Kalundborg refinery in Denmark
11 Jun 2021
The Norwegian oil and gas group Equinor has entered into an agreement with the Klesch Group to sell its 5.5 Mt/year Kalundborg refinery in Denmark. The transaction also encompasses a terminal in the northwest of Zealand and the Hedehusene terminal near Copenhagen. The deal is subject to approvals, including from the Danish authorities.
Forecasts
Colombia plans to produce 780-800 kb/d in 2021
11 Jun 2021
Colombia expects its crude oil production to remain between 780,000 bbl/d and 800,000 bbl/d in 2021, close to the 2020 average. Production has been disrupted due to political protests in the second quarter of 2021 that blocked oil fields but the Ministry of Mines and Energy expects production to recover in the second half of 2021.
The country’s oil output fell by around 12% in 2020 due to low oil prices and falling demand. In 2019, Colombia produced 895 kbl (+2.4% compared to 2018).
Infrastructure & Investments
TC Energy cancels the Keystone XL oil pipeline project (Canada/US)
11 Jun 2021
TC Energy has officially cancelled the Keystone XL oil pipeline project, which had been facing hurdles for more than 12 years and the revocation of the Presidential Permit granted to the project in the United States in January 2021.
Gazprom starts commissioning the 42 bcm/year Amur gas processing plant (Russia)
11 Jun 2021
Gazprom has commissioned the first of six production trains at the Amur Gas Processing Plant (GPP) located near the town of Svobodny, Amur Region in eastern Russia. The plant, which will have a total capacity of 42 bcm/year, requires a total investment of RUB1,000bn (US$13.8bn) and is scheduled to be fully commissioned in 2024-2025. The project will process gas output from the Chayandinskoye field (Yakutia) and the Kovyktinskoye field (Irkutsk Region) and help supply natural gas to China via the Power of Siberia gas pipeline.
A 330 kV power line will connect Nigeria, Niger, Togo, and Burkina Faso
11 Jun 2021
Nigeria, Niger, Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso plan to build the 875 km-long, 330 kV Northcore Power Transmission Line project, which will run across the four countries. Nigeria expects to export around 2,000 MW of electricity thanks to the new transmission line. The US$570m project will be part of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), which aims to create a power grid at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) level.
Iraq plans to build 8 nuclear reactors totalling 11 GW
11 Jun 2021
Iraq is looking to develop 8 nuclear reactors totalling 11 GW to tackle the power shortage. The country plans to seeks funding from partners for the US$40bn plan and reimburse the costs over two decades. The Iraqi authorities have held talk on the subject with South Korea and Russia.
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