LNG

BW LNG, the ship-owning subsidiary of Singapore-based BW Group, has taken delivery of the newbuild “BW Helios” with 174,000 cubic metres capacity from Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering in South Korea.

The carrier, which will sail under a term charter with UK major BP, is the second LNG carrier to join BW LNG's fleet so far this year, after the 174,000 cubic metres capacity “BW Lesmes” was delivered by DSME in March.

BW LNG has a further two carriers remaining on its orderbook, the 174,000 cubic metres capacity “BW Iris” and same-sized “BW Cassia”, which are due for delivery in August-September 2022.

The BW Group has main offices in Bermuda, Singapore and Norway with a fleet of around 400 vessels, including 26 LNG carriers, 159 liquefied petroleum gas vessels and 160 products tankers.

A total of three new LNG carriers have joined the BW global LNG fleet so far in May, with Greek owners TMS Cardiff Gas and Alpha Gas each receiving a carrier earlier this month.

A further three carriers are scheduled to join the global fleet by the end of the month, with Danish owner Celsius, Norwegian firm Flex LNG and Japanese owner NYK Lines all due to pick up a single carrier.

LNG carrier deliveries are expected to slow from the third quarter, with 12 scheduled for both the third and fourth quarters of this year, before slowing further in 2022-2023.

In other activities in mid-May 20121, BW Group said a $128.3 million financial package was arranged to help fund a converted floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) as part of a gas-for-power project in the Latin American nation of El Salvador.

The financial package has a 15-year contractual term. The funds provide resources for the purchase and conversion of the “BW Tatiana” LNG carrier to an FSRU.
This is the region's first FSRU, which will be permanently moored at the Port of Acajutla in El Salvador.

BW LNG is developing the project with Invenergy, a multinational power generation and operations company.

Invenergy and BW LNG will jointly commission, operate and maintain the FSRU.

Chevron Corp., the US major with liquefied natural gas stakes in Western Australia and Angola, reported a drop in earnings in the first quarter of over 60 percent and has outlined its repair and maintenance schedule for the Australian LNG processing Trains.

Sempra Energy, the California-based utility and the newest US liquefied natural gas exporter with its liquefaction plant in Hackberry in Louisiana, said it was consistently working to strengthen its infrastructure to cope with extreme weather conditions in its home state and to supply LNG as clean energy to Asia to replace coal.

Sempra said its role includes taking a leadership position in modernizing North American natural gas pipelines and to increase safety and reliability.

It was also developing a comprehensive wildfire mitigation plan to help prevent electric equipment-related fires in California and to improve the ability of the power grid to meet extreme demand periods.

“In addition, the company expects to play a leadership role in the worldwide shift away from coal toward lower-emissions natural gas through the development of five LNG infrastructure projects in North America that should enable the delivery of LNG to consumers around the world,” stated Sempra in its corporate sustainability report.

The Cameron facility is one of three LNG export plants Sempra is developing in the region, along with Port Arthur LNG in Texas and the Costa Azul plant on the Pacific Coast of Mexico.

The five projects referred to are the expansion of Cameron and Port Arthur.

Sempra expects to become one of the largest US exporters of LNG with targeted volumes of 45 million tonnes per annum.

“Delivering energy with purpose is how we improve the lives of those we serve and is an integral part of who we are,” said Jeffrey W. Martin, Chairman and Chief Executive of Sempra.

“With a strong focus on safety, innovation and environmental stewardship, our company will deliver cleaner energy to the world - with purpose. This focus makes our company more effective and efficient,” he added.

Sempra’s main utilities in California are San Diego Gas & Electric Company and Southern California Gas Co.

San Diego-based Sempra also owns the Texas utility business Oncor and assets in Mexico through its Infraestructura Energetica Nova (IEnova) subsidiary.

“Sustainability will continue to be a key focus as we carry out our mission to be North America's premier energy infrastructure company,” noted Dennis V. Arriola, Executive Vice President.

“We recognize that we have a leadership role to play in the broader world and we're committed to doing the right thing and acting in an ethical and transparent manner in all aspects of our business,” stated Arriola.