LNG

Stonepeak, the New York-based investment and asset management firm, has given a $300 million loan to California-based company Clean Energy Fuels Corp., the operator of one of America’s largest natural gas fuelling station networks.

The loan to Clean Energy Fuels, listed on the Nasdaq global exchange, is in the form of a senior secured term loan for a six-year period and will help with expansion plans.

“In addition to repaying existing loans, the financing from Stonepeak will provide Clean Energy with capital for new renewable natural gas (RNG) production facilities, as well as the expansion of the company’s fuelling infrastructure targeting the heavy-duty truck market,” said Clean Energy, based in Newport Beach, California.

The company currently provides RNG made from waste in the form of LNG and compressed natural gas (CNG) to hundreds of vehicle fleets every day.

Timely loan

“Stonepeak is one of the most well-respected infrastructure investment firms operating in the energy transition space and we’re excited to partner with them as we grow our RNG business,” said Clay Corbus, Senior Vice President for strategic development at Clean Energy.

“This financing agreement is very timely as we continue to see more RNG development opportunities come our way, and as we anticipate building additional stations to accommodate increased demand due to the arrival of the Cummins 15-liter natural gas engine,” the company explained.

Stonepeak, which has around $58 billion under management, said it regards RNG as a “practical and affordable energy solution for the transportation sector” and with good tailwinds.

“This, combined with its ability to curb fugitive methane emissions, makes it a critical part of decarbonization infrastructure, in our view,” said Michael Bricker, Senior Managing Director at Stonepeak.

“With its proven asset base and operating history, we believe that Clean Energy has differentiated itself both within this space and relative to earlier stage verticals and other platforms pursuing the energy transition. We look forward to partnering with the Clean Energy team in supporting the company’s next phase of growth,” Bricker explained.

Texas RNG

Clean Energy noted that it was currently developing a portfolio of RNG production facilities at dairy farms across the country.

The first project is producing RNG in Texas and supplying it to the transportation market in Oregon through the state’s low-carbon fuels program.

Clean Energy is also expanding its RNG fuelling infrastructure, which currently includes over 600 stations across North America.

This comes at a time when engine-maker Cummins Inc. is testing a new larger natural gas engine for heavy-duty trucks with companies like Walmart, Werner, Knight Swift and UPS.

“These fleets are experiencing an improved fuel economy with more torque and power than previous models, while at the same time dramatically reducing greenhouse-gas (GHG) and NOx emissions compared to diesel,” said the company.

“The 2024 commercial launch of the Cummins X15N engine is much anticipated by the industry,” it added.

The Stonepeak term-loan bears interest at 9.5 percent per annum. During the first two years, Clean Energy may elect to pay up to 75 percent of the interest in kind.

“In connection with this transaction, Clean Energy issued warrants to Stonepeak for the purchase of 10 million shares of common stock with an exercise price of $5.50 per share and 10 million shares of common stock with an exercise price of $6.50 per share,” said Clean Energy.

“The warrants expire on June 15, 2032 and are exercisable at any time after December 12, 2025,” the company added.

Chart Industries, the US LNG and industrial gases equipment-maker, has completed the acquisition of Fronti Fabrications Inc., a specialist in engineering, machining and welding for the cryogenic and gas sectors.

April 29 (LNG) - Grupo HAM, the Spanish LNG fuel provider building a filling station network in Europe, has opened a new service facility at a key French traffic axis for truckers and vehicles. HAM said the LNG station is at Montmarault in France, located on the road to Moulins near exit 11 of the A71. This is the motorway that connects Orleans with Clermont-Ferrand, and the nearby E62 which connects Limoges with Macon.

   “The new LNG service station in Montmarault, France, is open 24 hours a day throughout the year and is monitored to guarantee perfect operations and to quickly resolve any incidents,” said the company. HAM’s LNG station network is currently made up of more than 100 service stations, which are available on the main transport routes in Spain and Europe.

Blue Grid, an Athens-based company leading the development of the LNG and alternative fuels market in southeast Europe, has joined the Molgas group of companies after receiving a significant investment.

Blue Grid, incorporated in 2017, is developing alternative fuels supply chains delivering environmental, economic, and operational benefits to a wide range of customers.

The company’s current activity focuses on supplying LNG as a fuel to three main customer segments in industry, road transport and for marine bunkering.

