Energy Focus March 2024

EDITOR Joe Forshaw joe@energy-focus.net

PROJECT MANAGER Tommy Atkinson tommy@energy-focus.net

PROJECT MANAGER David Hill david@energy-focus.net

PROJECT MANAGER Chris Bolderstone chris@energy-focus.net

ACCOUNT MANAGER Isabel Murphy isabel@energy-focus.net

LEAD DESIGNER Aaron Protheroe aaron@energy-focus.net

CONTRIBUTOR Manelesi Dumasi

CONTRIBUTOR Karl Pietersen

CONTRIBUTOR David Napier

CONTRIBUTOR Timothy Reeder

CONTRIBUTOR Benjamin Southwold

CONTRIBUTOR William Denstone

EDITOR’S LETTER

Looking longer-term, as net-zero targets approach, companies are building strategies that look beyond the horizon and focus on delivery of changes that will significantly impact greenhouse gas emissions. Here, the energy sector is critical as one of the top emitting industries globally.

The World Nuclear Association is clear. Director General Dr Sama Bilbao y Leon tells us that nuclear generating capacity must triple by 2050. Cleaner in terms of emissions than fossil fuels, and now with proven methods for recycling used fuel, the industry is setting out a strong case as the link between net-zero and the phase out of carbon intensive generation.

Zenobe is hard at work in Scotland, and other parts of the world, bringing innovative battery storage systems that help eliminate wastage of clean power (curtailment) so that more can be used when it is needed most.

Deep Casing Tools, the Aberdeen-based manufacturer of complex tools for offshore drilling, detail recent innovations that drastically improve efficiency for clients, allowing wells to be drilled quicker and reducing CO2 emissions and cost.

TSG Charge is busy building the charging network of tomorrow. As the EV transition kicks into top gear, the requirement for supporting infrastructure remains large and TSG is an industry leader, capable of providing a turnkey solution. The company continues to rollout technologically advanced systems that provide power for cars, buses, fleets, and more.

Pace CCS is looking at the other end of greenhouse gas emissions – storing CO2 that has been created through industrial processes. The company designs networks that take CO2 deep underground for sustainable, longterm housing in geological formations. An industry leader, Pace is already working alongside the best in the world to drive industry standards.

Published by

Chris Bolderstone – General Manager

Fuel Studios,

CMB Media Group does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of

All are looking at the long-term, all are focused on a challenging problem, and all are pioneering new ways of thinking. With much demanded of the energy sector, these are just a handful of companies that are doing really great things to ensure a brighter future.

Tell us what you are doing, and why. We’re online at LinkedIn.

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HARLYN SOLUTIONS

Difficult, Challenging, and Complex? ‘We Speak Engineering’

OCEAN INSTALLER

Offshore Projects Executed Flawlessly

TSG CHARGE

Enabling the Electric Future, One Connection at a Time

ZENOBĒ A New Era for Energy

RBN ENERGY

Virtuoso Network Delivers Insightful Analysis in Style

WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION

Rapid Rollout Will See Global Nuclear Capacity Triple by 2050

PRODUCTION: David Hill

Dr Sama Bilbao y León, Director General at World Nuclear Association is happy to announce the pledge of tripling nuclear capacity by 2050 by a group of 120 companies headquartered in 25 countries. The pledge, announced at the UN climate change conference, COP28 in Dubai, under the Net Zero Nuclear initiative launched with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, sets a goal of at least tripling global nuclear capacity to accelerate the clean energy transition.

//At COP28 in Dubai, the nuclear industry came to the fore more than ever before. The world’s premier multilateral decisionmaking forum on climate change saw a pledge from various organisations across different regions to expand the contribution of nuclear in the world’s energy generation mix.

Today, 2545 TWh of electricity comes from nuclear generation. Most in the industry have known for some time, and many politicians have privately understood, that nuclear generation capacity must be increased if the climate crisis is to be tackled. Now, publicly, the message is clear. Triple capacity by 2050. To do so will require developing a thriving, highly skilled supply chain to support an efficient rollout. Use nuclear – a proven, reliable, safe industry – to feed growing demand,

partnering with renewable energy, to create a low carbon energy mix.

Director General at the World Nuclear Association, Dr Sama Bilbao y León, tells Energy Focus that the landmark Net Zero Nuclear Pledge is ambitious and exciting.

“We must always be ambitious,” she smiles. “The climate crisis is urgent and enormous. The goals need to match the size of this problem. The fact we are putting in place what is necessary to make the ambition a reality is critical. Policies, financing frameworks, and industrial capabilities that are coming together is very important to deliver this expansion in nuclear energy.”

Fossil fuels – coal, oil, gas – burnt to produce energy release carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions. These industries are responsible for 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions

and nearly 90% of CO2. It’s well documented that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun. Nuclear generation produces large amounts of energy from a relatively small footprint, and minimal CO2 emissions across its whole lifecycle.

A desire for transition to low carbon generation, an energy security crisis, and a raft of pricing issues have turned many to the nuclear industry as a viable alternative to fossil fuels.

NET ZERO NUCLEAR

Alongside political leaders, industry heads, and government policy makers, Bilbao y León sat in Dubai at COP28, as nations committed to the goal to triple global nuclear capacity. Nuclear reactors provide 10% of global electricity, and demand for electricity is only going in one direction. By 2030, the International

INDUSTRY FOCUS: NUCLEAR

Energy Agency (IEA) expects there to be ten times the number of electric cars on roads. Growing generating capacity is essential, and doing so without fossil fuels brings nuclear to the fore.

“We, and various nuclear organisations, have been present at COP

Dr Sama Bilbao y León, Director General

for over 20 years,” says Bilbao y León. “Initially, we were not well-received and, most often, nuclear was sidelined from conversations. But in the last few years, the conversations have been changing and since Glasgow (COP26), more and more countries are starting to realise that they will not achieve their climate goals without nuclear. After the energy crisis at the end of 2021, and the war in Ukraine, energy security became a priority again for many countries. For decades, after the oil crisis in the 70s, we forgot that energy security was something to consider.”

The Association has harnessed the resurgent positivity for nuclear and has developed a number of visibility campaigns, delivered across various platforms, to help build a collaborative effort.

“Net Zero Nuclear was launched together by World Nuclear Association and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) ahead of COP28.

ENEC is very well positioned, with close ties to the UAE government, and they were in a very strong position to be the intermediary with the COP28 Presidency,” says Bilbao y León.

“It was incredibly successful,” she adds. “For the first time ever at COP, nuclear was mentioned in the agreed and negotiated texts – everyone unanimously included nuclear as an energy to be accelerated if we are serious about meeting the Paris agreement goals. We talk to governments often enough, and behind closed doors there is always positive comments from ministers about nuclear – especially in the last few years. But to have 25 countries publicly state the importance of nuclear was new.”

The Net Zero Nuclear initiative was a continuation of work at previous COPs, which led to a very public Ministerial Declaration in December 2023 when heads of state from more than 20 countries placed nuclear at the heart of

WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION

future plans, promising decarbonisation of entire economies. But there was more to come. An industry pledge to back up the overarching ministerial declaration, saw more than 120 countries active in some 140 countries, commit to at least triple global nuclear capacity.

“Industry wants to take the challenge from governments because, ultimately, governments will put in place policy and marketplace mechanisms, and perhaps will support financing frameworks, but it is the industry that will triple global nuclear capacity and will operate existing and future nuclear power plants,” highlights Bilbao y León.

She describes progress at COP28 as a 180-degree shift for nuclear, and from here the Association intends to move quickly, bringing support from 200 members on all continents and navigating a complicated geopolitical environment to encourage longterm certainty and collaboration.

ROLL OUT

The 2050 target gives just over a quarter-century to deliver on COP28 pledges. Currently a standard nuclear power plant takes on average around seven years to build. Time is precious and so having multiple technologies and different innovations in parallel are required to deliver on ambition.

“Clearly, we see that some regions and countries have their plans, but we don’t have an integrated global plan that shows exactly where the new capacity will come,” says Bilbao y León.

Already, there is progress around the world as demonstration projects in the US and Canada are underway. GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, NuScale Power, and X-energy all have interesting projects – many are expected to be up and running before 2030. Czechia has large ambitions for brand new capacity, and China is pushing forward aggressively, building all kinds of reactors with all kinds of technology,

aiming for 150 nuclear units by 2040. India has strong ambitions for nuclear energy, hoping to triple capacity by 2050, and the UK is aiming for quadrupling capacity by 2050. “We are expecting [new build] projects in Romania and Poland. Bangladesh is going from zero to 10% of electricity coming from carbon-free nuclear in less than 10 years. There are also 800 million people in Africa with no access to electricity -clearly there are

// AFTER THE ENERGY CRISIS AT THE END OF 2021, AND THE WAR IN UKRAINE, ENERGY SECURITY AGAIN BECAME A PRIORITY FOR MANY COUNTRIES //

Lifting the 245-tonne domed roof onto the first reactor building at Hinkley Point C, under construction in the UK © EDF

INDUSTRY FOCUS: NUCLEAR

enormous challenges - but nuclear has potential to meet some of that need in some of those countries. We know that not every country in the world will choose nuclear for their mix, but many will,” says Bilbao y León.

This progress is encouraging and feeds into the carefully planned capacity tripling to around 1200 GWe by 2050. Development of capacity tripling as a target comes from research commissioned by the Association and input from the team that produces the valuable World Nuclear Fuel Report – a comprehensive analysis of the global industry and fuel supply. Using information and predictions gleaned from the Fuel Report, different scenarios were predicted.

“There is a bottom-up and top-down approach,” explains Bilbao y León. “The bottom-up approach

came from our Fuel Report from last September which has various scenarios. The scenarios are based on projects which come from things that we know about different countries and what they are planning. There are pessimistic and optimistic scenarios, and the middle of the road. Looking at the optimistic scenario, we are already seeing – based on known plans – that by 2040, we will have more than doubled nuclear capacity globally.”

The top-down approach looks at the goal of keeping a warming figure of 1.5°C and what needs to happen for that to be achieved.

“There are some planned scenarios and they are done by the IPCC, IEA and a Global Banking Network, and we are also working on our own scenarios. Across all of them, we see that nuclear energy must play an increased role in

electricity generated globally by 2050 – for decarbonisation, grid stability, and 24/7 energy availability. So, the Net Zero Nuclear initiative and indeed the goal of tripling global nuclear capacity is about accelerating the clean energy transition.”

The detailed scenarios for Net Zero Nuclear from the Association will be available by the end of 2024, but both the top-down and bottomup approaches are already accepted by many in the industry with the Director General confident that the organisation is on the right track.

KNOWLEDGE SHARE

World Nuclear Association goes above and beyond to involve industry and stakeholders as much as possible, hosting a number of Working Groups that go across the entire fuel cycle, detailing various opportunities that

are available, as well as giving open and honest commentary on industry best practice. Extended collaboration is the goal, allowing members to grow and thrive through positive partnerships in the industry.

Bilbao y León is particularly proud of progress in recent working groups around skills development and project financing – both essential elements of the Net Zero Nuclear Pledge.

“We need to work on the workforce and that is where public-private partnerships will be very important,” she says. “Governments can incentivise education programmes in certain areas, and industry can invest here, but we are certain that there is a big opportunity to reskill and repurpose people for the clean energy workforce.”

As the contribution of fossil fuels – particularly oil and gas – steadily

WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION

declines in OECD countries in line with international climate goals, the unique skillset of that workforce could be redeployed in the nuclear sphere to bolster ongoing global rollout. This, says the Association, is an obvious path for growth.

“We do not need to have a nuclear exclusive supply chain,” reiterates Bilbao y León. A nuclear reactor does require specialist knowledge and an increase level of Quality Assurance, but “the maintenance of a [nuclear] plant is not so different from other power plants. In my mind, there is enormous opportunity to take pieces of other supply chains where there are capabilities that could easily be realigned with nuclear and other energies. There are certainly opportunities there.”

Another working group is currently

busy discussing the wider rollout of nuclear and how, beyond electricity generation, the industry can be a service provider for communities. This could be in the form of distributing heat, or planning small modular reactors (SMR) for industry, or helping with financing of nuclear-based projects, or researching and developing projects with contractual agreements in place. The Association’s board was keen to see this working group established so that knowledge sharing can thrive.

“We see major opportunity there,” she confirms. “We need to decarbonise the entire economy, not just electricity generation. The good news is that nuclear can produce heat at the same time as electricity and that can be used in district heating, manufacturing, steel, aluminium, petrochemical etc. We want to innovate, and we want

INDUSTRY FOCUS: NUCLEAR

to open discussions around the frameworks that will be required for the future. That group only started in September last year, but we are already seeing that eyes are opening and ideas are being generated.”

Another critical working group is deep in discussion around used nuclear fuel. A prominent point of uncertainty for many looking at the industry from the fringes, the way used nuclear fuel is managed is misunderstood. Bringing clarity and transparency to the industry is important. Key misconceptions include notions that nuclear power plants generate large amounts of waste and that the waste is useless.

“Firstly, used fuel management is not a problem,” says Bilbao y León. “The industry is confident and the technologies exist today to handle used nuclear fuel – in many countries this is being done, and the working group is very good at sharing best practice. Secondly, the group is bringing visibility to the fact that used nuclear fuel is recyclable. 95% of the energy remains

in what people often call ‘nuclear waste’. France, Japan and others are developing plans to reprocess used nuclear fuel and use it again. The energy that is still there means it can be made into new fuel and used in reactors.”

Currently, uranium is the key fuel for nuclear reactors, but is mined mainly from three countries around the world: Kazakhstan, Canada, and Australia. Smaller quantities are mined in other countries, but depressed pricing since 2011 slowed the opening of new sites for some time. However, today, prices are increasing again and many companies are looking at new activities. As the industry picks up and interest in the nuclear sector returns, the expectation is that new mines will start with uranium present abundantly on all continents. However, if a used nuclear fuel recycling industry can grow, it will ease the pressure on existing mines which is positive for the industry.

“The volumes and radiotoxicity will be reduced enormously if we are using most of the fuel rather than

just 5%. Also, if we are re-using the resource, and getting the most out of it, then our need to mine for new material is reduced. We have stock in many interim repositories that could be reprocessed and represents significant new fuel for existing and used fleets. The sustainability of nuclear is all here. The fact we can do this means we have more energy and less waste, and this working group is highlighting this,” says Bilbao y León.

“France is already reprocessing and reusing reprocessed fuels in some units. Japan has the sustainability policy which requires the use of fuel to gain maximum energy. There are other countries doing so – it’s a matter of policy and not a matter of technology.”

