Daily Archives: August 8, 2017

The Government has given the green light to a major offshore wind farm which could prove to be the cheapest yet in UK waters.

Greg Clark, the Business and Energy Secretary, granted ScottishPower planning permission to build the second phase of its East Anglia wind farm 42 miles off the coast of Norfolk using wind turbines more than two and a half times the height of Londons Big Ben.

The 1.2GW project could produce enough electricity to power nearly a million homes by 2025, and is expected to be better value than the first phase of the development which is the cheapest to go into construction so far.

ScottishPower Renewables, owned by Spain's Iberdrola,will need to compete with other projects in an auction to secure a contract which guarantees a set revenue streamthrough top-up payments from consumer bills.

The first phase of the East Anglia project is the cheapest offshore wind project to be built, but the 119 per megawatt hour deal has nonetheless raised calls for developers to work harder to reduce the burden on bill payers.

The project cost is roughly 30pc higher than EDFs Hinkley Point C nuclear plant which has attracted fierce criticism for being too expensive to build or support.

Originally posted here:

UK greenlights ScottishPower's offshore wind farm - Telegraph.co.uk

By Laura Leslie

Raleigh, N.C. Federal regulators again want to hear what North Carolinians think about allowing oil and gas drilling off the state's coast.

Last year, former President Barack Obama's administration adopted a five-year energy plan that excluded drilling off the East Coast. But President Donald Trump has said he wants to see more offshore energy development, so his administration has tossed aside the 2016 plan and is starting over.

As part of that process, a public hearing was held Monday night in Wilmington, and others are set for Morehead City on Wednesday and Manteo on Thursday.

Gov. Roy Cooper said last month that he's opposed to opening the coast to offshore exploration and drilling, saying he doesn't think the risk to the state's coastal tourism and commercial fishing industries of a major oil spill are worth the limited revenue North Carolina would receive from the move.

"In some quarters of the Gulf Coast, they're still trying to recover from the impact of Deepwater Horizon," said Margaret Lillard, spokeswoman for the North Carolina Sierra Club, referring to the 2010 BP oil spill from that fouled large swaths of shoreline from Louisiana to Florida.

"North Carolina's coastal economy is based primarily on tourism and on fishing, commercial and recreational. They've got to have a clean environment," Lillard said.

Advocates for the oil and gas industry says those fears are overblown, maintaining such disasters are rare. They say drilling off the coast could create good-paying jobs in counties where they're badly needed.

"Embracing our nations offshore energy potential would bring enormous benefits to North Carolina," said David McGowan, executive director of the North Carolina Petroleum Council. "Our state is uniquely positioned to add thousands of additional jobs and increase local revenue through safe and environmentally responsible offshore energy development. The industry has a long history of safe offshore operations, which can safely coexist with our tourism and fishing industries while providing much needed diversity for local economies."

"A sensible, robust energy policy will provide a much needed boost at a time when North Carolinas middle class is struggling," added Michael Whatley, executive vice president of the Consumer Energy Alliance. "An all-of-the-above approach, which includes offshore energy development, will create tens of thousands of quality, living-wage jobs and generate billions of dollars for the states economy."

But Lillard said tourism and fishing support far more jobs in North Carolina than offshore drilling would ever create. More than 30 North Carolina communities have officially voiced opposition to offshore drilling, she noted, and a recent survey by Public Policy Polling found that seven out of 10 people in the state are concerned by the prospect of offshore drilling.

"That's people across the state who recognize the price that we would all pay in North Carolina if we were to have offshore drilling and something were to go wrong," Lillard said. "It's just not worth the potential impact."

Anyone who wants to register his or her opinion on the issue but cannot make one of the three public hearings can submit comments in writing by Aug. 15 to Timothy Webster, 217 W. Jones St., 1601 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1601 or via email to timothy.webster@ncdenr.gov. All comments will be forwarded to the U.S. Department of Interior.

More:

Offshore drilling backers, opponents ready for NC battle :: WRAL.com - WRAL.com

Telecom fraud suspects from Fiji arrive in Changchun, China after being deported. Photograph: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock

Fiji has deported 77 Chinese nationals accused of running a phone and online scam targeting victims in mainland China, the latest in a series of overseas crackdowns orchestrated by Beijing.

The mass arrest and expulsion was part of a month-long operation involving both Fijian and Chinese law enforcement agencies, and echoes similar joint operations carried out in Indonesia and Cambodia last week.

