Svitzer to field test MAN methanol engine
Danish tugboat operator and Maersk subsidiary Svitzer will conduct a field test on the dual-fuel methanol MAN 175D engine on a newbuild tugboat under an initial agreement.
Svitzer had opted for the MAN 175D diesel engines to be installed on newbuild tugboats last year, and is now working with German manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions on the development and use of a dual-fuel version of the engine — which will be methanol compatible.
Svitzer's parent shipping firm Maersk currently has two methanol-fuelled vessels — the Laura Maersk and the Ane Maersk — and has another 23 on order, along with offtake agreements for green methanol.
Argus assessed the price of grey methanol on a dob Rotterdam basis at an average of $722.26/t very-low sulphur fuel oil energy density equivalent (VLSFOe) in March, a discount of just under $48/t to marine gasoil (MGO) — which is typically the fuel of choice for tugboats operating in northwest Europe. But the price of biomethanol on the energy density equivalent was at $2,256.22/t, a premium of over $1,486/t to MGO. Maersk expects biomethanol to reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by about 65pc.
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US court upholds RFS blending targets for 2020-22
US court upholds RFS blending targets for 2020-22
Washington, 14 May (Argus) — A federal appeals court has affirmed biofuel blending requirements for 2020-22 under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), rejecting lawsuits from refineries and renewable fuel producers challenging the standards. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acted within its authority in the rule when it revised the biofuel blending targets to account for small refinery exemptions it expected it would award in the future, the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit said today in a 2-1 ruling. The court rejected a complaint by refineries that argued EPA could only revise the annual biofuel blending targets based on exemptions it had already approved in the past. "The statute does not confine EPA to the Refiner Petitioners' preferred method of accounting for small refinery exemptions," DC Circuit judge Cornelia Pillard wrote on behalf of the majority. "EPA's choice to account for them both retrospectively and prospectively is not arbitrary or capricious." The ruling leaves intact a 2022 rule that required renewable fuel blending to increase to 20.63bn USG by 2022, up from 17.13bn USG in 2020. For the first time under the RFS, the rule used a new formula that tried to avoid a recurrent issue under which EPA failed to account for upcoming requests from small refineries for exemptions from the RFS. EPA has subsequently decided to start denying all small refinery exemptions, under a new argument that small refiners do not face a disproportionate hardship from complying with the RFS. But if the courts throw out that finding in a pending lawsuit , the formula at issue in today's court ruling could take on a greater relevance for how EPA accounts for small refinery exemptions when setting biofuel blending targets. The DC Circuit rejected a separate lawsuit by cellulosic ethanol producers that said EPA should have required increased blending of cellulosic ethanol, based in part on the availability of carryover compliance credits. The court found EPA had adequate authority to waive volumetric targets set by the US Congress in 2007 based on its finding there were inadequate domestic supplies of the fuel, which is produced from plant fibers. Judge Gregory Katsas, who dissented from the ruling, said he believed the biofuel blending requirements for 2022 were set "arbitrarily high." Katsas cited EPA's finding that those standards would impose an estimated $5.7bn in additional costs for fuel but only deliver $160mn in energy security benefits. Katsas also faulted EPA for increasing the biofuel blending targets by 250mn USG in 2022 to "cancel out a legal error" from biofuel blending targets in 2016. Katsas said there was no authority to transfer volume requirements from one year to another. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Saras sees diesel margin improvement later in the year
Saras sees diesel margin improvement later in the year