POLICY OF PROMISE

Of course, tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050 requires more than skills and money. It is essential that regulation and policy are aligned, and nations collaborate effectively to encourage finance, engineering,

construction, connectivity, and rollout. World Nuclear Association is the only industry organisation with a global mandate to promote nuclear energy. It is in a unique position to share and advance best practice and common messages globally, working alongside partner organisations and is encouraging long-term policy that appeals to the finance and investment community.

“There is need for financing in new nuclear construction, but there is also need for financing around the entire eco-system for nuclear,” explains Bilbao y León. “We are already seeing a lot of interest in mining at the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle. Also, conversion, enrichment, and fuel fabrication have all received a lot of interest. Across the supply chain, there are investible opportunities in piping, pumps, or many other heavy industrial engineering components. The level of investment can be very different and the speed of returns can also be very different. We are trying hard to make sure the finance community understands that there are different projects, open to different investors, with all appetites of financial risk.”

She adds that any policy must be suited to local conditions while incentivising technologies across the board. Typically, the finance community has been less knowledgeable about nuclear, and only the unsuccessful projects tend to gain newsworthy status. The Association’s working groups are addressing this, and showcasing positive examples that will filter through to those in charge of funds.

“We are making an effort to make clear what the opportunities are, and make sure the finance community understands that we can align different projects with different financial risk appetite of different investors.

“Sometimes the government doesn’t need to do much more – it can present the message that nuclear is here to stay and that clarity incentives both industry and finance to contribute.”

WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION

In the longer-term, a redesign of power markets is required to embrace a mix of technologies that includes less fossil fuel and more nuclear and renewable energy. Currently, the market is configured for a small number of individual technologies to contribute in a big way. Recognising the importance of dispatchable 24/7 clean tech, like nuclear, in the mix allow investors longer-term vision as to how ideas will come together to make a resilient next-generation energy system.

Of course, any redesign in the market must put the customer at the fore, ensuring the price is fair. The Director General sees coupling of electricity grids with oil and gas pipelines and hydrogen concepts, while using existing infrastructure to support renewable energy rollout. She also sees uniformity across regulators, allowing for easier and

faster rollout while ensuring safety and independence. “We don’t have to repeat the same reviews and assessments across different countries where the same technology will be deployed. Licensing of standard technology should be streamlined globally.”

This idea comes back to policy and the ability of governments to give a clear, lasting roadmap. With certainty comes investment, and with investment comes progress. It’s a tried and tested model, evidenced by offshore wind energy policy in the UK.

“Renewable energy has come a long way, and that is because many governments highlighted it as essential,” says Bilbao y León. “Investments and innovation and industry have worked together to get to where we are, and that is fabulous. Nuclear energy is a proven technology and we have been doing this for more than 50 years.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: NUCLEAR

Newer technologies and different approaches are going to make nuclear better, but we are not starting from scratch. We are already 10% of global electricity generation and we have the largest contribution of clean electricity in OECD countries. We are also, in many countries, the cheapest form of energy generation. We don’t have to come from where renewables were. We can always improve, but it is from a well-established position.”

LINKING THE CHAIN

Apart from generating funding, the one major hurdle that could knock Net Zero Nuclear off course is a slowdown in development of a global supply chain. When the industry was nascent, a successful supply chain grew quickly – it is possible to develop the skills required. But the modern nuclear industry, and the rollout that will triple capacity by 2050, looks different to the sector of the past. Smoothing bottlenecks in

the supply chain is vital, but Bilbao y León is characteristically confident.

“It is not an insurmountable challenge,” she states. “If you think about it, a lot of the components are not that different from a conventional gas power plant. There are many industries that are keeping their eyes on the nuclear industry because if they see that things are starting to happen, they invest in qualifying their products to be nuclear grade. We don’t have to build the industry from the ground up. In many cases, it is repurposed or requalify other industrial supply chains. It won’t be easy, but it’s not as impossible as many think.”

When success is obvious, advancement accelerates. There are several SMR projects happening globally as well as some larger reactors, and when they reach completion, it will be clear to the entire industry, and related sectors, that work in nuclear is a significant opportunity.

“In nuclear, as in many other industries, everyone is conservative and wants to be second. It is good that we have some pioneers who are willing to be first, and it is important that they succeed. When we see this,

WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION

the traditional nuclear supply chain will invest in itself because they will see the path forward,” says Bilbao y León.

Discussions are already underway with suppliers exploring the use of nuclear alongside other major industry sectors to drive decarbonisation campaigns. In the oil and gas sector, scope 1 and 2 emissions must be reduced dramatically, and quickly. Nuclear has the ability to drive reductions at the front end of production. If paired with CCUS and other modern systems, supply chains and nuclear technology have the ability to achieve further carbon reductions.

“The money exists and the appetite is there,” Bilbao y León smiles.

“It is the same in the chemical

// THE QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER NUCLEAR IS PART OF THE EQUATION – THAT QUESTION HAS BEEN ANSWERED //

industry. We have already seen DOW Chemical talking with nuclear developers for specific units. We have also seen Microsoft, Google, and Amazon saying they already need enormous amounts of incredibly reliable electricity, with little variability, and accessible 24/7. That demand will increase drastically as they make more use of AI and data driven technologies. They are all thinking of how they can get this energy and they are all talking about how they can access long-term power purchase agreements to access electricity.”

With the level of electrification underway now, tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050 must be seen as integral part of the energy transition. New build projects will come in different forms – some traditional utility grid-based power plants and others innovative modern reactor projects –and some will be driven by the private sector and companies that need supply to fulfil critical operations. However, after COP28 and as a result of the successful Net Zero Nuclear initiative, the Association is pleased that there is no doubt about nuclear’s involvement

in the global mix going forward –government and industry heads are providing exactly what Dr Bilbao y León has asked for – long-term certainty.

“For the majority of countries that we speak to, the question is not whether nuclear is part of the equation – that question has been answered. Yes –nuclear is part of the global energy mix moving forward. What we need to do is make it happen. Much needs to be done and there are challenges ahead, so the question is not whether but how we do it,” she concludes.

Now is the time for rapidly accelerating all corners of the nuclear industry. Developing supply chains, formalising financing frameworks, putting progressive policies in place, and creating capacity for the future. The pledges and promises are in place. World Nuclear Association and its membership are ready to deliver.

Content sponsored by World Nuclear Association

CENTRICA ENERGY STORAGE

Essential Element of UK Energy Resilience

PRODUCTION: Tommy Atkinson

A key element of the infrastructure area of the Centrica family, Centrica Energy Storage operates the Easington onshore gas processing terminal in East Yorkshire and restarted gas storage operations at the Rough facility in the Southern North Sea in 2022, with a view to bolstering the UK’s energy security and helping to reduce consumer bills.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: STORAGE

//“Energy is in our DNA,” opens international energy and services company Centrica. “From supplying the gas and coal that powered the industrial revolution, to becoming the market-leading energy services and solutions company we are today, we’ve been at the centre of the UK energy industry for over 200 years.”

Centrica is unique among energy companies in the UK and Ireland, in its operating across the entire energy value chain through a variety of distinct, but complimentary businesses, all of which have a common purpose, the organisation says: “helping you live sustainably, simply, and affordably.”

Formerly Centrica Storage Limited, a recent name change for this pivotal Centrica arm is designed to signify a change in ambition, Centrica Energy Storage (CES+) details. “We wanted

to keep storage in our name as it is at the heart of what we do now, and our plans well into the future,” the company stresses, “but we have larger ambitions outside of storage, including onshore and offshore hydrogen production and fuel-switching our existing operations to hydrogen to minimise our environmental impact.”

ROUGH READY TO ADD RESILIENCE

CES+ operates the Rough gas storage facility in the Southern North Sea, as well as the Easington onshore gas processing terminal in East Yorkshire, an onshore gas reception and treatment terminal, modified between 2011 and 2013 by CES+ to handle gas produced from the York field, at the time the largest known undeveloped gas reserve in the southern North Sea.

“This was the largest single

project within the Easington gas terminal in 20 years,” CES+ explains, “with the plant designed to handle 120 million cubic feet per day of gas, from the York field which will produce enough gas to meet the demands of half a million households.”

The Easington terminal processes gas from the Rough underground gas storage facility, located 18 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire, where storage operations restarted in 2022 following a dormant five years since 2017 to provide critical further energy security in the UK while cutting users’ bills. “Today, Rough provides more than half of the UK’s gas storage - 54 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas - which is enough to provide the equivalent volume of gas to heat 2.4 million homes over winter,” CES+ states.

“The long-term aim is to turn

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Rough into the largest long duration, low-carbon energy storage facility in the world, capable of storing both natural gas and hydrogen with the goal of bolstering the UK’s energy security,” CES+ adds, having last year made huge strides toward this objective in almost doubling gas storage capacity at the UK’s largest such facility.

At the time of reopening Rough for gas storage it was able to store approximately 30 bcf of gas for UK homes and businesses; this further investment in the facility has brought Rough up to the present 54 bcf capability in a major boost to the UK’s energy resilience. Despite diverse gas supplies through connections with Norway and other European countries, alongside three LNG import terminals, the UK has some of the lowest levels of gas storage in Europe at 12 days

average, or 7.5 peak winter days.

By way of comparison, Germany’s stands at 89 days, France’s at 103 days and that of the Netherlands at 123 days.

“The resilience of the UK’s

energy system needs to be substantially improved,” assessed Centrica Group Chief Executive, Chris O’Shea, of the significance of the development. “We are delighted to play our part by further expanding

INDUSTRY FOCUS: STORAGE

SPECIALIST SERVICES UNDERPINNED BY TECHNOLOGY AND GLOBAL MOBILITY

OCCMS’ long standing relationship with Centrica Storage at their UK onshore Gas Processing & Storage terminal, was formed to provide Completions & Commissioning oversight and execution support services. The high-level summary of the scope requirements are as follows:

• Execution oversight of handover from principal contractor.

• Commissioning Test Procedure development and implementation.

• FAT Support.

• Plan and execute pre-commissioning and dynamic commissioning.

• Technical delivery of processes and competence assessed personnel. Support handover to client operations for start-up and ongoing production.

During this project, OCCMS have safely delivered commissioning and completions services for Phases 1 to 4 at our client’s UK based terminal which receives separate and condition natural gas and associated liquids from two separate offshore fields to meet the required specification before transfer of natural gas into the national transmission system (NTS). The processing facilities consisted of an inlet area/separation, onshore compression, dewpointing, filtration and fiscal metering with associated utility and auxiliary supplies.

the UK’s gas storage capacity.

“Rough is not a silver bullet for energy security, but it plays a critical role in increasing capacity and supply confidence over the winter months.

“Rough can help our energy system by storing natural gas when there is a surplus and producing this gas when the country needs it during cold snaps and peak demand.” Rough will, equally, help keep prices down for consumers by balancing the UK’s gas market, injecting gas into the facility when there is excess supply and putting that gas back into the UK’s gas network when customers need it most, keeping prices lower at that point of peak demand; in November came the winter’s first release of stored gas at Rough into the UK grid.

“Customers are struggling with high energy bills which are driven by international energy prices,” O’Shea

During the initial period, various brownfield modifications were undertaken within the onshore plant and included, but not limited to, F&G system modifications which were updated to accommodate the changes within the gas plant.

Following this initial phase, additional gas compression, additional F&G, and methanol recovery and injection facilities were upgraded and or modified as part of the new Humber Gathering System (HGS) and included upgrading receiving facilities for the new Tolmount offshore field.

All construction completions and commissioning execution was controlled and managed through OCCMS’ ORBIT™ completions management system on premise with a dedicated database administrator at the clients facility.

The total onshore hours expended on life of project, including a small proportion for senior leadership oversight, are ~60,000 without a lost time incident, including during the Covid 19 pandemic. “This strong track record is demonstrable of OCCMS’ strong safety leadership & inherently positive behaviours which are prevalent throughout all levels of management and delivery teams alike” stated OCCMS’ Operations Director – Jamie Japp.

For further insights or information on how OCCMS can assist you with your Brownfield Projects, please contact us at: Aberdeen@occms.com

observed at the time. “Gas storage is vital to ensure the UK can manage demand effectively, keeping prices down, and I’m proud of the actions our team has taken over the last 18 months, including our decision to bring Rough back online, to underpin the UK’s energy security. However, we still have the lowest levels of energy storage of the world’s major economies with the ability to store fewer than eight days of peak winter demand and this leaves us susceptible to shocks in international markets,” he countered.

“Gas will continue to be used as a transition fuel for the foreseeable future and we stand ready to invest £2 billion to quadruple the size of the Rough field and make it the world’s biggest methane and hydrogen storage facility, bolstering the UK’s energy security, delivering a net zero electricity system by 2035,

creating 5,000 skilled jobs and decarbonising the UK’s industrial clusters by 2040,” O’Shea explained.

“This world class North Sea asset has the potential to help the UK economy return to a position of being a net exporter of energy once again.”

HYDROGEN TO HUMBER

A co-operation agreement between Centrica and Equinor to explore developing a low-carbon hydrogen production hub at Easington, looks set to further strengthen the region’s growing status as the UK’s foremost hydrogen super location. Under the plan, over the coming decade the Centrica-operated area could transition to a low carbon hydrogen production hub, massively supporting both the Humber’s decarbonisation ambitions

Continues on page 22

INDUSTRY FOCUS: STORAGE

REWS INTEGRATED VESSEL MONITORING & COLLISION SOLUTION

Often difficult to envisage on a vast expanse of water; shipping accidents are all too common. In the past decade, the second most common cause of shipping incidents reported globally is collision (3,098). In the oil and gas industry particularly, a maritime incident can be catastrophic with detrimental environmental consequences.

The aftermath of these incidents is well documented, but there is a lesser-known theme behind the cause. Reports show that almost 96% of maritime accidents are caused by human error, with fatigue the top cited issue.

With the UK oil and gas workforce expected to decline from 120,000 to around 87,000 by 2030 (in line with production decline and decommissioning activities), significant pressure is placed on the fewer vessels and crews that are left behind. With fewer staff and crews often being placed on unfamiliar vessels, the risk of human error will likely increase.

Ultra provides an integrated collision avoidance monitoring solution, our Radar Early Warning System (REWS) directly improving maritime safety. By using multiple platform-based radar early warning systems the Ultra REWS monitors marine traffic, protecting offshore installations and avoiding maritime incidents.

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This technology is a step change in marine operation safety, providing a full audit trail for incidents, near misses, and learning opportunities. Operational costs are reduced by consolidation/sharing of ERRV and Guard Vessel fleets and removing thousands of personnel risk exposure hours, with potential for multi-client control-centre monitoring for maximum cost efficiency. Simply, offshore operators cannot afford to risk devastating collisions. Ultra REWS provides real-time vessel monitoring that improves marine safety, reduces offshore risks, cuts operational costs, and allows for informed decision making in the most challenging environments.