Cyber criminals targeting victims in China have increasingly exploited technological advances to operate from abroad in a bid to evade authorities.

The Fiji-based ring is suspected of involvement in more than 50 telecom and online fraud cases, and cost victims in China more than six million yuan (US$892,000), Fijian police said Tuesday, without giving precise details of the scams.

These 77 Chinese nationals have been sent back to China from Fiji on 4 August, 2017, the Fiji police and Chinese embassy in Suva said in a joint statement.

The accused were flown to Changchun in northeast Chinas Jilin Province.

Chinas official Xinhua news agency said the scam came to light after one of the victims was swindled out of 1.3m yuan and committed suicide, triggering a large-scale investigation.

The probe exposed an illegal online gambling and lottery gang involving more than 200 suspects based in China, Indonesia and Fiji who had illegally taken nearly 100m yuan.

A team of Chinese police were sent to Fiji four weeks ago and on 18 July they arrested the 77 suspects and confiscated equipment, including mobile phones, computers and bank cards.

Another 83 people were arrested in China.

Beijing has become increasingly assertive in extraditing overseas fraud suspects.

Last week, Indonesia deported 143 people, including 22 Taiwanese, to China over fraud cases, days after police said they had busted a sprawling US$450m cyber fraud ring targeting wealthy businessmen and politicians in China.

The deportations drew a strong protest from Taiwan, which said the Taiwanese suspects should have been returned to the island.

Taiwans representative office in Suva said it had been assured by Fiji police that the 77 deported from the South Pacific nation were all nationals of the Peoples Republic of China.

Also last week, Cambodia arrested more than 200 Chinese men and women suspected of running an online scam that persuaded victims to send nude photographs and then extorted them for cash, after a tip-off from Chinese authorities.

Read more from the original source:

Mass deportation of Chinese from Fiji in latest offshore crackdown by Beijing - The Guardian

More than 100 people attended a public hearing in Wilmington to voice opinions on the 2019-2024 national outer continental shelf oil and gas leasing program (Photo: Sarah Johnson/WWAY)

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) State environmental officials are looking for public input about the potential impact of oil and gas exploration and development off our coast.

President Trump signed an executive order in April that could expand drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans.

I have friends on all sides of that issue, Congressman David Rouzer said.

Offshore drilling is a hot topic on our coast. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality held a public hearing to gather feedback and to see what people think about the proposed oil and gas leasing program, along with seismic surveying proposed by the Trump Administration. Many say they worry drilling could hurt marine life.

Im a charter boat captain and I depend a lot on the habitat off shore, one oil spill would destroy all that habitat, Captain Dave Timpy said. The damages would be tremendous.

More than 100 came out to the New Hanover County Government Complex, many said they oppose offshore drilling, but US Congressman David Rouzer, who met with local leaders in Wilmington earlier Monday disagrees.

I think its important for job creation, particularly if you go to our inner counties like Bladen County, Columbus County, that are in such dire straights, Rouzer said. I think energy production could be a big boost in many ways, particularly for our beaches. As far as renourishment efforts and dredging of our inlets and our waterways, if structured the right way.

Governor Roy Cooper has stated he is opposed to offshore drilling.

So I think a very strong no from Governor Cooper, were hoping carries a lot of weight, as well as governors up and down the coast, who will say that the people of their states do not want this off the coast and dont need this, Andy McGlinn with the Cape Fear Sierra Club said.

While some said we do not need this, others said it will bring more opportunities to the area.

We believe that North Carolina has a tremendous opportunity from an economic perspective, from a national security perspective and even from an environmental perspective, to pursue clean burning natural gas off our coast, and do so in a way that creates jobs and stimulates economic development here in North Carolina, Executive Director of the North Carolina Petroleum Council David McGowan said.

North Carolina Environmental Quality Public Information Officer Bridget Munger said 162 people attended Monday nights public hearing in Wilmington, with 37 of those people signing up to speak and voice their opinions.

If you would like to voice your opinions, you have until August 15, 2017 to submit comments by regular mail to:

Timothy Webster 217 West Jones St. 1601 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-1601

or by e-mail to timothy.webster@ncdenr.gov.

There will also be public hearings on August 9 at the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City and August 10 at the Dare County Government Complex in Manteo.

