TotalEnergies SE is considering importing green hydrogen from a multi-billion dollar project under development in northeastern Brazil to supply its European refineries.  The French energy company would be a key buyer from a plant planned by Brazilian renewables developer Casa dos Ventos, said people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. TotalEnergies, which has a 34 percent stake in the developer’s wind and solar generation unit, also is considering taking a direct shareholding in the project, the people said. TotalEnergies and Casa dos Ventos have yet to make a final decision on the deal, according to the people. Both companies declined to comment.  The project, which would be developed in stages at the port of Pecem, eventually may reach a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts of electrolysis, which could produce 160,000 tons of green hydrogen per year. Production of green ammonia, which is easier to ship than hydrogen, could reach 900,000 tons a year, according to Casa dos Ventos.  Green hydrogen has been touted as a key fuel for a carbon-free future as it is produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules using renewable energy. However, few large-scale projects to make it have progressed to the construction phase due to costs and technological complexities. TotalEnergies’ contract would be a new step in the oil major’s plan to reduce its carbon emissions by replacing the 500,000 tons of gray hydrogen – made out of fossil fuels – that is used in its refining processes in Europe with green hydrogen by 2030.  The switch to the clean, but far more expensive, gas is motivated by a planned European Union tax on fuel distributors who fail to meet greener standards, the company has said. So far, the company has signed contracts for more than 130,000 tons of

NewMed Energy LP has completed the acquisition of a 50 percent stake in the Han Asparuh block on Bulgaria’s side of the Black Sea from OMV Petrom SA. “With the closing of the transaction, NewMed Balkan now holds 50 percent of the interests in the Bulgaria License”, NewMed Energy, a gas and condensate exploration and production company owned by Israel’s Delek Group, confirmed in a regulatory filing. OMV Offshore Bulgaria GmbH, a subsidiary of Austrian-Romanian company OMV Petrom, holds the remaining 50 percent as operator. Cristian Hubati, OMV Petrom board member responsible for exploration and production, said in a separate statement by the company, “Access to local resources is essential for energy security, and through the upcoming exploration activities we are opening new perspectives in the Bulgarian Black Sea area”. The partners expect to start drilling a new exploration well this year, OMV Petrom said. The leasehold, also called Block 1-21, spans about 13,712 square kilometers (5,294.23 square miles) with water depths of just below 2,000 meters (6,561.68 feet) in the country’s exclusive economic zone, according to OMV Petrom. “This collaboration allows both parties to share the risks and costs associated with the project, thereby facilitating the advancement of exploration efforts”, OMV Petrom, an integrated energy company with investments from Austria’s state-backed OMV AG and the Romanian government, said November 28, 2024, announcing the farm-down agreement. NewMed Energy said separately at the time it had agreed to spend up to EUR 100 million ($108.71 million) on two wells in the block, if the farm-out is completed. NewMed Energy’s initial investment consists of EUR 50 million for the next exploration well to be drilled in the block’s Vinekh prospect. This well would be followed by another drilling on either an exploration well in another prospect or an appraisal well in Vinekh

Ofgem will grant the UK’s electricity transmission owners with early access to almost £4 billion of grid investment for equipment and services. The regulator’s new Advanced Procurement Mechanism (APM) aims to unblock supply chains and help renewable energy projects connect quicker to the grid. Through the new process, Ofgem hopes that green-lit projects will be ready to break ground as soon as planning approval is granted, reducing delays, control costs and helping attract international investment. Ofgem director general for infrastructure Akshay Kaul said: “Building a modern, clean and secure energy system is the key to ending our reliance on international gas markets responsible for volatile prices, so we must do everything we can to clear the way for trailblazing projects to move forward. “The APM is an innovative model that could be extended in the future to develop other areas of the energy sector, and possibly mirrored by other regulatory bodies supporting the delivery of national infrastructure.” According to Ofgem, the APM framework could help UK transmission owners reduce risk of costly supply chain delays and lowering or control build costs by purchasing materials in advance. In addition, it could help support growth in domestic manufacturing and attract international investment to British projects while accelerating project delivery. To minimise the risk of stranded procurement – pre-ordered equipment for projects that do not progress – Ofgem will ensure that only equipment that is transferable between many different projects is eligible for APM funding. More bespoke procurement will be considered on a case-by-case basis to assess the benefit and risk. Reacting to Ofgem’s announcement, SP Energy Networks CEO Nicola Connelly said: “The £75bn proposed investment in the transmission system is the foundation of the government’s growth ambitions, unlocking grid capacity for homes and businesses, moving homegrown clean energy around the country and