Continued from page 20

and UK’s achievement of net zero and hydrogen production targets.

Centrica and Equinor predict that the conversion of the Easington Terminal could produce an additional 1GW of low carbon hydrogen production, coupled with the roughly 200MW off-taker demand. Currently, up to one third of the UK’s overall gas supply enters via Easington, which is also Easington positioned close to some of the world’s largest

offshore wind farm developments, offering huge potential for both blue and green hydrogen production.

With the UK government having recently doubled its 2030 hydrogen production ambition to 10GW capacity, and at least half of this figure to come from electrolytic ‘green’ hydrogen, the area is a key location within the Zero Carbon Humber partnership which, it is intended, will provide regional hydrogen and CO2 pipelines between the area’s major energy producers and carbon intensive industries.

“The Humber is in a unique position to lead the way on industrial decarbonisation, and partnering with Centrica to potentially develop a new hydrogen hub at one of the UK’s most significant industrial sites could help to transform this region’s energy mix whilst preserving and creating jobs and skills,” Grete Tveit, Senior Vice President for Low Carbon Solutions at Equinor, expressed, restating Equinor’s ambitions to deliver nearly one fifth

Continues on page 24

REWS Integrated Vessel Monitoring & Collision Solution

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INDUSTRY FOCUS: STORAGE

Continued from page 22

of the national target by generating 1.8GW of hydrogen production within the Humber region by 2028.

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Equinor to explore opportunities to deliver on our commitments to help the UK transition to net zero as hydrogen will play a key role in achieving this,” O’Shea agreed. “Like Equinor, Centrica is committed to investing in the Humber region, levelling up and de-carbonising industry to create a world leading, green energy-driven, economic hub.”

Mike Whitehead, President of the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce, succinctly encapsulated the value of this key partnership. “It’s fantastic to see these two major energy companies seeking to invest and explore ground-

breaking projects in this region, demonstrating our long-standing reputation as the UK’s Energy Estuary.

“Over the coming decades we will need this level of ambition to transition away from fossil fuels whilst creating jobs, boosting skills and attracting inward investment.”

GRAND, GREEN & GLOBAL AMBITIONS

Perfectly encapsulating the wider Centrica’s unbending green focus, the UK’s energy security was dealt a further aid via a deal with Repsol to see Centrica Energy purchase one million tonnes of LNG shipments between 2025 and 2027, to be delivered to the UK’s leading LNG import terminal and the largest in Europe, Grain, in Kent.

“I’m proud that Centrica is continuing to improve the UK’s

security of supply through this deal with Repsol,” O’Shea said. “When our security of supply is threatened, it is customers that lose out, so it’s reassuring that this agreement will ultimately help ensure that those on the front line of the energy crisis have some insulation from price fluctuations.

“Natural Gas is an essential transition fuel in the move to net zero and securing international agreements such as this will be vital if the UK is to reach its ambitious goals. Alongside the other steps we’ve taken to make the UK more resilient – through deals with Delfin Midstream and Equinor – our actions demonstrate our commitment to the UK consumer.”

Somewhat further afield, Centrica Energy, alongside leading renewable energy developer and fund manager Taaleri Energia and Lords LB Asset

Subsurface

// OUR AMBITIONS ARE GRAND, GREEN AND GLOBAL, AND WE BELIEVE THE FUTURE OF ENERGY MUST BE UNLIMITED AND CLEAN //

Management, a Lithuania-based fund manager, announced the signing in March of a Power Offtake Agreement for the Rokiškis and Jonava wind farms.

Generating 408GWh annually, the wind farms will produce green electricity equivalent to the consumption of approximately 197,000 households, consequently offsetting 123,000 tonnes of CO2e emissions every year.

Following on from its ambitious commercial strategy to expand the business across new borders and deliver on green growth ambitions, Centrica is working to support the application of merchant-based instruments and manage risks, the company explained, ultimately enabling long-term returns for investors who are bringing new green electricity into the grid.

“We’re excited to further build on our strong cooperation with Taaleri Energia, expanding our relationship beyond the Finnish, Swedish, and Norwegian markets to now include Lithuania as well,” furthered Kristian Gjerløv-Juel, vice president of renewable energy trading and optimisation at Centrica Energy. “Our commitment to delivering services and solutions that support the growth of sustainable energy systems across Europe is unwavering, and it’s fantastic to be on that journey alongside some of the leading developers and fund managers in the renewables industry.”

The agreement marks Centrica Energy’s first renewable power purchase agreement secured in Lithuania, a market that presents

Expert Well Examination Well Integrity Verification Engineering Consultancy

significant potential for the buildout, management, and optimisation of new renewable generation, and closely follows its first agreement in Estonia, bringing its portfolio of wind and solar assets under management in the Baltic states to a total of 168MW.

A key element of Centrica’s sustainable operating plan is the commitment to supporting every customer to live more sustainably, in its bid to become a net zero business by 2045 and help each of its customers to achieve same by 2050. “We are a leading renewable energy trading company,” the organisation resumes, “and our mission is to drive the green transition while offering sustainable and predictable energy costs for suppliers and off-takers. In short, we call ourselves energy movers by nature.”

“We are devoted to being up to

date on energy advances to help our clients and using current energy forms as transitionary tools towards a new energy reality. Our ambitions are grand, green and global, and we believe the future of energy must be unlimited and clean.

“We see our ultimate role as the switch that accelerates the green transition by leading the development of a sustainable symbiotic energy market.”

Read more about Centrica Energy Storage in the upcoming edition of Energy Focus and hear exclusively from MD Martin Scargill.

PACE CCS

Pace Drives Momentum in CCS Network Rollout

PRODUCTION: David Hill

Capturing carbon dioxide from industrial processes and storing it safely and permanently in sedimentary rock formations deep under the ground is a concept that is gaining momentum globally. Pace CCS is the industry leader in the design of CCS networks – taking CO2 from emission site to underground well - and MD Matt Healey tells Energy Focus that the company is on a strong growth path.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: CCS

//The decarbonisation problem facing engineers around the world is easy to explain but very difficult to solve. Innovation and pioneering thinking are essential, and collaboration across industry spheres is already helping to build a model for the future. But the work is extremely challenging. How do we take carbon dioxide from industrial processes, remove it from emissions and store it so that its environmental impacts are mitigated? Enter Pace CCS, a company founded in 2017 but switching to a sole carbon capture and storage (CCS) focus in 2020.

In 2022, global energy-related CO2 emissions reached new heights of more than 36.8 Gt. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere was higher than ever, at 417.06 ppm. And in CCS, just 30 projects were operational with 164 in various stages of development at the end of 2022.

Pace CCS is dedicated to moving the industry forward through inventive design, clever engineering,

and technology adoption that ensures quality performance.

“We are a multi-disciplinary engineering design consultancy, specialising in CCS. We are truly global, we have offices in London, Kuala Lumpur, and Houston,” says Matthew Healey, Managing Director at Pace CCS.

Capturing and transporting CO2 from emission source, and storing in, typically, depleted oil and gas wells is a complex task. The industry is nascent, and best-practice is still being established despite the concept being proven. There is plenty of text available on how to perform CCS, but Pace looks to rearrange, reconfigure, and revolutionise to help grow a required industry with its own ideas and ecology.

MORE EXPERTISE

“We are forward thinking, we value the future of CCS, and we believe the model for CCS is still being developed,” says Healey. “We want to be part of creating an ecosystem that is separate from oil and gas or midstream. We are

doing new things for a new industry.”

An engineer with experience across the energy industry, Healey had his eureka moment with CCS in 2018. Today, the business has grown to a home of 50 highly experienced people with multimillion dollar turnover.

“I had been working in the energy industry for a long time. An opportunity came up in 2017 to provide services to one major client in a niche area so Pace was established. In 2018/19, we started to pick up early work in the CCS space. I have been out there as, essentially, a salesman for a longtime and you know when you’re on to something that people want.”

He says it was immediately obvious that CCS designs from Pace were appealing in the market. The team analysed market opportunities and saw that the market would be essential for decarbonising economies, with business and industry hoping for 400 Mtpa of carbon captured by 2030.

“We made a strategic decision to drop oil and gas work altogether and

Matthew Healey, Managing Director

focus entirely on CCS. We bumped along through the pandemic, but we predicted that work would come. Those forecasts turned out to be accurate and we are predicting a very good year this year.”

The range of low carbon activities that are replacing fossil fuels of the past are complemented by CCS. In most cases, CCS projects lock CO2 away deep underground in

// WE ARE FORWARD THINKING, WE VALUE THE FUTURE OF CCS, AND WE BELIEVE THE MODEL FOR CCS IS STILL BEING DEVELOPED //

geological formations, permanently. The capacity of storage strata, the way CO2 reacts with its surroundings while in storage, the technology to ensure permanence, and long-term operation and maintenance of a storage site are all key considerations for project stakeholders, but the work of Pace is about transporting carbon dioxide to the storage site through dedicated pumps, compressors, pipelines, and other technology sets.

At capture stage, technology diverts flue gas at large emitting sites using chemical compounds such as amine. Separation chambers then split the gas before nitrogen and water vapours are safely released. CO2 is then compressed to liquid form before being injected, safely, more than 1000m below ground into porous rocks in a reverse of oil and gas extraction that we recognise as safe today.

Within Pace, engineering

expertise is abundant and this is what separates it from others in the space.

“We have worked on more projects, and we have more experts than anyone,” says Healey, highlighting the fact that the company has contributed to various industry standards including ISO 27913 (carbon dioxide capture, transportation and geological storage) and a comprehensive Hazard Analysis document for CCS projects (Hazard Analysis for Onshore and Offshore Carbon Capture Facilities and Pipelines) for the Energy Institute “Our unique selling point is our experience and expertise,” he adds.

COLLABORATIVE EFFORT

Currently, Pace is putting its knowledge to use, partnering in multiple projects as the industry expert. Following success in December 2022, when the company was awarded £180,000 in Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) funding,

INDUSTRY FOCUS: CCS

// YOU KNOW WHEN YOU’RE ON TO SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WANT //

and the exploration of problems with CCS pipeline corrosion, a number of notable milestones have been achieved.

In March 2023, the company teamed with ABB to develop CCS infrastructure that can be adopted at lower cost for clients. By utilising digital twin technology developed specifically for the industry, clients will be able to virtually replicate concepts and scenarios to familiarise with processes, allowing for informed decision-making.

“While companies can see the benefits of CCS, there is still a

reluctance to make the investment without clear knowledge of how things will work on the ground, at every stage of the process,” says Healey.

In June 2023, the company partnered with deepC Store to develop the CStore1 project, a floating CCS hub off the coast of Australia. CO2 from various energy and industrial processes in Japan would be delivered by ship to the site before being injected into wells.

August 2023 saw a Joint Industry Project from the NZTC and other industry players in which corrosion of CCS networks is again being studied with the goal of reducing cost over the longer-term.

At the end of the year, the company announced that it would work with Hafnium Labs to build the world’s first reliable digital twin software for full chain CCS

networks – essential in driving down cost and spreading understanding of how the networks behave.

Knowledge of how CO2 acts throughout the process is vital. Impurities present after capture can influence water solubility and create corrosive effects in liquids at higher temperature points. This is important information leading some CCS projects to explore the use of alternative ideas that avoid the use of methanol and triethylene glycol (TEG), currently the main impurities present in CCS networks.

TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION

A partnership has also been built alongside John Crane, one of the world’s leading providers of engineered technology. John Crane pioneers mission-critical products, services, and

PACE CCS

solutions that enable the energy and process industries to achieve efficient, sustainable operations. Its portfolio includes technology critical in CCS and across the wider energy transition. Healey describes the relationship as mutually beneficial as Pace looks to bring best-in-class technology to projects, and John Crane looks to enable the energy transition by supporting relevant developments.

“It has become clear that there is plenty of crossover,” Healey says. “Our partnership here is a clear example of the value we can bring – a knowledge base that is supported by engineering ability.

“Carbon dioxide comes with its own challenges, especially with increasing volumes and in the case of new capture and storage applications. The partnership has been really

helpful for us, taking learnings around what they are doing and liaising with clients around technology.”

René Leven, Segment Leader, Hydrogen and CCUS, New Energy Solutions at John Crane, is also enthusiastic about the collaboration.

“We supply the critical components in rotating machinery such as mechanical seals, high performance couplings and filters. John Crane has delivered solutions with reliability and sustainability at the core for more than a century, and we’re committed to strengthening every link in the value chain for new, growing industries like CCUS and hydrogen,” Leven says. “To do so, it is important to look at all the details. There are so many critical elements that enable this technology. It’s not only dry gas seals, separation seals and

power transmission couplings, but also aspects such as efficient compression and pumping. This has led to interesting discussions with Pace CCS.”

As an engineering technology company, John Crane is interested in evaluating how mechanical seals perform in new emerging CO2 operating conditions. Pace has deep knowledge on the process side and the pair have already learned a lot together about optimal seal selection. The focus is on reducing and eliminating CO2 leakage through CCS networks by use of, or development of, state-of-theart equipment. According to Leven, there are commercial risks associated with incorrect technology selection.

“We want to make sure that we provide the right technology to ensure a safe and reliable operation, especially for new CCS projects. It is a

INDUSTRY FOCUS: CCS

// WE HAVE FREEDOM AROUND HOW AND WHERE PEOPLE DO THEIR WORK – WE ONLY CARE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO

no-brainer: You can’t have CO2 leaking straight back into the atmosphere right after you capture it,” he says.

“You must have the right selection of products,” Leven adds. “An example is integrally geared compressors that traditionally use floating carbon ring seals even though more sophisticated technology is available. At higher pressures, floating carbon rings leak significant amounts of CO2, which can increase emissions at a time when curbing them has never been more critical. This also poses a commercial issue. CCS initiatives are expensive in terms of the energy and money

that goes into them. If you have significant amounts leaking after capture, then it is very wasteful.”

John Crane has long pioneered the use of dry gas seals in CCS. Used mainly in compressors and highperformance CO2 pumps, John Crane’s market-ready dry gas seals maximise reliability and sustainability. The company’s portfolio includes Type 2812 and Type 28VL, which are used in high-pressure and supercritical CO2 pump applications respectively.

“We are advocating the use of dry gas seals in all CO2 compressors, as they leak much less compared to floating carbon rings,” says Leven. “However, especially at medium- and higherpressure stages, dry gas seals offer clear advantages and are technically superior. We already see some manufacturers switching to dry gas seals in countries where regulations are getting tighter.”

Through all the mechanical elements in a CCS network, Pace and John Crane advocate for the development and deployment of

dedicated technology. This technology should apply lessons learned from previous oil and gas applications while addressing the unique dynamics of energy transition projects, Leven says.