Blue Grid said its broader scope includes LNG, renewable methane and bioLNG.

Molgas is a leading downstream supplier of LNG in Europe, providing volumes to over 200 industrial customers, 34 LNG fuelling stations, as well as a growing number of marine customers.

The company is active in eight countries in Europe, including Norway through its fully owned subsidiary Gasnor, a company acquired from Shell in 2021.

Molgas, which has its headquarters in Madrid, is owned by funds managed by InfraVia Capital Partners, a Paris-based private equity firm specializing in infrastructure investments.

As a new part of Molgas, Blue Grid said it would focus on accelerating growth in LNG and bioLNG supply in the broader region of southeast Europe and the East Mediterranean.

“The Molgas investment comes at an opportune time, considering the imminent commissioning of the Revithoussa truck-loading terminal, anticipated for the summer of 2022, which will allow reliable and competitive supply of LNG to final customers in the SE European region,” said Blue Grid.

The Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator (DESFA) is the owner of the Revithoussa LNG terminal.

DESFA is also constructing a small-scale LNG reloading jetty on Revithoussa island and it is expected to be operational by the end of 2023.

Piraeus bunkering

Blue Grid said it aimed to be one of the first physical suppliers of LNG to marine customers in the Port of Piraeus, and to this end, is planning to have an LNG bunkering vessel available in alignment with the commissioning of the jetty.

“We are proud to have Molgas onboard, and view this investment as a vote of confidence in the work that we have been doing in the region over the past years” said Sofoklis Papanikolaou, founder and Chief Executive of Blue Grid.

Fernando Sarasola, the Chief Executive of Molgas, said that southeast European was the next frontier for small-scale LNG and alternative fuels.

“Blue Grid is perfectly positioned to capture this market. We are very excited to be joining our forces and I am confident that together we will be bringing a lot of value to a wide range of customers,” added Sarasola.

Grupo Ham, the Spanish company from Europe’s largest importing nation which has opened almost 100 filling stations amounting to around 25 percent of existing facilities in Western Europe for LNG-powered trucks and other vehicles, has opened another facility in the city of Seville.

HAM said it opened a new LNG service station in Dos Hermanas, Seville, located in 8 Río Viejo street of La Isla Industrial Estate, next to the Autovía del Sur, also known as the Andalucía highway, one of the six main highways in Spain and the main transportation route between the centre of Spain and the south of the Iberian Peninsula.

HAM has installed a mobile unit in Dos Hermanas that allows the refuelling of LNG for heavy vehicles and trucks.

“It has a hose that allows users to refuel quickly and safely, and a payment terminal where you can pay with any debit or credit card or the HAM Card for professional use,” said the company.

“With the new opening of HAM Dos Hermanas LNG, our network currently has more than 90 service stations, available on the main European and Spanish transport routes,” it added.

EU expansion

The Spanish group said that apart from Spain it now had an expanding European Union-wide service network of stations including Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland.

“At HAM Group we work in continuous contact with our clients, offering them products and services that are adapted to their real energy needs, respectful of the environment by reducing emissions of fine particles, oxides nitrous and CO2,” the company stated.

The group also recently launched a new concept of mobile and transportable service stations.

Its EDUX product has been developed by its subsidiary HAM Criogénica, together with HAM’s research and development team.

The EDUX service station allows owners and operators to store and supply LNG for all types of trucks and heavy vehicles, keeping the liquid sub-cooled and adapting to the optimal temperature of the different brands.

The mobile units offer fast re-fuelling for Volvo, Scania or Iveco LNG-powered trucks. At the same time, the units allow fuel filling for compressed natural gas in cars, light vehicles and trucks.

The group has also expanded its network by opening several natural gas stations in the South American nations of Chile and Peru.

“EDUX is a modern mobile service station, which is monitored remotely, by registering different parameters, always guaranteeing its perfect operation and allowing a   quick solution to any incident,” explained HAM.

Grupo HAM, the Spanish company that has opened more than 100 filling stations and now operates around 25 percent of existing facilities in Europe for LNG-powered trucks and other vehicles, has launched a new concept of mobile and transportable service stations.

The group’s new mobile unit, which is called EDUX, has been developed by its subsidiary HAM Criogénica, together with HAM’s research and development team who have been in charge of the design and construction.