GB Energy won’t create enough new green jobs at scale to replace those potentially being lost in oil and gas, a union boss has claimed. Derek Thomson, Unite Scotland regional secretary, said the jury is out when it comes to the impact of the new publicly-owned energy firm being set up in Aberdeen. It comes just days after the board of GB Energy met for the first time ever in the north-east to discuss their plans to scale up the firm’s presence in the city. Thomson told MPs on the Scottish Affairs Committee that despite “great fanfare” it should not be seen as “some sort of saviour”. “For Unite, it’s a wait and see with GB Energy”, the union chief said. “We’ll engage with it where we can. I don’t think it should be sold as some kind of saviour to the oil and gas industry. “I don’t think it’s going to come in and create the amount of jobs in Aberdeen to replace the amount of jobs that are potentially going to go in oil and gas.” ‘It’s not looking promising’ His concerns were echoed by Robert Deavy, Scotland senior organiser from GMB union, who raised questions over the funding on the table. The union organiser said that while £8.3 billion was committed to GB Energy over the lifetime of the current parliament, only £100m was allocated in the latest budget. He said: “Of course we’ll support it, we want it to work, we want it to create green jobs. “But at this moment in time, it’s not looking promising.” Meanwhile, union leaders shared concerns over the “catastrophic effect” moving away from oil and gas too quickly could have on the local economy and jobs. They want to see a proper plan put in place to replace North Sea

GB Energy has started a new search for a chief executive to be based at its Aberdeen headquarters. The job advertisement comes after the new publicly founded company faced recruitment struggles earlier this year. Dan McGrail was appointed interim chief executive last month. But the permanent chief executive role has now appeared on Linkedin with a base salary of £350,000 a year. ‘Truly extraordinary opportunity’ GB Energy is working alongside London headquartered global executive search and organisational firm Odgers Berndston to find the right candidate. The job description states the appointment will start in Autumn this year, taking over from Mr McGrail who was hired on an initial six-month contract. Aberdeen will be the location with “expectation for the Chief Executive is to attend the office or non-home-based location for at least 60% of the time.” The job advert states: “We are delighted to be working with Great British Energy to appoint their permanent Chief Executive. “This is a truly extraordinary opportunity to lead a pioneering new publicly owned company that will sit at the very heart of the UK’s clean energy transformation. “As CEO, you will be responsible for shaping and delivering the strategy that will turn this vision into reality.” Closing date for applications is April 20 with interviews to be held in early June. GB Energy jobs boost GB Energy chairman Juergen Maier has previously said the publicly owned company could create 200-300 jobs in Aberdeen after the Granite City was chosen as its headquarters location. It started advertising roles based in the city, including Energy Project Development Lead and a Engagement Lead, in August last year. GB Energy will be focused on clean energy will invest more than £8 billion over the next five years. Speaking ahead of attending GB Energy’s first ever board meeting in

Energy technology major Baker Hughes Co. has launched a joint technology program with Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) to solve stress corrosion cracking due to carbon dioxide (SCC-CO2) in flexible pipe systems. The pre-commercial agreement includes development and testing, along with an option to purchase the next-generation flexible pipes that will offer a prolonged service life of 30 years in high-CO2 conditions, Baker Hughes said in a media release. The partnership will mainly be executed at Baker Hughes’ Energy Technology Innovation Center in Rio de Janeiro and the adjacent manufacturing facility for flexible pipe systems. “Baker Hughes has led the way in addressing SCC-CO2, and we will bring that expertise and experience to bear in developing the definitive solution to this critical industry challenge”, Amerino Gatti, executive vice president for Oilfield Services and Equipment at Baker Hughes, said. “By deploying flexible pipe systems that last for decades, Petrobras can more efficiently unlock the vital natural resources that power the region, while also safely returning CO2 deep underground”. SCC-CO2 was discovered in 2016 and can impact flexible pipes in pre-salt fields, which contain high levels of naturally occurring CO2. When water enters a pipe’s annulus area, it can lead to corrosion of the steel reinforcement layers, compromising structural integrity and shortening the system’s lifespan, Baker Hughes said. This challenge is especially pronounced in Brazil’s pre-salt fields, where Petrobras is reinjecting CO2 from its production processes into wells to decrease flaring and improve oil recovery, it said. Until now, operators in high-CO2 environments have relied on solutions that mitigate the impact of SCC-CO2 while limiting the service life of risers and flowlines, Baker Hughes said. Its flexible pipe systems and advanced monitoring technologies have proven effective at minimizing this impact, and the company is a major supplier of flexible pipe systems to Petrobras,