“We design the process that connects emission source to geological storage and it cannot be done without the right technology from companies including John Crane and others. All details have to be examined and reimagined; we can’t simply accept that because it works in oil and gas it will work in a CCS network,” says Healey.

PROBLEM SOLVING CULTURE

Pace is furthering development of a dedicated CCS industry by developing its own software. Few dedicated programs exist that are CCS-focussed and not reworks of oil and gas software. Used in predictive forecasting around thermodynamic performance across pipelines, wells, compressors in industrial processes, software from Pace surrounds earlystage design, and this can influence

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procurement later in the process.

“The future CCS marketplace brings challenges and we position ourselves to solve problems that clients will have,” reiterates Healey.

The innovation and enthusiasm to forge this exciting and essential new industry comes from a Pace team that has been built to excel. Healey, an experienced engineer, recalls his own history working for engineering consultancies that he labels ‘not good to work for’ and his mission has been to create an environment within Pace that gives engineers freedom.

“We have a very happy team,” he smiles. “When we started the company, it was about creating a good company to work for. I have put a lot of effort into doing the right things and using behavioural psychology to create a company that frees

engineers to do what they’re best at.

“We have great retention, and we know that others want to poach our engineers,” he adds. “We have freedom around how and where people do their work – we only care about what they do. We trust that people want to do the best for the project and we create an environment that helps them do that. It has been very successful and we are proud of that. We deliver good work, and we have happy clients. We have a great record of getting enquiries for a small project and turning that into many years of successful partnership.”

The extent of, and number of, partnerships that Pace has developed is another distinguishing factor for the company. Alongside unrivalled expertise and experience, the collaborative approach to product, service, and industry development has

helped Pace to carve out and maintain pole position in a rapidly changing and expanding market. As CCS booms in the UK, and around the world, Pace will remain a pillar in the industry. Some suggestions expect the rocks under the North Sea could absorb 22 billion tonnes of CO2 and the UK could boast 78 gigatonnes of storage nationally. With other regions showing signs of even further potential, and with pressure ramping up for countries and industries to decarbonise, Pace is the company that will engineer solutions that maximise the obvious high-value opportunities.

HARBOUR ENERGY

Healthy Ambition & Safety Excellence Boost Harbour

PRODUCTION: Tommy Atkinson

With a number of exciting projects underway, and an impressive acquisition helping Harbour Energy to grow, diversify, and excel, Harbour Energy’s EVP North Sea, Scott Barr tells Energy Focus that a healthy company culture and a professional can-do attitude is helping drive the organisation forward.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: OIL & GAS

//The UK’s energy transition is complicated and challenging. Moving to net zero by 2050 requires overhaul of multiple major industry sectors, and electricity generation is one of them. Carefully transitioning away from traditional fossil fuels towards modern, sustainable technologies requires long-term planning. Currently, the UK North Sea is expected to lose around 180 of its 284 active oil and gas fields by 2030 due to natural decline. 75% of the country’s energy needs are met by oil and gas, and to power the transition, the industry is essential. Existing fields must contribute their maximum potential, and productivity across the industry is vital. That is why industry leaders are diversifying, innovating, and pioneering new ideas and new ways of doing things.

“Where I think Harbour stands out as an organisation, both in the North Sea and globally,” opens Scott Barr, Harbour Energy’s EVP North Sea,

“is how we’re increasingly focused on effectiveness, efficiencies, and simplicity but also by embracing the opportunities of technology and innovation.”

Harbour Energy is the largest oil and gas producer in the North Sea - a diversified public company with long-term focus on value creation and sustainability. The company aims for safe, efficient, and responsible production of hydrocarbons to supply UK demand for energy.

The UK North Sea remains a legacy basin with oil and gas as well as established and emerging energies including wind, wave, and tidal opportunities. Across Europe, the North Sea has been centralised in strategy since the region began efforts to break away from Russian fossil fuels.

ROBUST PROJECT PIPELINE

Investments continue to flow into energy infrastructure and innovation, and the North Sea’s potential is

unquestioned. For Harbour Energy, unlocking further long-term potential is about broadening exposure in a region it knows better than most.

Scott Barr - an industry veteran with 25 years’ experience across onshore and offshore activity, and a fellow and chartered engineer with the Institution of Engineering and Technology – is excited about Harbour’s pipeline. New projects, field extensions, carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCS), and major acquisitions are all progressing, with Barr relishing the challenge.

“We continue to progress high return, short cycle, infrastructure-led UK investment opportunities, supporting future production and cash flow,” he explains. “The start-up of production at Tolmount East, with first gas achieved on 4 December 2023, will increase future rates from the Tolmount area. The Leverett discovery, close to Harbour’s operated Britannia infrastructure, has

Scott Barr, EVP North Sea

HARBOUR ENERGY

been successfully appraised with good flow rates achieved. The Talbot field is also on track to deliver first oil around the end of 2024 via the Harbouroperated Judy platform with all three development wells completed.”

Currently, Harbour boasts operated production hubs across the Greater Britannia Area, J-Area and AELE (Armada, Everest, Lomond and Erskine), as well as material non-operated stakes in flagship fields including Elgin/ Franklin, Buzzard, Catcher, and Clair. The bulk of production comes from the Central North Sea, with interests in the Southern North Sea, West of Shetlands, and the East Irish Sea.

Carbon capture is part of a longer-term strategy for the company which has committed to net zero by 2035. However, CCS remains in relative infancy as an industry and requires expert knowledge to build.

“Harbour’s involvement in developing the carbon capture,

transportation and storage industry is something we’re really proud of and excited by,” says Barr.

Busy with the Viking CCS project, alongside 40% shareholder bp, Harbour is looking to create a facility that can capture and store 10 million tonnes of CO2 annually by 2030. Close to the Humber region, populated by heavy

industry, Viking CCS has the potential to add £7 billion of investment across the full CO2 capture, transport, and storage value chain over the next decade.

“Since we were awarded two additional carbon storage licences by the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) in September 23, the Viking project has continued to make

INDUSTRY FOCUS: OIL & GAS

J+S MAKING WAVES IN OFFSHORE ENERGY

J+S Subsea is busy supporting Harbour Energy and other major operators across various global operations, offering a full package when it comes to subsea infrastructure design, manufacture, and maintenance.

In 2020, an exciting and innovative company focused on the subsea engineering industry was borne out of the management buy-out of Systems Engineering and Assessment Limited, a Cohort Group business. The new business, J+S Subsea, has since proved its ability across multiple projects and with many different partners in the offshore energy sector.

“Our growth in the last three years has been phenomenal and it’s not just turnover, it’s the calibre of people we are attracting,” says MD Phil Reid.

Part of that growth has been a strong relationship with listed independent oil and gas company, Harbour Energy. Harbour has assets across the UK North Sea and J+S Subsea has become important in the effective maintenance and upkeep of various subsea resources. The company handles design, engineering, operational support, and maintenance of subsea equipment, and has built a strong reputation for excellence.

“We were recently awarded a £1m+ contract for the supply of full subsea infrastructure for a new well that is going in. Half of the equipment is going in during 2024 and the other half in 2025,” explains Reid.

“We were awarded that contract because of our delivery schedule. Moving from a concept to delivering exactly what they needed – several weeks before tier ones could – is what is appealing about us.”

J+S Subsea makes use of its Legacy Locker – a portfolio of capital equipment that has been refurbished or reengineered to allow for continued operations on site, while not costing the earth. It is focused on avoiding scrapping of useful materials and embracing the circular economy.

good progress, with the Planning Inspectorate accepting for examination our application for the Development Consent Order for the onshore pipeline in November. Late last year, we were also delighted to announce Cory Group’s exclusive commercial agreement with the Viking CCS project – which marked a really significant milestone in developing the CO2 shipping sector in the UK as well as real progress on how the captured CO2 emissions from dispersed sites

“Recently, we received a message from Harbour looking for some hydraulic hoses on a Sunday afternoon and we turned that around in 24 hours. We had a team in on the same night, manufacturing equipment to be on a dive vessel the next day,” says Reid, adding that other pieces for Harbour have been found in the Legacy Locker, reducing lead time and cost significantly.

Another recent project saw J&S deploy its full skillset from design to manufacture, supply and then maintenance and operation when it delivered a complex system to an operator in Canada. Taking a FPSO off-field, electrical resistance had to be maintained and J+S stepped in to deliver the required subsea battery systems. At the same time, the company has been busy developing an innovative control module which is going though qualification.

“When we have the control system through qualification, we will be challenging the tier one companies and that is exciting,” smiles Reid.

As J+S grows, the ability and skillset within the company will develop allowing for the successful delivery of bigger and more complicated projects, and this is where Reid sees J+S Subsea adding real value.

“We want to be a one stop shop,” he concludes.

www.jands.co.uk | +44 1224 773435 | info@jands.co.uk

around the UK can gain access to high quality storage,” Barr adds.

Harbour is also busy with the Acorn CCS project in Scotland where it holds a non-operated 30% stake. CO2 can be transported, using existing oil and gas infrastructure, and stored deep under the North Sea, permanently.

“Acorn also received an additional two storage licences in the same licensing round in September. And finally, just before Christmas the UK Government announced its ‘CCS Vision’, which

provides more clarity on the process for emitter sequencing to CCS projects, which is a really significant step forward for projects like Viking and Acorn.”

NET ZERO BY 2035

Through 2024, Barr is hopeful that energy around CCS will continue as the industry proves its ability to contribute to sustainability goals.

“I think all round we’re seeing some

Continues on page 40

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Riding the Wave of Innovation and Sustainability

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At the heart of the company’s commitment to achieving net zero, is the pioneering Legacy Locker initiative. This forwardthinking initiative embraces the principles of the circular economy, offering a portal for the reuse, refurbishment, and recycling of subsea equipment. Beyond unlocking capital tied up surplus equipment, the Legacy Locker users, enhance their environmental footprint by identifying opportunities to minimise waste and promote sustainability.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: OIL & GAS

Continued from page 38

good momentum, but the onus is now on us and the Government to keep that going this year.

“I have to mention some of the work we’re involved in to innovate and create sustainable approaches,” he goes on. “One trial project we are involved in works to try and harness wave power to provide low-carbon power to offshore installations. It’s a demonstrator project called Renewables for Subsea Power which is working to develop a wave energy converter that can harness wave energy to provide low-carbon power to subsea equipment via a subsea battery, as well as help power an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) used for subsea inspections. It’s really exciting stuff with a lot of potential.”

This £2 million collaborative project sees giants from the energy

and engineering industries come together off the coast of Orkney to demonstrate a battery energy storage system (BESS) for use in harsh, underwater conditions, utilising renewable energy to provide reliable electricity supply to subsea equipment.

Delivering on its promise of reducing emissions and achieving net zero by 2035, Harbour is also hard at work with various projects to reduce flaring and integrate efficiency-driving technology across operations.

“Protecting the environment and supporting the energy transition are central to the sustainable success of Harbour,” reiterates Barr. “We continue to work towards our sustainability goals by reducing our emissions, investing in CCS, and implementing quality offsetting where necessary. In addition to our endorsement of the World Bank Zero Routine Flaring Initiative, the North

Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) expects the UK oil and gas industry to reduce flaring and venting emissions to the lowest possible levels and achieve zero routine flaring and venting by 2030. This can be a challenge on existing assets as flaring often is an integral part of design, so significant modifications are required to achieve this. We have ongoing flare reduction engineering studies to help us map a pathway to eliminate short and longer-term routine flaring and to reduce non-routine flaring events.”

In 2023, Harbour commissioned flare reduction engineering studies to map a pathway to elimination of short and longer-term routine flaring, and to reduce non-routine flaring events across its North Sea business. “This study,” says Barr, “is one example of how Harbour’s North Sea business is supporting broader ‘net zero by 2035’ goals and meet the company’s

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commitment to the World Bank Zero Routine Flaring initiative by 2030. We have detailed emissions reduction action plans (ERAPs), for each of our assets that detail our portfolio journey toward these commitments. We also have recently participated in the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) licensing round as part of our decarbonisation efforts.”

Another feather-in-the-cap for the company and its sustainability initiatives is the ongoing success with decommissioning. A challenging and complex part of the life of a field, but essential across the industry, Harbour has a sterling record in the North Sea.

To date, Harbour has a 10-year programme which will have seen

145 wells plugged and abandoned, 38 platforms removed and recycled and over 1,500 kilometres of pipeline flushed, cleaned, and made safe.

STEP CHANGE ACQUISITION

Going forward, the journey for Harbour is exhilarating. It continues to search for opportunities to extend the life of existing assets, and it embraces the addition of a major new portfolio following the company’s proposed acquisition of upstream assets from Wintershall Dea in December 2023 (subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals). Valued at $11.2 billion, the acquisition includes a number of Norwegian North Sea assets and, in total, added around

1.1 bnboe of 2P reserves at c.$10/ boe and more than 300 kboepd of production at c.$35,000/boepd.

The deal is transformational for Harbour, catapulting the company to the top of the industry, becoming one of the world’s largest and most geographically diverse independent oil and gas companies.

“Our CEO Linda Cook has been clear that the strategy for Harbour is to look to grow and diversify our asset base internationally,” explains Barr. “That’s particularly been evidenced recently by Harbour’s proposed acquisition of substantially all of Wintershall Dea’s upstream assets which includes significant positions in Norway, Germany, Argentina, Mexico,

INDUSTRY FOCUS: OIL & GAS

and Egypt as well an attractive portfolio of CCS projects in northwest Europe.

“We have a professional ‘can do’ attitude and one that is prepared to invest where we see opportunity.

“Here in the UK, we continuously work hard to maximise the value from our existing North Sea portfolio. This is a particular strength of Harbour’s – we are quite accomplished at extending an asset’s production life and extracting the maximising economic recovery from field,” Barr adds.

The Harbour Energy mantra of delivering efficiency, simplicity, and

technological innovation has been boosted by the recent acquisition and goes beyond hydrocarbon extraction and sale. There is now a corporate culture that must span operations, industries, and nations. Central in this, and a core focus that is implacable within Harbour, is the company’s commitment to operational safety.

SAFE & SECURE

In the Harbour Energy Trading and Operations Update for the year ending 31 December 2023, Linda Cook highlighted Improved safety

// WE CONTINUALLY WORK TO REDUCE RISK AND ENSURE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE WORKING FOR US. HARBOUR HAS A STRONG SAFETY RECORD TO SHOW FOR THIS //

performance with total recordable injury rate of 0.7 per million hours worked (2022: 0.8), adding that safety would remain the focus for the future.

Barr - co-chair on the Decomissioning and Re-use Task Force, a part of the NSTA’s North Sea transition deal’s working groups - has worked hard to entrench safety deep in company culture.

“We’ve seen success from our strategy for a wide number of reasons, but the thing I always come back to is our operational and safety performance,” he says, constantly reiterating the magnitude and value of exemplary safety standards.