The EDUX service station allows owners and operators to store and supply LNG for all types of trucks and heavy vehicles, keeping the liquid subcooled and adapting to the optimal temperature of the different brands.

The mobile units offer fast re-fuelling for Volvo, Scania or Iveco LNG-powered trucks. At the same time, the units allow fuel filling for compressed natural gas in cars, light vehicles and trucks.

HAM’s own network of LNG and CNG facilities is expanding in a growing number of countries with more than 30 in Spain and the others spread around the EU in France, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands.

The group has also expanded its network by opening several natural gas stations in the South American nations of Chile and Peru.

The new mobile unit LNG filling station concept has 60,000 litres (60 cubic metres) of LNG capacity and works at low pressures (2-3 bar), has a submerged pump and can supply up to 12,000 kg/h of LNG and 300 Kg/h of CNG, with a capacity storage of 7,000Kg of CNG.

“The gas station has two ‘on the fly’ conditioning systems and has two LNG dispensers and two CNG dispensers, with an innovative nozzle, designed by HAM, with a 'no frost' system and a double anchoring system and closing, avoiding leaks or losses of liquid, in addition to facilitating disconnection without emissions of gas into the air,” explained HAM in a statement.

The selection of fuel and payments can be made independently at each of the dispensers, using any debit or credit card or the HAM Card for professional users.

“EDUX is a modern mobile service station, which is monitored remotely, by registering different parameters, always guaranteeing its perfect operation and allowing to quickly solve any incident,” added HAM

“At Grupo HAM, we continue to work and innovate, in direct contact with our customers, to develop high-quality and reliable advances in the improvement of CNG-LNG logistics infrastructures and services, taking respect for the environment as a starting point,” stated the company.

Liqvis GmbH, the liquefied natural gas fuel subsidiary of German utility Uniper, has signed another contract with its Dutch cryogenic systems designer to establish 16 skid-mounted public LNG fuelling stations in Germany and France.

Fluxys of Belgium plans to install four additional LNG truck-loading bays at the Zeebrugge import terminal as LNG demand continues to grow as a fuel replacement for diesel in northwest Europe and all around the European Union.

Zeebrugge has been in operation since 1987 and has five tanks with 566,000 cubic metres capacity of storage and a nominal 6.6 million tonnes per annum of unloading. 

“With demand for LNG as a low-emission fuel soaring, the existing truck-loading bays at the Zeebrugge LNG terminal are gradually being used at their maximum capacity,” said Fluxys.

“While the number of truck-loadings in 2017 was still around 1,450, the utilization rate for this year is estimated to rise towards 6,000 loadings, approaching the maximum capacity of 8,000,” added the company.

The Fluxys operations at Zeebrugge have also grown in importance since the start of the long-term trans-shipment contract in 2019 for Yamal LNG in Russia. The Yamal cargoes pushed shipping traffic at the Zeebrugge terminal to new heights in 2020.

A total of 172 vessels docked at the terminal, smashing the previous record of 130 in 2019.

Fluxys said that March 2020 was the busiest ever month for ship traffic at the terminal, with a total of 30 vessels docking, more than double the previous record in May 2019.
At the same time, LNG truck traffic increased by over 20 percent.

“A market interest inquiry into truck-loading slots at the Zeebrugge terminal held in mid-2020 showed strong demand for booking substantially more slots in the future,” explained Fluxys.

“With the additional truck loading bays, the market will continue to be able to count on sufficient loading capacity to meet increasing demand. The four new truck-loading bays are scheduled to become available in 2024,” stated Fluxys.

LNG trailers mainly load LNG at the Zeebrugge terminal to supply fuelling stations servicing LNG-powered trucks.

The trailers loaded at the terminal also supply LNG-powered ships and remote industrial users without connection to the gas grid.

Another option is loading LNG containers for onward intermodal transport by train or ship.

“The key demand driver for substantially more truck-loading slots at Zeebrugge is the fast-growing fleet of LNG-powered trucks and the equally strong rise in fuelling stations to service them,” noted Fluxys.

On the shipping side, Fluxys in February 2021 reached a final investment decision to build 6 MTPA of additional regasification capacity at Zeebrugge.

