Pennsylvania plans to convert state vehicles to natural gas
Pennsylvanian Senator Stan Saylor has unveiled legislation that would involve transitioning 16,000 state vehicles to natural gas. Under the plan, the government would also provide tax credits to private entities that convert their fleets to natural gas and to public and private entities that construct and use natural gas fuelling stations. The plan would require an initial investment of $US55-60 million. The state has significant natural gas resources within the Marcellus Shale formation.
Argentina Excelerate-ing LNG sector
Excelerate Energy has signed a terms sheet with consortium of ENARSA S.A. and YPF S.A. to develop Argentina’s second LNG import facility in Escobar, approximately 50 km north of Buenos Aires. The facility will be able to receive 500 MMcf/d of natural gas and is expected to be complete in May 2011. The facility will be fully integrated with Argentina’s existing gas transmission utilities, adding flexibility and fast response to the growing markets of Buenos Aires and northern Argentina.
Gas distribution growing in Brazil
Companhia de Gas de Sao Paulo is set to install 70 km of gas distribution pipeline in the Brazilian town of Americana. The company intends to install 90 per cent of the distribution pipe using horizontal directional drilling. Two pressure reducing stations will also be installed as part of the project, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2011.
Netherlands gets first LNG truck refuelling station
Vos Logistics has officially opened the Netherlands’ first LNG truck refuelling station in the municipality of Oss. The company undertook the project in conjunction with Mercedes-Benz Nederland, LNG Europe, Van Gansewinkel and Indox CryoEnergy Spain. Vos Logistics CEO Frank Verhoeven said that the company aimed to convert a significant proportion of its trucks to LNG, starting with the conversion of 50-100 of its trucks.
Construction starts on Serbian section of South Stream pipeline
Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic and Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Konuzin have attended an official ceremony to commemorate the commencement of construction on the South Stream gas pipeline in the southeast Serbian town of Nis. The South Stream Pipeline will travel 900 km under the Black Sea, transporting up to 63 Bcm/a of natural gas from Russia to South and central Europe. The first stage of the pipeline will involve the construction of a 52 km section of the pipeline from Nis to Leskovac, expected to be complete by May 2011.
South Africa needs bigger gas market: Energy Minister
South African Energy Minister Dipuo Peters has called for a greater reliance on gas over coal in the country, despite its lack of domestic gas resources. Ms Peters said that “Gas as a commodity emphatically fits in South Africa’s energy policy position.”? Citing the country’s dependency on neighbouring countries for natural gas, Ms Peters noted that the natural gas market would play a key role in developing a strong economic system in the Southern Africa Development Community.
China receives coal-to-gas unit
Bixby Energy Systems has shipped its first coal-to-gas devolitisation unit to Tianjin, China. The unit will be assembled in Tianjin before conducting testing and being installed into a power generation facility in Xilinhot, a city in Inner Mongolia. The devolitisation unit derives natural gas from raw coal without burning it.
Philippines power station gets upgrade
ABB has upgraded the distributed control system of the 1,200 MW combined-cycle gas-fired Iljan power station in Batangas City, Philippines. The station is the largest power generator in the country, using natural gas from the offshore Malampaya field. ABB will upgrade the operator stations and servers and significantly increase the speed of the network, as well as provide loop segmentation to enable partial shutdown of the plant in planned or emergency situations.