“This is always my absolute main priority and ensuring our people are kept safe and well, and raising awareness of potential dangers, particularly for colleagues working in hazardous locations offshore, is of

HARBOUR ENERGY

paramount importance to me and everyone in the company. Having started my career in an operational role and not losing my hands-on approach, I know only too well how important our attention and focus on major accident hazard prevention is. We continually work to reduce risk and ensure the safety of everyone working for us. Harbour has a strong safety record to show for this.”

Consistently communicating the company’s commitment to safety, and placing it – without doubt – as the key line of thought for all in the business is the way to reinforce standards.

“Onshore, offshore, wherever – reinforcing key messages with real world examples constantly so everyone always has that safety message at the forefront of their mind is important,” says Barr. “As you’d expect, we’re always looking at technical or

operational changes in the industry, but I think it is underrated just how effective it can be to make the time to talk to our colleagues about it and to remind ourselves of what happens when things go wrong.”

With more than 1800 employees worldwide, comprehensive internal communications can be challenging, but by putting a lot of effort into promoting a positive and inclusive work culture and prioritising the wellbeing and professional development of all employees, Harbour embeds values and behaviours deeply across all our learning and development processes. “Our performance management system has reinforced the strong culture that we are building,” says Barr.

This culture is delivering, and the recent acquisition will only strengthen and enhance the company’s ability to play a significant role in meeting

the world’s energy needs through the safe, efficient and responsible production. Harbour is without doubt one of the companies doing things differently, doing things better, and utilising the North Sea to its fullest.

“Oil and gas has always been an extremely competitive industry and that’s only getting more true as the North Sea basin matures further,” says Barr.

“We have worked extremely closely with all our stakeholders and regulators in what has been pioneering and paving the way for others,” he concludes.

DEEP CASING TOOLS

Cutting Edge Well Technology Fuels Efficiency

PRODUCTION: David Hill

Aberdeen’s Deep Casing Tools is putting its significant engineering experience to good use, developing tools that can be used across a well lifecycle to dramatically improve efficiency for operators. CEO David Stephenson tells Energy Focus more about an ongoing growth journey for this simple, sustainable, strong organisation.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: OIL & GAS

//A report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2020 claimed that no energy company will be unaffected by the clean energy transition and every part of the multi-faceted industry must review and respond accordingly. “Doing nothing is simply not an option,” said Executive Director, Fatih Birol.

Thankfully, the oil and gas industry has responded and many majors and operators are putting in place solutions to drive change. Oil and natural gas remain the underpinning elements across most major developed and developing economies and a transition away from fossil fuels will take time.

In the interim, the use of technology to drive efficiency in oil and gas production is not only good practice, it is essential in meeting ESG goals. Clearly, oil and gas production must be as good as it possibly can be, and specialist engineering is required to ensure every step of the process is efficient.

This is the mission of Deep Casing Tools, an Aberdeen-based technology development company. Home to an abundance of technical knowledge from across the oil and gas space, the company innovates new and fresh ways of doing things with the goal of consistently being better than before.

“Our ethos is simple, sustainable, innovation,” CEO David Stephenson tells Energy Focus.

ENGINEERING CHALLENGE

Stephenson joined the business seven years ago, taking over as Global Account Manager for the company’s pioneering turbine powered reamer shoe product. Utilised by big-name clients on sites around the world, it was the perfect role for the former Schlumberger and Weatherford engineer who boasts hands-on offshore, design and senior management experience. He was looking for a challenge in the UK after returning from 15 years in the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and Deep Casing Tools offered a unique environment

in technology development.

But the company had been through a tough stretch. Revenue had declined following the oil price collapse of 2014, and a lack of range in the product suite heaped risk as the pandemic forced cuts in spending. Stephenson, along with Chairman Steve Kent, set about revitalising and regrowing the business to align with its original purpose.

“The business had gone from £10m revenue to under £500,000,” he remembers. “A lot of the problem was there was only one product offering. Very quickly, we began working on a business plan and we set about diversifying. That started around the end of 2018.”

The goal was to develop technologies that would further assist drilling campaigns, and associated activity, that could be added to existing customer deliveries. Stephenson took the reins as CEO a year after joining and encouraged a company-wide commitment to innovation. After developing the MechLOK™ Drill Pipe Swivel - the world’s first mechanically lockable Drill Pipe Swivel – Deep Casing Tools continued to innovate and began work on the SelfLOK Flotation Device™ and Rubblizer™, and the level of ingenuity and engineering know-how was unrivalled.

“Our revenue increased by around 1,400% by 2019 and then Covid came along. We lost a couple of years, but we quickly picked up again, doubling revenue year on year since 2021,” says Stephenson.

“From there, we have built the business and globalised. We have cemented long-term corporate purchase agreements everywhere from Mexico to Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi and beyond. It has been a fantastic journey, and we are now set for ongoing growth.”

Today, Deep Casing Tools is a multimillion-dollar business achieving year-on-year growth. For Stephenson, the highly experienced team is the catalyst for success,

David Stephenson, CEO

and he believes that by listening to clients, instead of delivering a one-size fits all approach, is what separates the company from others.

“I have worked for small companies in the past who have been acquired by bigger corporations, and there is a massive difference. The ability to listen and understand what the customer needs is a major advantage for us,” he explains.

“Deep Casing Tools appointed a board member who had worked for operators. He had been with BP, Total, and some of the other major operators. When we were asked about having this new board member I thought, as a small company who supplies technology to these operators, understanding how operators think is of massive value to us.

“The larger service companies think they know what the end user needs, and they produce something to fit. As a technology development company, it is absolutely critical for us to develop the technology that the end user needs. We cannot afford the time and cost of

developing something that end users do not find perfect. It is critical that we listen to what the end user needs.”

CUTTING EDGE

The product range on offer goes across the well lifecycle, from early-stage drilling to eventual plug and abandonment (P&A). Key lines include the famed Turbocaser™ and Turborunner™- high-speed, turbinepowered casing running systems that help land casings, intermediate liners and completions at target depth in complex wells. Deep Casing Tools is proud that these products have proven to save time and money, improving efficiency. The product line has proved hugely successful, with over 800 tools now sold to blue-chip customers globally, and multiple long-term purchase agreements in place.

MechLOK™ allows the drill pipe to be rotated independently of the work-string resulting in reduced drag, redistributed friction and mitigation of helical buckling. Cost-saving, risk

DEEP CASING TOOLS

mitigating, and increasing speed, MechLOK™ was first proven onsite in New Zealand on a complex enhanced oil recovery project.

“We own all the IP and design for that. We have commercialised that and we have completed our 40th run in the UK and Norwegian North Sea, the Middle East, Australia, and Malaysia. We are very proud as it is a fully global product,” says Stephenson. “We have been running MechLOK™ in Norway and we came with our first generation

// WE HAVE CEMENTED LONG-TERM CORPORATE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS EVERYWHERE FROM MEXICO TO SAUDI ARABIA TO ABU DHABI AND BEYOND //

INDUSTRY FOCUS: OIL & GAS

of the tool but one of the drilling engineers requested a minor change and a slight redesign which slightly changed the specification. We listened, we sat down with the team, and we now have the tool running regularly and successfully for the operator.”

The SelfLOK Floating Device™ helps float liners to target depth more cost-effectively. It offers users a reduced drag profile and enables long liner strings to be floated to target depth in unconventional ERD wells.

The Rubblizer™ is one of the more recent additions to the product portfolio and furthers the company’s ambition to become involved across the well lifecycle. The tool reduces rig time and results in significantly less force required to pull casing strings, driving efficiency. In partnership with PrimeStar Technologies, Deep Casing Tools deployed the Rubblizer™ to recover 676ft of 9-5/8” 47lb/ft of casing by rubblizing cement behind the casing, breaking the bond and

structure. The Rubblizer™ has now completed 14 jobs globally.

“A lot of what we do is to try and increase predictability in operations,” Stephenson declares. “There’s a lot of things that are difficult to predict and when you’re drilling, completing, or abandoning projects on an oil and gas well, you’re never going to 100% predict the outcome as there are so many variables. If you can increase predictability and try and make the operation efficient, that is a very good thing, and all of our products aim to do that.”

To achieve efficiency and improve environmental credentials of projects, Deep Casing Tools invests significantly in research and development. There is no development of innovative technology without education, and the company is always keen to learn from clients, working in partnership to identify and solve problems.

“We are looking at different sizes for products in our existing portfolio,”

details Stephenson. “We are also looking at building some systems around our current offering. We have the Rubblizer™ tool that is an enabler for other products in the P&A space and we want to have some of those technologies within our portfolio. Rather than turning up and doing one or two days on a rig while enabling others to come along, we want to have a wider product offering and a systemic approach, delivered by Deep Casing Tools.”

SIMPLE, SUSTAINABLE

Importantly, the efficiency delivered by Deep Casing Tools remains top class. The company’s tools always improve speed, reduce overall cost, and enhance reliability. This, says Stephenson, is where the company plays a role in the energy transition. To date, operators around the world have saved 241,362.5 MT CO2 emissions using simple, sustainable technology from Deep Casing Tools.

“I am very clear when I am asked

about how we can play a part in the energy transition. We design and commercialise tools for oil and gas, geothermal – we are not a company that is going to start designing solar panels or wind turbines. We are not going to jump 100% into the geothermal market. I firmly believe that a mix of everything is the solution. The world is addicted to hydrocarbons at the moment, and while I firmly believe we need to move away from that, it is not going to happen anytime soon – not in this or the next generation,” he says.

“We supply technology that will make the production of oil and gas as clean and efficient as possible. That is what we strive to do, and we do it day in day out. We conceive products, build prototypes, take those products to market, commercialise, and we have a fantastic team that

believes in the vision. Through this, we do see emission reductions across the projects we are part of.”

This improvement in emission performance is welcomed by operators who are searching for advancement through every stage of the process to align with ESG strategy. Currently, oil and gas activity accounts for around 15% of energy emissions globally, but through technological innovation and improvements across all processes, this will fall by 60% - including reduced consumption of oil and gas – by 2030 according to IEA scenario forecasting.

Across the scenario, Deep Casing Tools has so much to offer. “A lot of wells that we have taken advantage of over the last 40 or 50 years are coming to the end of their life in the North Sea, and it is very important that we do the right thing, abandoning in a responsible

manner,” closes Stephenson, adding that now able to fulfil needs across different operations, he is expecting a 30% increase in business through 2024.

Clearly, Deep Casing Tools is not a company to sit contently with past achievements. This business is busy innovating and groundbreaking –developing efficiency improving tools that contribute to a more complete, more robust, and more sustainable oil and gas industry. If products could not deliver on their efficiency claims, further growth would not be possible. Right now, Stephenson and Deep Casing Tools occupy a very strong position in the market.

Collaborative Solutions for Maximum Asset Value

PRODUCTION: David

Hill

Stand first Founded in 1919, Halliburton is one of the world’s leading providers of products and services to cater for the constantly evolving needs of the energy industry. More than 45,000 employees across more than 80 countries allow Halliburton to solve customer production challenges, delivering technologies and processes that increase production and improve operating performance.

//“We create innovative technologies, products, and services,” Halliburton opens, “that help our customers maximise their value throughout the life cycle of an asset and advance a sustainable energy future.”

For more than 100 years now Halliburton’s experts have collaborated to engineer solutions enabling customers achieve this optimisation, combining technology,

services, and execution expertise to assist with hydrocarbons location, geological data management, drilling and formation evaluation, well construction and completion and production optimisation throughout an asset’s lifetime.

Unshakeable core values fortify everything that goes on at Halliburton, with the seemingly daily transformations taking place underpinned by the unique

melange of collaboration and creativity, reliability and respect and integrity, all held together by, “priority number one”: safety.

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

A spirit of innovation and the constant pledge to add more and better value results in a barrage of products and services that improve upon their predecessors. In January, Halliburton added CorrosaLock™ Cement System to

INDUSTRY FOCUS: ENGINEERING

its fast-growing carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) portfolio, a new solution providing corrosion-resistance for long-term barrier support joining the WellLock resin system, ThermaLock cement and CorrosaCem cement system already within Halliburton’s wheelhouse.

Designed for CO2 storage, the CorrosaLock cement system is a composite of Portland-based cement and Halliburton’s proprietary WellLock resin system. The incorporation of resin

CORROSALOCK BUILDS ON HALLIBURTON’S DECADES OF EXPERIENCE DESIGNING ANNULAR BARRIERS FOR CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENTS

then generates a film on the composite surface, in turn creating a coating effect that aids in bonding while reducing the system’s effective porosity and forming an adhesive layer to help protect cement from CO2 degradation.

Enhanced cement sheath elasticity and shear bond strength are the headline results, that allow the barrier to better withstand downhole forces during cyclic injection and provide increased anchoring force to the formation compared to conventional cement systems. “Cementing wells for CCUS presents unique challenges,” underscores Matt Lang, VP of Cementing. “These projects aim for permanent underground CO2 storage, which requires longterm cement sheath integrity.

“The significant permeability reduction and enhanced mechanical properties of our CorrosaLock system address those challenges for our customers and builds on Halliburton’s decades of experience

designing annular barriers for corrosive environments.”

Lang also had recent cause for celebration with the launch of Obex EcoLock, the latest addition to the Halliburton family of compression-set packers that helps prevent sustained casing pressure (SCP). “Obex EcoLock is an excellent economic alternative to inflatable and expandable packers to deliver isolation assurance independent of losses or circulation pressures,” said Lang of this cost-effective mechanical barrier to mitigate low pressure gas or fluid migration.

“The addition of this tool to our Obex packer portfolio enables us to deliver a suite of API/ISO validated casing annular barriers to keep pressure away from the surface and support cemented barriers.”

ENERGY EVOLUTION

Alongside new and improved versions of existing products, Halliburton has established something of a knack of

At Apollo Machine & Welding Ltd, we pride ourselves on our expertise in precision machining, leveraging cutting-edge technology and the vast knowledge of our skilled technicians.

Boasting more than half a century of experience, we’ve carved out a prominent niche within the oil and gas equipment sector, earning international acclaim for our reliability and exceptional quality. Our dedication lies in providing comprehensive solutions, accommodating a wide array of client needs through our diverse service offerings.

Apollo Machine is proud to be a strategic supplier of Halliburton.

MACHINING IS OUR BUSINESS, EXCELLENCE IS OUR STANDARD

bringing first-to-market technological advancements, too, as was the case in the enhanced probe section with Reservoir Xaminer and its dual quartz pressure sensors. Surpassing formation testing boundaries with reliable, highquality data that can be monitored in real time, Reservoir Xaminer is designed to provide fast, high-quality, and customized data, even in the toughest conditions, as highlighted by Chris Tevis, VP Wireline and Perforating.