Barcelona, 14 May (Argus) — Italian independent refiner Saras said today it expects diesel margins to rise later in the year, boosting profits at its 300,000 b/d Sarroch refinery. The comapny said there has been a "drastic decline" in regional diesel margins since the first quarter of the year, caused by cargoes from the US arriving at the same time as supplies from east of Suez that had been delayed by taking the longer Cape of Good Hope route. This is not necessarily bad for Saras' profits, said the firm's chief operating officer Marco Schiavetti. "All these logistic de-optimisations are supporting diesel cracks in particular, volatility in the market is supportive for the business in general," he said. The company expects diesel margins to rise later in the year. Saras said today that some maintenance works on Sarroch's crude distillation units (CDU) would take place in the second quarter and again in the fourth quarter. There will also be works in both periods on the firm's adjacent IGCC power plant. Saras' prospective purchase by trading firm Vitol could close within a couple of months. Saras' chairman Massimo Moratti said there are "no obstacles" to the deal from Italian authorities, with the firm waiting on EU approval including regulations on antitrust law. Deputy chief executive Franco Balsamo said: "We do not have any disclosure on the expected end of the process, but in my point of view in a couple of months we should receive a green light from the EU." There has not yet been co-operation between Saras and Vitol regarding refinery operations, said Balsamo. "Vitol is one of the largest broker in this market so we have regular business with them when there are mutual economic conditions," he said. "But as far as any formal co-operation it is not the right time. We are waiting for all the necessary procedures." The company made a profit of €77.4mn ($83.5mn) in the January-March period, lower by 44pc from the first quarter of 2023. Profits were very similar to €76.6mn in the first quarter of 2022 when refining margins began rising following the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the start of February that year. Company crude throughput forecast has historically been changeable. But 2024 guidance remains the same as previous statements at 265,000-275,000 b/d. The firm said its first quarter crude gravity was 32.5°API almost identical to Argus ' assessment of the refinery slate . By Adam Porter Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
HVO-Zulassung steht bevor
HVO-Zulassung steht bevor
Hamburg, 14 May (Argus) — Die Zulassung von HVO zum freien Verkauf an deutschen Tankstellen steht laut dem BMUV kurz bevor. Die Zahl der Tankstellen, an denen HVO bereits erhältlich ist, wächst. Eine Sprecherin des Bundesministeriums für Umwelt- und Verbraucherschutz (BMUV) bestätigte gegenüber Argus , dass die Zulassung von HVO durch die Veröffentlichung der Novelle der 10. Verordnung zur Durchführung des Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetzes (10. BImSchV) bevorsteht. Die Novelle liegt dem Bundespräsidialamt zur Überprüfung vor, so eine Sprecherin des Amtes. Dies ist der letzte Schritt vor der Veröffentlichung im Bundesgesetzblatt. Unklar ist jedoch, ob sich die Veröffentlichung dadurch verzögern könnte, dass die Novelle des Saubere-Fahrzeuge-Beschaffungs-Gesetz zuerst veröffentlicht werden muss, was bisher noch nicht geschehen ist. Marktteilnehmer bereiten derweilen ihre Tankstelleninfrastruktur auf die Zulassung vor. Der Verein eFuelsNow e.V. verzeichnet etwa 150 Tankstellen in Deutschland, die schon HVO100 anbieten. In 2023 gab es in Deutschland laut Daten des Branchenverbands en2x etwa 14.500 Tankstellen, womit knapp 1 % aller Tankstellen bereits HVO führen. Die Tendenz ist dabei steigend; mehrere Anbieter haben bereits zusätzliche Standorte angekündigt. Der Großteil dieser Tankstellen befindet sich in Hessen, Baden-Württemberg, Bayern, Nordrhein-Westfalen und Niedersachsen. Einige Anbieter sind mittlerweile dazu übergegangen, HVO bereits vor der offiziellen Zulassung frei zu verkaufen, während andere Anbieter HVO weiterhin nur in geschlossenen Kundenkreisen über Clubs mit Zugangskarte verkaufen. Von Max Steinhau Senden Sie Kommentare und fordern Sie weitere Informationen an feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
Philippines' JG Summit delays cracker restart
Philippines' JG Summit delays cracker restart
Singapore, 14 May (Argus) — The Philippines' sole cracker operator JG Summit has delayed the restart of its Batangas cracker by another week because of technical glitches. The cracker was shut on 9 May on technical issues and was scheduled to restart over the weekend of 10 May, but this has been delayed again to the weekend of 17 May because of other technical glitches, according to sources close to the company. JG Summit's cracker has a nameplate capacity of 480,000 t/yr of ethylene and 240,000 t/yr of propylene. Toong Shien Lee Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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