See original here:

Dozens weigh in on offshore drilling - WWAY NewsChannel 3

Information from the front lines of the offshore market drilling company marketing departments suggest that contracting activity is improving. We were treated to various drilling company CEO commentary about the market outlook, along with explanations about adjusting corporate strategies, during their recent earnings conference calls. Some comments were directed to strategy shift updates already underway, while other comments focused on the need for companies to rationalize rig fleets in order to be positioned for the upcoming industry recovery.

So when is the market recovery coming? According to Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. CEO Marc Edwards, Were looking at a recovery that is probably the back-end of 2019, in terms of not only utilization ticking back up but also looking at a time when pricing power might return in our space.

This view was essentially echoed by Ensco PLCs CEO Carl Trowell, when he told analysts. We expect that the recovery in the offshore sector will be prolonged and paced. While less defined than Edwards timetable, Trowell also pointed out that More projects have reached final investment decision sanction this year than we did for all of 2016, providing a pipeline of future offshore work in the years ahead.

Those observations are consistent with a slow and steady recovery from the worst industry depression in history. This downturn, combined with its slow recovery, has forced every energy company to reassess, and in most cases, adjust its corporate strategy. Both Diamond Offshore and Ensco have acted, and plan further steps to position themselves for maximum returns as the industry recovery unfolds.

A frank assessment of the need for offshore companies to adjust their strategies was offered by Trowell. Acknowledging that the downturn will reconfigure the offshore drilling industry, he suggested successful drilling contractors must be well capitalized as well as possessing the technology, systems, scale, and diversification to help customers lower their development costs.

Ultimately, lower offshore costs is the key condition to be achieved by the industry before a healthy recovery can be sustained. A recent study by Wood Mackenzie pointed out that the offshore well breakeven prices are now down to $50 a barrel, meaning that at current oil prices, producers are essentially trading dollars, but banking on higher prices or lower costs in the future. That scenario, however, is better than past conditions when producers would have been losing $20-$30 a barrel.

Lower drilling rig, supply vessel and service company prices have been part of the equation for lower breakeven prices, but technology is another significant contributor, and one that has greater sustainability. Edwards, of Diamond Offshore, pointed to the early success of his companys partnership with General Electric to deliver pressure control by the hour service. He highlighted that this unique contract helped boost the revenue efficiency of Diamond Offshores black rigs by over 300 basis points quarter over quarter. As evidence, he cited drilling a well in the Gulf of Mexico to 31,000, 30% faster than planned, which contributed to better returns for his customer.

Offshore companies are making significant progress in reducing costs, shrinking fleets and promoting new technologies that will contribute to improved returns for their customers. It should also be rewarding for the service companies, too. As we near a market tipping point, the recovery will begin accelerating. The leading drilling contractors may be sensing the tipping point drawing near.

Read the original here:

Emerging signs of offshore market improvement - WorkBoat (blog)

A 12,000-tonne mobile offshore production unit constructed by Topaz Energy and Marine. The company will work with Dragon Oil in Turkmenistan. Courtesy Topaz Energy and Marine

Dubai-based Topaz Energy and Marine will supply vessels to Dragon Oil, the upstream unit of Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc), for the development of Turkmenistans offshore hydrocarbon resources.

The Turkmenistan area, which is Dragon Oils principal producing asset, is in the eastern section of the Caspian Sea with the extracted oil and gas heading to Azerbaijan and Russia. The company has drilled more than a hundred new wells since the start of its production sharing agreement in 2000, and will maintain its control until 2025, from which time Dragon Oil will have the option to negotiate an extension of at least 10 years or more.

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Read more:

Enoc to expand with exploration and production unit

Enoc names former Adnoc offshore chief as head of its Dragon Oil unit

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The US$100 million contract is for six vessels, including an emergency recovery and response boat, is for five years with a two-year option. The oil services company said that it had already started preparing the vessels for deployment to the Cheleken contract area.

Ren Kofod-Olsen, the chief executive of Topaz, said that the project increased the firms revenue backlog above $1.5 billion which it said was the highest in the industry.

Our solid funding also means that we are able to structure long-term commercial terms which offer predictability and value to our clients at very low counterparty risk, he said.

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Read more:

Rebound foreseen for oilfield services companies

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Topaz, like many oil services companies, felt the pressure of sustained low oil prices, swinging to a loss of $2.4m last year with a fleet utilisation rate of 60 per cent. Mr Kofod-Olsen said in March that he expected this year to be challenging with a pick up in the second half.

More:

Topaz to help Dragon Oil develop Turkmenistan's offshore oil and gas - The National