“The service shows a more complete picture of the well in less time,” Tevis summarised. “It gives operators a one-stop pressure gradient and allows them to obtain four times the data that other tools provide in the same stop.” Nanotechnology has been a further boon to the Halliburton offering, in the form of last year’s BaraFLC Nano-1 Wellbore Stability Sealant

designed to boost wellbore stability.

The new sealant works with Halliburton’s existing conventional and high-performance water-based fluid systems to create a tighter, more secure seal that decreases fluid loss into the formation, explained Toby Dixon, senior vice president. “In many areas around the world, our customers require high-performance water-based fluid systems to maximise the value of their wellbore,” Dixon assessed.

“We developed nanotechnology that results in a step change compared to conventional sealants and rivals the performance of oil-based fluids.”

“We are resourceful,” Halliburton concludes of its mission to deliver technology and services that improve efficiency, increase recovery and maximise production. “We are innovative and strive to apply

the right technology and solution every time. As energy evolves, so will Halliburton — just as we have done for the past century.

“Our core competencies, innovative technology, and service excellence have an important role to play whether in emerging or established economies, and we have the global footprint and vast knowledge to help our customers provide secure, reliable, affordable energy to the world.”

HARLYN SOLUTIONS

Difficult, Challenging, and Complex? ‘We

Speak Engineering’

PRODUCTION: Tommy Atkinson

‘You make incredible, we move incredible’ is the promise from Harlyn Solutions, the UK-based transportation engineering firm. The company has grown aggressively in the past four years but Head of Business Development and Commercial, Nathanael Allison remains confident about Harlyn’s ability to deliver against the most difficult brief.

Monopile cleaning scope in the Moray West Windfarm

INDUSTRY FOCUS: TRANSPORT ENGINEERING

//Not often do you hear of the relatively new business that doesn’t want to do anything easy or take on clients doing the industry standard. Typically, startup companies want to showcase their ability by doing the simple things well. They look for quick wins, and straightforward contracts to deliver proven, obvious solutions. And this makes sense, for most.

But Harlyn Solutions is different.

Starting out in 2020, and growing quickly, Harlyn has always steered away from easy, avoided basic, and aimed for what others call impossible.

The company is an engineering-

led transportation organisation with clients across various industries but a concentration on the energy space. Excited by the prospect of transporting highly complex, often extraordinarily heavy, and always unique cargoes from point of origin to point of use, Harlyn has developed a reputation as a problem solver.

Importantly, the company does not simply throw money at projects, leaving clients with a product in the right place but a large invoice; instead Harlyn employs experience, talent, partnership, and industry proficiency to do what others cannot so that clients are delighted.

“The more unusual, the more challenging, the more value we can add,” says Head of Business Development and Commercial, Nathanael Allison of the company’s desire to innovate. “If it’s simple and has been moved hundreds of times, we are not going to be competitive. We want unique opportunities –things that have not been done. We thrive with environmental challenges or difficult locations.”

Headquartered in Blyth, in the UK’s northeast industrial cluster, energy infrastructure quickly became an obvious growth market for Harlyn with the ongoing importance of oil and

HARLYN SOLUTIONS

gas in the North Sea, and the rollout of offshore wind, providing significant opportunities for pioneering thinking. In a relatively short period, Harlyn has elevated itself to the top of its space with many positive projects.

“We have moved cable laying machines, barges, cable turntables, 2000 tonne accommodation modules and substations; we even transported hydroelectric screws on an island in a canal system,” highlights Allison.

Recent deliveries further demonstrate the company’s unique ability to combine engineering and transportation with invention. MacGregor, a world-leading heavy

engineering firm, tasked Harlyn with moving a 150 ton, 60m linkspan from Poland to Liverpool for eventual use on the ferry terminal that connects the city with the Isle of Man. The linkspan joins ship to shore, and is a critical piece of infrastructure. Harlyn was quick to offer an engineering-led solution that took into account the nature of departure point and destination, in a time when Covid-19 was disruptive.

STRATEGIC GROWTH

Expansion is on the cards with a new office in Rotterdam giving Harlyn a European base for international operation. But from

the Port of Blyth, where a cluster of big-name businesses work from, opportunities continue to present.

“Over the past few years, we have become more strategic in our growth approach,” Allison explains.

“We know we have great skills moving energy infrastructure including subsea umbilicals and subsea power cables,

// THE MORE UNUSUAL, THE MORE CHALLENGING, THE MORE VALUE WE CAN ADD //

Boa 36 loaded with OSP1 departing the Tyne, passing by Boa 34 loading with OSP2

INDUSTRY FOCUS: TRANSPORT ENGINEERING

and there is a big market for that in offshore wind. But we can also move big things like substations, monopiles and transition pieces. And there is a big market in oil and gas for jackets and

// WE GET INTO THESE PROJECTS BECAUSE CUSTOMERS HAVE A CHALLENGE AND THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT QUESTION TO ASK TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGE //

subsea structures. All those things need moving from a fabricator to a site.”

Ability to achieve, even with strict guidelines, was proven recently when Harlyn successfully transported infrastructure for use in the Moray West Offshore Wind Farm off the east coast of Scotland. The 882 MW project sees 60 turbines positioned 65km offshore, supplying sustainable energy to 1.3 million households.

“We are closing out the Moray West Project – that has been a fantastic project for us where we were contracted to move the offshore substation platforms from the Smulders yard in the northeast, out to the Port of Nigg. We were contracted on one package but we

did such a good job that it grew into other packages,” says Allison.

In challenging conditions, with a quickly changing project landscape, and with significant value in transit, the company’s work was heralded by all involved.

“Harlyn’s commitment to safety and efficiency has been exemplary, ensuring a seamless and successful execution of the scope. Their dedication and expertise have not only met but exceeded our expectations, making them an invaluable asset to the project’s progress,” said Moray West Project Director, Pete Geddes.

Hamish Adamson, Harlyn Founder and MD added: “I am immensely proud of the Harlyn team for successfully

HARLYN SOLUTIONS

completing the scope of work for the Moray West Windfarm project, contributing significantly to its progress. I am thrilled by our team’s dedication and support in realizing this milestone. Harlyn remains committed to excellence in renewable energy, and we look forward to continued engineering led solutions we provide to our clients.”

DELIBERATELY LIGHT

The reason behind Harlyn’s success is its ability to act in a completely agile fashion – not offering a one size fits all approach but being truly distinctive across different projects. The business has been intentionally designed to allow for fresh thinking on each project. This, says Allison, drives quality.

“We always start with the engineering,” he says. “80% of the people in our business are highly skilled, experienced engineers of various types – mechanical, marine, naval, lift etc.

“We are deliberately asset light,” he adds. “Our strategy is not to have lots of assets because we don’t want to have to shoehorn our solutions into the assets we have. We want to come up with creative, holistic solutions, and then find the right vessels or cranes or fabricators so that we can give the best value to customers.”

He highlights a recent project in South Korea where the company sourced assets in-country to allow for flexibility. Without geographic

constraint and completely open to any potential solution, Harlyn’s offering was British engineering that surpassed the expectations of the client.

The knowledge and engineering experience of the team, and the ability to seamlessly harmonise different elements of a supply chain, is what separates Harlyn from others. A turnkey provision, sometimes beginning before the client is asking relevant questions, is often unmatched in the heavy transportation industry.

“We get into these projects because customers have a challenge and they don’t know what question to ask to overcome the challenge. We offer the questions, and that builds momentum. From there, we can

INDUSTRY FOCUS: TRANSPORT ENGINEERING

engineer a solution, and the difference between us and an engineering house is that we have the capability to deliver this operationally. Many of our staff are fully Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET) qualified and/ or Global Wind Organisation (GWO)

// OFTEN, SOLUTIONS COME FROM DOING THINGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE //

accredited, and they are able to work offshore. We offer an end-to-end service, from the engineering of a solution, overcoming challenges, and delivering the result,” says Allison.

With the growth of renewable energy as part of the global energy mix, it is not only nice to come up with new strategies and modern ways of doing things, it is essential. Much of the work being done across the industry is pioneering and original, and while guidance from history is useful, it is important for companies to innovate. Harlyn Solutions is innovative at the core, with Hamish Adamson – a

naval architect and transportation engineer – encouraging out-of-thebox thinking in every decision.

“He has always wanted to use engineering to solve problems around movement of things that are too big or too unusual or too complex to be done by regular means – that is part of the company’s genesis,” details Allison.

“If you go back a few decades, pre-offshore wind, there was a traditional energy supply chain for the oil and gas market. People had challenges, but they mostly did the same things over and over again. There was truly excellent work there,

HARLYN SOLUTIONS

but now, with climate change and the importance placed on progress in that sphere, people are being highly innovative when driving energy solutions. In fixed offshore wind, finding new locations, and finding ports to service that – everything is new, everything is different. Across that industry, turbines are getting bigger, different subsea power cables have their own design, and that industry is reflective of how energy demands, and climate change has made people think more innovatively. Often, solutions come from doing things that have not been done before.”

NEW SOLUTIONS

As new industries are spawn from the burgeoning offshore market, Harlyn is enthusiastic about how its boundless imagination can assist in difficult, challenging, complex projects. Floating offshore wind is a growing sector, decommissioning remains highly appealing, offshore exploration continues at pace, and each market brings new challenges, in new conditions, that need modern ideas, removed from historical methodology.

Allison, who came into Harlyn after years across various energy markets, is keen to drive further growth in

renewables as these markets remain in their infancy despite major successes.

“We will continue to service markets that continue to grow,” he says. “We also want more involvement with companies that fabricate unusual things. Often, a supplier will make something very rare and their expertise is in the design and manufacturing. They don’t know how to get it from Ireland to Cape Town, for example. We also have a product line called Bridging Incoterms which we are really keen to encourage going forward.”

Bridging Incoterms is useful for “filling in gaps” for customers, he says.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: TRANSPORT ENGINEERING

Manufacturers can perform certain transportation tasks – perhaps from facility to port – but they need a reliable partner to complete the journey to destination. “They know they need a crane, and they know they need a vessel, but we coordinate the package and bring everything together.” Because of the deep relationships the company has built with customers, often becoming an extension of the client business, the trust is robust and clients rely on Harlyn to fit in where required.

//80% OF OUR PROJECTS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND WE DO THINGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE. WE SPECIFICALLY LOOK FOR THE UNUSUAL AND CHALLENGING AND COMPLEX

“We work hard to get our customers to understand the value of the engineering knowledge,” Allison furthers. “If they feel we are a safe set of hands, we will always provide where we can and stay with them. We find that, as we do more and more projects, people do come back to us because we overcome leftfield challenges.”

And leftfield challenges are coming more frequently, with new industry sectors developing best practice and constant macroeconomic and geopolitical issues to hurdle. However, engineering a solution

with Harlyn does not mean only hardware and operational delivery. The company is experienced in balancing across unstable conditions and the team has worked through various recessions and trials. The key is aligning a path with client goals.

“Geopolitics are challenges for our customers and they are always looking for engineering solutions to deliver cost saving or de-risking,” Allison explains. “Ironically for us, when there are challenges, that is our bread and butter. Things like Brexit and other similar challenges are tough, but we step up and we have employed people who understand the landscape and can facilitate. We see it as adding engineering value. As the geopolitical environment is unstable, we can find engineering solutions to overcome, and that means we add value.

HARLYN SOLUTIONS

“We have a strap line: We speak engineering,” he smiles. “We are very proud of that. Although we have offices in Europe and we do lots of work around the world, it is British engineering based from our Blyth, Headquarters. We put a lot of effort into recruiting graduates from UK universities and training them in engineering and what makes Harlyn different.”

While the projects that the company seeks are unconventional, extraordinary, and diverse, the culture developed within Harlyn is what you would expect from a successfully growing business – dynamic, energetic, imaginative, and forward-thinking.

“The people we hire are ‘roll sleeves up and get the job done’ people. As we expand, we want to find young engineers and positive thinkers who

want to get in the thick of things. It’s all exciting stuff and we deliberately populate the company with people who add to that positive attitude.”

In the medium-term, Harlyn is underway with multiple projects and is busy looking at many prospects around the world. Particularly exciting for Allison is work for major energy company in Trinidad and Tobago where new subsea infrastructure will tie to the successful Juniper platform.

“We are busy with the next phase of the flowline project which is a very exciting project. We also have a significant set of projects with subsea power cable manufacturers and several other project finance offshore wind developers. We have a few projects in the Mediterranean and a few projects in South Korea and Taiwan. They are all about overcoming logistical challenges

using engineering solutions,” he says.

Longer-term, Harlyn will continue to shape the brand that has been lifted high in the past four years, further building a reputation for engineering excellence across challenges that are, sometimes, yet to be identified. It will continue being altogether different in its outlook.

“80% of our projects are completely different and we do things that have not been done before. We specifically look for the unusual and challenging and complex,” Allison concludes.

Content sponsored by Harlyn Solutions

WWW.HARLYNSOLUTIONS.COM

OCEAN INSTALLER

Offshore Projects Executed Flawlessly

PRODUCTION: David Hill

In a little over a decade, Ocean Installer has built up within the marine construction and operations field an enviable, proven track record in successfully delivering large and complex subsea projects in challenging environments, with more than 100 already under its belt across the globe and a steady pipeline of future endeavours.

From headquarters in Stavanger and offices in Oslo, Houston, Aberdeen, and Dubai, since inception in 2011 Ocean Installer has navigated the changing and challenging industry landscape of marine construction and complex project execution, expanding globally and developing skilled teams, entering new markets and bringing both competences and experience to the oil and gas and renewables market.

“We are a flexible organisation,” Ocean Installer outlines, “characterised by direct lines of communication and swift decision-making processes. Everything we do is underpinned by quality, efficiency, and safety

INDUSTRY FOCUS: OFFSHORE

- our foundations - and we are committed to achieving a high degree of quality in all of Ocean Installer’s services and activities.”

ANGOLA AWARDS

At Ocean Installer, it all comes down to the value of being collaborative, adaptable, reliable, and energetic, which go on to spell out its ethos of care - about safety, about people and about the environment. “We believe in the value of teamwork,” the organisation expands, “and recognise that we work in a dynamic industry and live

// WE WILL USE OUR SPECIALIST EXPERTISE AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO UNLOCK ENERGY FROM THE GLOBAL OCEANS

in a time of transition. We are nimble and agile and we keep decision-lines short, and adapt to our environment.

“We are experts in our field, dependable and we deliver robust solutions to complex problems. We use our energy to move projects forward and thrive in challenging conditions and we are empowered to move fast.”

Set to utilise in-house expertise to project manage, engineer, and execute the project, Ocean Installer has, in consortium with Oceaneering, been awarded a significant contract from TotalEnergies EP Angola to undertake transportation and installation work at the Girassol field life extension (GIR FLEX) project, part of the operator’s program to extend the life of the FPSO, which has been producing since 2001, to 2031.