A total of 4.7 MTPA will be completed by early 2024 and the remainder by 2026, adding to the 6 MTPA capacity available.

Italian natural gas network operator Snam, one of Europe’s leading energy infrastructure companies and operator of two liquefied natural gas import terminals, is bringing more LNG fuel to the Eternal City with the opening of two additional filling stations in Rome.

Snam, whose name comes from Societa Nazionale Metanodotti (National Pipeline Company), operates the Italian gas grid and two LNG import terminals, the “FSRU Toscana”, moored 22 kilometres off the Italian coast between the cities of Livorno and Pisa, and the onshore Panigaglia facility near the port of Genoa.

The new Rome fillings stations were opened by Snam subsidiary Snam4Mobility in partnership with two fuel distribution operators.

They are located at via di Torre Spaccata and in via di Tor Cervara and Snam said they strengthened the growing supply of natural gas as a preferred and cleaner alternative fuel for vehicles.

“Snam’s 2020-2024 strategic plan envisages the construction of 150 new natural gas and bio-methane refuelling stations and the launch of the first five hydrogen refuelling stations,” said the Italian company.

The station in via di Torre Spaccata is already equipped to supply Bio-LNG, liquefied biomethane obtained from organic waste, and now has conventional LNG.

“The refuelling station in via di Torre Spaccata is managed by Goldengas, a company that has been active for over 50 years in the supply of fuel, and the facility is the fifth in the Lazio area of Rome to supply LNG for heavy vehicles,” said Snam.

The distribution point in via di Tor Cervara is managed by Enerpetroli, a company active for 30 years in the distribution of fuels in four regions of Central Italy, with 130 own-brand and Esso-branded stations.

The station built by Snam4Mobility for Enerpetroli, the second of nine provided under an agreement between the two companies, is the 80th in the region to also supply compressed natural gas (CNG).

“As part of the agreement, Snam4Mobility and Enerpetroli will also create new distributors in the region of Umbria,” said Snam.

The openings of the stations were celebrated by staged drive-in and re-fuelling demonstrations for LNG and CNG-powered truck and vehicle models such as Italian-made small vans and scooter-vans from manufacturer Piaggio SpA.

Other LNG and CNG-powered vehicles were displayed and refilled by Italian truck maker IVECO, while Spanish car manufacturer SEAT had its best-selling CNG-powered sports utility vehicle on show.

“The new openings are part of the commitment of Snam4Mobility to provide integrated services for sustainable ‘smart green’ natural gas and biomethane mobility for heavy transport throughout Italy,” stated the company.

Grupo HAM of Spain, the LNG and gas fuel infrastructure company, said it partnered with Peruvian firm Limagas to build the first LNG and compressed natural gas station in the South American nation of Peru, an LNG exporting nation.

The station is on one of the main avenues of the city of Cuzco, located in the Peruvian Andes.

The service station currently offers its customers CNG and with its two double dispensers and 80 cubic metres LNG tank will soon be filled with fuel.

“The Cuzco CGN-LNG gas station is the first of three planned natural gas stations in Peru, including a second station in Cuzco and another to be opened at Quillabamba during 2021,” said HAM.

With these new projects, HAM continues to help promote the use of LNG and CNG in South America, where its subsidiary HAM Chile was chosen by local Chilean company Empresas Lipigas to design, construct and commissioning the first LNG fuel in Chile.

HAM’s Peruvian project partner Limagas is an affiliate of Empresas Lipigas.

This station will be sited at fuel facilities of Transportes San Gabriel in Linares, 300 kilometres south of the Chilean capital Santiago.

While Chile is an LNG importer, Peru has been an LNG exporter since 2010 with a plant at Pampa Melchorita comprising two liquefaction Trains and annual output of around 4 million tonnes per annum.

HAM said that the Cuzco station is on Avenida la Cultura, which extends from west to east between the districts of Cuzco, Wnachaq, San Sebastián and San Jerónimo, with significant vehicle traffic.

During the station’s inauguration, the authorities of the Regional Government of Cuzco said that having a natural gas filling station changed the nation’s energy matrix and would help lower fuel costs.

HAM now has a network of 75 LNG and CNG stations. They are located mostly in Europe with 30 in Spain, 16 in Italy, 12 in the Netherlands, nine in Belgium and eight in France, all sited at strategic points for truck transport.