The scope of the contract, said to be the second-largest in the company’s history, includes the recovery of old risers, installation of ten replacement risers and a gas lift umbilical. It also

encompasses in-country fabrication and assembly of permanent equipment, alongside comprehensive topsides support and a modification campaign.

“The GIR FLEX replacement project is our most significant project award from TotalEnergies to-date,” expressed Ocean Installer CEO Kevin Murphy.

“This reflects the continued faith that TotalEnergies has placed in us, with several project awards since 2015.

“This award further enhances our strong track record in complex, production critical offshore projects for the West African market, while I am also delighted that we have secured our second project in Angola.”

A second participation on TotalEnergies EP Angola projects last year came via an umbilical recovery and reinstallation scope on the Pazflor FPSO as the main subcontractor. “The fact that TotalEnergies again places production critical operations with us represents the trust our clients have in our abilities,” Murphy enthused.

Normand Vision © Ocean Installer

YOUR PARTNER IN THE SHALLOW DEEP

We have a strong value-based safety culture. Our high tech assets, extensive experience and top safety performance secures capacity and competence for customers both offshore and inshore.

Our track-record from the NCS and UKCS has given us leading expertise within the shallow deep segment (0-50 MSW)

We deliver LIFE IN FIELD EXTENSION services to our customers FPSOs/FPUs, Semi-submersible rigs and Floating Wind units.

www.subseapartner.no

TRUSTED EXPERTISE

Equinor was another major player to demonstrate absolute faith in Ocean Installer via a suite of project awards in 2023, with the third having been sealed before the close of August.

The Subsea Lines Modification (SLM) Project 2023-2025 award constitutes riser replacements at Visund, Vigdis, Åsgard fields, with engineering immediately underway.

In addition, the scope includes one MORGRIP campaign, using Equinor’s pipeline repair system, connecting the shore section from the CO2 receiving terminal in Øygarden with the offshore section of the new the new northern Lights pipeline, Norway’s first licence for CO₂ storage on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and a major part of the initiative that the Norwegian government is calling ‘Longship’.

“We are pleased to see that Equinor continue to put their trust in us for executing these highly complex offshore operations,” Murphy underlined.

“The Northern Lights CO2 Pipeline scope further demonstrates that our marine construction competence is transferrable to renewables projects –expanding our addressable market.

“It is great to see that Equinor and its partners continue to develop and invest in the Norwegian Continental Shelf,” Murphy added in October at the award of an EPCI contract for the Eirin subsea tie-back development, with an option for a new gas solution from Troll B via the existing Kvitebjørn export pipeline. “They once again put their trust in Ocean Installer to help them realise fast track projects like Eirin and potentially Troll B Gas Export.” “We will be the trusted partner for

complex projects in challenging environments,” Ocean Installer vows of what is to come for this quickly established industry giant. “We will use our specialist expertise and collaborative approach to unlock energy, in all its forms, from the global oceans.

“We are proud of our history and we have an impressive track record for safe and efficient marine construction of major energy projects worldwide. With over 100 projects executed to date, whatever the Energy Transition has in store, Ocean Installer will be there to support our clients’ project needs.”

WWW.OCEANINSTALLER.COM

TSG CHARGE

Enabling the Electric Future, One Connection at a Time

PRODUCTION: James Davey

TSG Charge is busy energising the UK’s demand for EV Charging in all sectors. It’s a challenging and technical industry, but the company has many years of experience in traditional fuels which sets it apart from others. EV Commercial Director, Michelle Machesney tells Energy Focus that the team is happy with progress and excited about the future.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: EV

//TSG Charge, a division of TSG UK – the regional arm of the global TSG Group – is a company perfectly positioned to demonstrate the speed and desire in the energy transition.

“I don’t think anyone realised how big it was going to get. It flourished instantly and continued from there on,” says Michelle Machesney, EV Commercial Director at TSG Charge.

TSG has, over the past 50 years, honed its abilities in the mobility market. Known by most as a provider of technology and expertise to the petrol station industry through different divisions, the rise of the electric vehicle (EV) and the oncoming phase-out of the internal combustion engine has seen the company adapt its offering.

In 2016, following the acquisition of the Tokheim equipment business, a management buyout saw TSG

formed and become an independent sales and service operation. Growth was rapid and the company expanded to cover 30 countries with more than 6000 employees working across different offerings.

“The split allowed us to diversify and we moved into a number of different services, one of which was car wash and the other was EV (charge),” says Machesney. “There was already some activity in Germany, but in the UK, it was a relatively new market. I was Business Development Director for the traditional fuels side of the business and, around seven years ago, we ventured into EV in the UK. I picked it up alongside what I was doing in the traditional fuels side of the business as it was not expected to grow as quickly as it has. Soon after, developing our charge business line became my full-time role.”

The market opportunity was

Michelle Machesney, EV Commercial Director

obvious. TSG could see its business in the fuel station market changing. Different demands from a modern industry and changing consumer profiles saw new technologies comes to the fore. The number of EVs on UK roads is expected to rise by 8.62% year-on-year by 2028, and since 2016 there has been phenomenal growth. Just 0.4% of all new vehicles registered were electric at the end of 2016. By 2023 this had risen to 16.5% of new car registrations with a further 7.4% of all new cars registered falling in the plug-in hybrid category.

CHARGE & GO

TSG Charge brings turnkey solutions to the EV charging market; designing, supplying, installing, and maintaining charging infrastructure throughout the UK, calling on its expertise in traditional fuel markets to deliver best-in-class.

“We have seen a real shift,” admits Machesney – a two-decade veteran of TSG. “Business is growing rapidly as there is so much pressure for people to put EV charging points in, but often they don’t know exactly what they need. TSG prides itself on helping to educate customers, working closely with them to provide the right solutions. We work with some very big blue-chip companies, and we install an array of commercial chargers from AC to ultra rapid.”

AC – alternating current – has to be converted for use or storage in a battery while DC does not require converting and so allows for higher speed charging. Most rapid charging solutions utilise DC – anything from 50kW upwards, with ultra rapid chargers up to 400 kW. AC charging sits between 7 – 22 kW. Sourcing the correct chargers and installing for safe and reliable operations is no easy feat, and demand from forecourt owners and end-users is insatiable. The whole process must be managed effectively, and this is where TSG excels.

Continues on page 72

Accelerating the energy transition

TSG Charge is driving businesses into a greener tomorrow; supporting the widespread expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

Now established as the UK’s first-choice engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, TSG delivers a complete turnkey solution, from site survey, design, build, dealer network operator application, equipment supply and installation, maintenance and support.

Embrace the power of the future

Adoption of the EV is accelerating across the UK and TSG Charge is at the forefront of EV infrastructure growth, embracing the next step to a more sustainable world.

TSG Charge UK

• Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor

• Independent connection provider (ICP)

• Over 50 years of delivering quality-driven projects

• Part of TSG Group, operating across 30 countries

TSG Charge

INDUSTRY FOCUS: EV

Continued from page 70

“In our first year focusing on EV, we installed over 650 AC charge points. Over the years, we have seen an increase in demand to supply and install more DC charge points. The market is evolving and customers are

// EV DRIVERS ARE LOOKING FOR GOOD FACILITIES, SUCH AS GOOD WI-FI, COFFEE, AND CLEAN WELFARE FACILITIES, AS WELL AS RELIABLE AND EASY TO USE CHARGERS IN A WELL-LIT LOCATION

looking for higher power chargers, but AC still has its place in back to base fleet, retail and workplace environments. Due to the size of our business and complex solutions offered, TSG focus is on commercial installations only,” says Machesney.

Ground up sites are where the company is seeing a lot of growth, especially in the on-the-go market, with the development of EV Charging Hubs. “In the last decade, there has been a drop in the total number of service stations, not because of EV emergence, but because of certain companies pulling out of the market or the country, and this has seen the rise of independents. Many of the larger petrol stations already have provisions for EV Charging, largely by renting parking spaces to Charge Point Operators (CPOs). The challenge for the remaining smaller service stations to invest in EV Charging is having the

adequate space and power available. This is making it difficult for them to compete with their larger competitors.

“Our key focus areas,” she adds, “are heavy transport, bus, fleet and on-the-go charging, and existing service stations who have sufficient space or landowners that want to develop an EV Charging offering. EV drivers are looking for good facilities, such as good Wi-Fi, coffee, and clean welfare facilities, as well as reliable and easy to use chargers in a well-lit location – those who can offer this will be the ones who will see the success in owning and operating an EV Charging solution.”

For any customer looking to install EV Charging, TSG Charge can provide a total EPC solution, from EV Charging hardware, design, survey, to managing the DNO (Distribution Network Operator) process, electrical and civils works, right through to maintenance. “We are quality-driven, providing the

best-in-class expertise and services.”

Following an acquisition two years ago, TSG can also provide ICP (Independent Connection Provider) services, making it a true end to end solution provider.

“We have an excellent reputation as a solutions provider which has continued since our focus on EV Charging. TSG was long seen as the petrol pump company, and moving into EV required a new set of skills and a fresh approach.

“It was challenging in the early days as people didn’t know us in the EV Charging space,” admits Michelle Machesney. “We have managed to transition, and the business has changed considerably. I am now confident in saying that we are one of the market leaders when it comes to EV Charging Infrastructure and Solutions.”

PROJECT MIX

The zero-emission vehicle mandate, the government pathway towards all new cars and vans being zero emission by 2035, is now law. 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in the UK will now be zero emission by 2030, increasing to 100% by 2035. This will require significant infrastructure implementation to ensure the country’s ability to charge is not a blocker of progress. TSG recognises this long-term element of the energy transition as an opportunity and is putting in place partnerships that allow it to assist all markets that will need to make the transition to EV.

Machesney details different sectors where EV infrastructure will be required as sustainable and environmental pressure increase. “We are already seeing an increased demand for fleets, public transport and more recently heavy transport.”

TSG Charge is currently supporting a number of customers with their long-term strategy for EV Charging, which starts with understanding power requirements and availability.

The company is also installing

DC charging hubs as part of a global contract for a large EV Charge Point Operator (CPO), along with installing AC Charging for a hospitality chain.

“Demand is very high,” she reveals. “Customers can be waiting many months/years for new power connections, due to reinforcement works being required to the grid. We have to help our customers plan for the long-term and helping them secure power early on is key for future EV Charging infrastructure investment.

“It’s moving incredibly fast - faster than anyone anticipated,” Machesney smiles. “There is so much that needs doing but everything takes time. Power availability is a huge concern for everyone, so we are looking at alternative options for our customers. Battery and solar solutions are not new in the UK, however combining them with EV Charging is. TSG is looking to ensure we are able to offer as many options to our customers in order to help them progress with their sustainability goals.”

VERY EXCITING

There are now more than one million BEVs (Battery EVs) and 620,000 Plug in Hybrids on UK roads and the industry is one of the largest in Europe. Being a part of the transition to a more sustainable future, alongside advancing technological

development is particularly pleasing for Machesney and TSG.

“I was sold,” she says. “The minute I started working in the EV charging market, it ticked all the boxes for me. It’s new, you feel you are making a difference towards a more sustainable future, and the way the industry has evolved in such a small amount of time is what is very exciting. We know transitioning to EV will not solve everything; however it is a significant start to protecting our planet.”

For TSG, the strategy is clear: Taking a proactive approach in assisting forward-thinking customers with the transition from traditional fossil fuels to alternative new energies, including EV charging, gas, and hydrogen. When doing this across the group, the company will undoubtedly have a powerful impact.

“TSG prides itself on providing the same level of service and solutions across all 30 countries we are present in. This is what differentiates us from others. Overall, as a group, we are very pleased with how we have progressed in the e-mobility space,” Machesney concludes.

ZENOBĒ

A New Era for Energy

PRODUCTION: David Hill

Balancing the grid with battery storage solutions, allowing for renewable energy to be utilised when the sun goes down, when the wind doesn’t blow, Zenobē is bringing together engineering, finance, and innovation to build the energy system of the future. Wasting green energy is no longer an option, and Zenobē is making moves to eliminate the practice across Scotland for good.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: STORAGE

//Often described as ‘long-term’ or ‘far off’ or ‘for the next generation’, the idea of net-zero is intimidating. In the UK, the goal is for all greenhouse gas emissions to be equal to the emissions removed from the atmosphere by 2050. The energy sector is a big player here, responsible for significant emissions through the utilisation of fossil fuels. Making the switch is daunting. Embracing renewable energy, developing new technologies, harnessing digital capability, and innovating solutions – while vital – costs money.

But some are investing. Some are committing, and some are taking the leap, aiming for a brighter and more sustainable future. International power, technology, and finance experts, Zenobē, believes that a net-zero society is within reach.

Founded in 2017, the company has become the leading battery storage operator in the UK and has grown its

presence across Australia, New Zealand, and Benelux. “We’ve raised c.£1.8 billion in debt and equity funding. We have c.730MW of grid-connected batteries live or under contract and c.1,000 electric vehicles with strong ambitions for the future,” the company states.

Zenobē is also the number one owner and operator of e-buses in Australia and New Zealand, and are quickly expanding into light commercial vehicles and truck, while powering 25% of the UK e-bus market.

Clearly, Zenobē views the energy transition and decarbonisation as an opportunity and not a hurdle. This is a company proving that there are returns to be had when making clean power accessible.

PROJECTS WITH PURPOSE

At the start of 2023, the company gained £235 million project finance debt from a consortium of banks to begin its ambitious plans in Scotland,

starting at Blackhillock. The 300 MW site is home to the first battery storage facility in the world that can provide Stability Services using a transmissionconnected battery. The first 200 MW will go live this year with the next 100 MW due in 2026. Bringing the finance and engineering capability together to deliver such a project is what separates Zenobē from others in the industry.

“Securing this first of its kind financing structure is another landmark for Zenobē and our mission to accelerate the grid’s uptake of renewable energy affordably and reliably,” said co-founder Nicholas Beatty. “This follows the successful arrangement of a private placement to debt finance our existing and pipeline fleet business last year. As lead advisor, NatWest has been instrumental in developing a debt facility that enables us to deliver grid-scale battery storage projects in Scotland and presents a significant growth opportunity for

our business to deliver more of these projects across the UK and elsewhere.”

Recently, other major battery storage projects have been initiated in Scotland, as the company looks to support the National Grid with its uptake of renewable power. The country has committed to netzero by 2045 and is keen to make the most of the abundant natural resources available, including wind, solar, and tidal generation.

WISHAW

At the end of 2023, Zenobē opened a new site in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, with a transformational 50 MW battery storage system that has the capacity to store enough wind power for 130,000 households for two hours. This reduces waste in the renewable energy industry allowing consumers to save while driving overall efficiency.

When the network has limited capacity, and no storage solution, windfarms can turn off turbines – curtailment – wasting large amounts of green power. In 2023, the UK wasted more than 2200 GWh which could have been used to power all homes in

Glasgow and Edinburgh for a full year.

Clearly, battery storage is a critical component in the renewable energy rollout. This is why Zenobē has committed £750 million to create pioneering projects across Scotland, reinventing the way the

INDUSTRY FOCUS: STORAGE

grid interacts with its new wind partners, spinning away off the coast and across the countryside.

“The Wishaw site inauguration represents a significant milestone for Zenobē and Scotland’s renewable energy ambitions as we seek to double Scotland’s storage power capacity,” said co-founder, James Basden.

“Battery storage is essential if the UK is to improve its energy security and bring down costs for consumers. By capturing and storing excess energy with sites like Wishaw, we can power homes, buses and trucks with energy that would otherwise have been wasted. Our recent successful capital raise provides the funding and Wishaw going live is the first step in this

journey. We are pleased to work with our partners Fluence, Centrica, H&MV and Santander UK to deliver this project that will enable even more clean, renewable energy to flow safely and reliably through the electricity network to power homes and businesses in the wider Glasgow area and beyond.”

In January 2024, two significant announcements came when the company finalised a project finance debt structure to support Scottish rollout before beginning construction of the exciting Kilmarnock South battery project.

The new debt backing of £147 million is structured by NatWest and is supported by a range of infrastructure banks. It comes following success at

the company’s 300 MW Blackhillock site near Inverness and is an upscaling after the project was upsized with larger energy capacity. Importantly, sites like Kilmarnock South and Wishaw will pass on estimated savings of £41 million over the next 15 years, by reducing wastage and stopping wind farm curtailment.

Kilmarnock South is particularly exciting for the company because of its scale. The project will stop 3.4 million tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere and has a 300 MW capacity that can store renewable energy, brining Scotland closer to energy autonomy. Again, the project is designed to reduce wasted green energy.

“Reaching this significant milestone demonstrates Zenobē’s commitment

THE PERFECT EPC PARTNER IN COMPLEX ENERGY SOLUTION PROJECTS

H&MV Engineering, a multi-disciplinary engineering firm with offices across Europe and Asia, boasts substantial expertise across engineering and design, high voltage systems, independent connections provision (ICP), infrastructure and asset management, and training and development.

H&MV, established in 1997, was onboarded in Zenobe’s recent project to connect a new battery energy storage system (BESS) to the transmission system in Scotland. The BESS, in Keith, Moray, will provide stability and security of supply to the region between Aberdeen and Inverness, as Scotland looks to further its renewable energy ambitions. A 300MW/600MW project, and the first to provide the full suite of active and reactive power services, this development will be the largest transmission connected battery in Europe when commissioned.

“The client required a competent contractor with both ICP and high voltage experience to deliver electrical and civil design, civil construction, electrical installation, and commissioning works in order to complete connection,” says UK Managing Director, Nigel Taylor.

H&MV, recognised for being adaptable and flexible, was appointed as the Principal Designer and Contractor under CDM 2015 Regulations, taking site and project management responsibilities.

“Our scope included design, procurement, supply, installation and commissioning of the 275 and 33 kV electrical network required to connect the BESS to the transmission network. Commissioning and testing were in compliance with, and approved by, SSE. H&MV completed all associated earthing as well as protection schemes, interlocking, controls, and metering systems,” details Taylor.

H&MV Engineering worked hand-in-hand with Zenobe, coordinating delivery of the BESS to site, including a number of heavy infrastructure packages such as the Power Conversion System, 33 kV transformers, containerised batteries, HVAC and fire suppression system, while liaising with landowners, the planning office, and local community.

“The award of this ground-breaking project reflects the confidence that Zenobe has in H&MV Engineering’s ability to deliver critical and complex projects,” said Taylor.

Contact H&MV Engineering today to discuss your project requirements. www.hmvengineering.com | +353 61 357 496 | H&MV Engineering

EXPERT DESIGN, SEAMLESS CONSTRUCTION: YOUR TURNKEY ELECTRICITY PARTNER

to stopping the waste of wind power by doubling Scotland’s battery storage capacity,” said Basden at the start of construction. “Kilmarnock South will enhance the country’s position as a

// REACHING THIS SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE DEMONSTRATES ZENOBĒ’S COMMITMENT TO STOPPING THE WASTE OF WIND POWER BY DOUBLING SCOTLAND’S BATTERY STORAGE CAPACITY

leader in delivering energy that is cost-effective, clean and efficient. This is an important moment as we bolster the UK’s energy infrastructure and help to ensure that every household feels the benefits of sustainable, affordable electricity.”

Kilmarnock South performs a similar function to a power station for the local substation but without the waste, and without the greenhouse gas emissions. In 2025, the project will come online and balance the grid using green energy from wind farms including Viking and Beatrice.

Alongside these significant projects, Zenobē is also busy investing fleet charging solutions for bus operations in Oxford, investing in relevant fleet management software in South Africa, supporting development and rollout of electric concrete mix

www.hmvengineering.com

vehicles in Birmingham, and finding new uses for second-life batteries.

This is a business not looking at the distant future, content with being all voice and no action. Zenobē is doing things now – taking action, utilising money, and building commitments that make net-zero a reality. The team is motivated and, thankfully, the size of the problem is only matched by the level of ambition and optimism. Encouraging more to follow is the next step for policy makers and regulators.

RBN ENERGY

Virtuoso Network Delivers Insightful Analysis in Style

PRODUCTION: Tommy Atkinson

Expert provider of market advisory services specialising in strategy, acquisitions, and divestures, RBN’s passion for market analytics spans the full breadth of consulting services and information products concerning natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, and renewable energy sources.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: ANALYTICS

“Our mission is to make sense out of complex and sometimes quite opaque energy markets to help our clients create a deep understanding,” RBN Energy (RBN) offers by way of

// WE GET INTO THESE PROJECTS BECAUSE CUSTOMERS HAVE A CHALLENGE AND THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT QUESTION TO ASK TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGE //

introduction, “and to do it in style.” Founded in 2012 by Rusty Braziel following the sale of leading analytics and information company BENTEK Energy, RBN was instated just as the Shale Revolution was in the process of upending markets that industry veterans had so long taken for granted.

“A new way of thinking about the relationships between commodities and their markets was needed,” RBN explains, resulting in the inception of Rusty Braziel’s Network (RBN), to leverage Braziel’s decades of industry experience. The aim was clear, RBN says. “We set out to demystify aspects of the industry that were previously only known to a select few insiders and explain why markets were behaving in ways few at the time understood.”

Originally transmitted in the form of free daily energy blogs which merged a straightforward style with the irreverent flair of Brazier’s rock ‘n’ roll heritage, its work, which sought to subvert traditional ways of thinking, quickly gained traction, and soon RBN stood for a formidable network of experienced energy professionals harbouring the foremost experts in the U.S. energy industry.

FRESH APPROACH

“We strive to provide insightful analysis of energy markets in a way that is not boring,” RBN condenses of its esoteric and highly successful ethos, which has seen this blog

Continues on page 84

David Braziel, CEO and Rusty Braziel, Founder

Advanced energy challenges require advanced solutions.

Explore powerful data, research and analytics that support your entire energy analysis and trading workflow with Bloomberg. Find comprehensive pricing, long term forecasts and trading solutions you can depend on.

Navigate volatile energy and commodities markets with a trusted partner.

INDUSTRY FOCUS: ANALYTICS

Continued from page 82

snowball into a phenomenon which last year hit is 40,000 daily readers milestone. “Energy information can and should be not only informative and accurate, but also engaging.”

Eschewing what it terms the, “dry, mind-numbing tomes that tend to pervade [our] industry,” RBN instead favours an approach that weaves the ‘what, why, and who’ of energy market developments into interesting, thoughtprovoking narratives - “that get to the bottom line without overwhelming with tedious statistics or dense, muddled graphics,” the company adds.

Of course, dry as these statistics can typically be, RBN knows the

value of this data, has it in droves and understands it fully. “But energy markets are about much more than number crunching,” RBN argues. “To truly grasp today’s chaotic, rapidly evolving energy markets, you need deep experience to put the numbers in a meaningful context,” and this is where RBN’s synergy of analytics together with the know-how of industry veterans – its ‘networkers’ – truly comes into its own in allowing it to fully discern the workings behind energy market developments.

“That is the idea behind RBN,” sets out Braziel. “We bring together experts with complementary skills to fit the customers’ needs and can make the best use of all the information available to analyse and understand

energy markets.” While RBN is based in Houston, its focus traverses North American energy markets and its team of networkers now spans the globe.

“RBN is all about making connections across energy markets,” it condenses. “We connect energy data and knowledgeable experts to our readers in an entertaining and thought-provoking manner, and we connect physical markets for energy commodities with financial markets for managing risk.

“Most importantly, we connect the people who need energy market information with the data and analysis they need to make informed, sound decisions,” summarises this unrivalled group of industry authorities, today

// 80% OF OUR PROJECTS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND WE DO THINGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE. WE SPECIFICALLY LOOK FOR THE UNUSUAL AND CHALLENGING AND COMPLEX //

recognised by engineers, scientists, financiers, analysts, and many more as the unparalleled source of market data turning the difficult and dry into the digestible and comprehensible.

BOOTS ON THE GROUND

“We strive to be the most engaging and pertinent source of energy market information for those seeking an understanding of the industry.”

An ever-expanding collaborative network strives to bring the right information, analytical tools and industry experience to bear on the most important developments in the exciting and fast moving natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil market sectors. Its exhaustive array of contributors numbers some of the most renowned individuals in the industry: Abudi Zein, Terry Virts, Gregory Vesey, Katharine Fraser and John Allen to name but a fraction.

“Our network of energy pros and subject matter experts are employed all along the energy value chain and across major U.S. geographies,” furthers CEO David Braziel, RBN’s secondgeneration leader. “This is the team that we call on to answer the most difficult questions in energy markets.

“They are integral to our mission of making RBN’s analytics reflective of what’s actually going on,” Braziel effuses, “rather than just what one might glean from the numbers alone. That sort of

market intelligence only comes by having boots on the ground – insiders who know the market’s nuances and what pitfalls to watch out for.

“We’re always keen to work with the best and brightest and so we foster those relationships.”

Since its founding, RBN has grown exponentially and its range of offerings has followed suit, but the overall mission has remained constant: to get energy market analytics to a broad audience, and in the coming years and decades RBN’s insights and expertise will be more and more crucial as the energy transition gathers momentum and pace and brings change globally.

“Energy markets are in a huge transition - we know that,” Braziel said of the many opportunities this transformation presents. “I don’t think we can overstate the importance of

the decisions that are being taken right now that affect everybody. We are of the opinion that we need a balanced energy portfolio to be able to provide energy security, affordable energy and more. Everybody needs it, and for me personally, that is an important goal for RBN.

“We want to help carry the message, and we want to help people understand energy markets with reliability, relevance and clarity, alongside the camaraderie and personal relationships the energy markets are built on.”

EXHIBITION CALENDAR

KEY UPCOMING EVENTS ACROSS THE INDUSTRY

IMPORTANT EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS TAKING PLACE ACROSS THE ENERGY SECTOR, GIVING BRANDS A PLATFORM TO TELL THEIR STORY.

APR 4

SOLAREX ISTANBUL 2024

APR 4-6 | ISTANBUL, TURKEY

The Solarex is an important international trade fair for solar technology and renewable energies, which takes place annually at the Istanbul Expo Center (IFM). The fair is an important platform for industry experts, decision-makers, and companies specializing in solar technology, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, and renewable energies. Both solar technology and other renewable energies are of growing importance in Turkey as the country strives to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and meet renewable energy targets. Turkey has great potential for solar energy, particularly in the southern regions, and has made significant progress in adopting solar and other renewable energy sources in recent years. Solarex attracts many exhibitors and trade visitors from all over the world and offers an excellent opportunity to discover the latest products, technologies, and services in the solar and renewable energy industry. The main exhibitors include manufacturers of solar cells, solar modules, inverters, energy storage systems, solar parks, and other industry-related products and services. The fair is only of interest to trade visitors, offering an ideal platform to build business relationships and to explore the market for renewable energies in the region.

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APR 30

ENERGY EXPO BUCHAREST BUCHAREST, ROMANIA | APR 3-4

TECHNO CLASSICA ESSEN 2024

ESSEN, GERMANY | APR 3-7

FIRAMACO + ENERGY 2024

ALICANTE, SPAIN | APR 4-6

SOLAREX ISTANBUL 2024

ISTANBUL, TURKEY | APR 4-6

BAUMESSE DARMSTADT 2024 DARMSTADT, GERMANY | APR 5-7

BUILDING GREEN AARHUS 2024 AARHUS, DENMARK | APR 10-11

SOLAR & STORAGE LIVE EUROPE - UK - LONDON 2024

LONDON, UK | APR 29-30

INNOVATION ZERO

LONDON, UK | APR 30 - MAY 1

APR 10

BUILDING GREEN AARHUS 2024

APR 10-11 | AARHUS, DENMARK

Building Green Aarhus is an annual event with free attendance. For 2 days, you can experience more than 80 speakers and 70 exhibitors of sustainable solutions and products for the construction industry. The 2 stages will be full of inspiring keynotes speaker and interesting debates that deal with the most relevant topics. You can expect to get a lot of new knowledge and inspiration. At Building Green, you can meet and network with the entire construction industry to enhance sustainable construction and architecture. You can e.g. meet architects, entrepreneurs, urban planners, building technician, SMVs, craftsmen and others with a professional interest in sustainability in the construction industry. You will become a part of a huge sustainable community and share ideas with every part of the industry.

APR 30

INNOVATION ZERO

APR 30 - MAY 1 | LONDON, UK

The purpose of Innovation Zero is to accelerate meaningful action towards a low carbon economy and society. By building and connecting a global network of innovators, funders, policymakers and non-state actors across disciplines, siloes and geographies we give a platform to leaders who inspire change. We do this in the form of an international Congress in London supported by year-round touchpoints.

Accelerating the energy transition

TSG Charge is driving businesses into a greener tomorrow; supporting the widespread expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

Now established as the UK’s first-choice engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, TSG delivers a complete turnkey solution, from site survey, design, build, dealer network operator application, equipment supply and installation, maintenance and support.

Embrace the power of the future

Adoption of the EV is accelerating across the UK and TSG Charge is at the forefront of EV infrastructure growth, embracing the next step to a more sustainable world.

TSG Charge UK

• Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor

• Independent connection provider (ICP)

• Over 50 years of delivering quality-driven projects

• Part of TSG Group, operating across 30 countries

TSG Charge