TotalEnergies SE said it will end ethylene production from the oldest steam cracker at its Antwerp refining and petrochemical complex by 2027, citing “overcapacity” in Europe. The facility will continue to produce ethylene from a newer steam cracker. Investment will also be refocused on the facility’s decarbonization. The older cracker has relied on a third-party consumer, which recently decided to end the contract by 2027. “As a result, the steam cracker, which is not integrated to TotalEnergies’ downstream polymer production, will no longer have any outlets for its ethylene production”, the French integrated energy company said in an online statement. “The unit shutdown will allow the site to focus on its more recent steam cracker, whose ethylene production is entirely consumed by TotalEnergies’ industrial units in Antwerp and Feluy”. The shutdown will not result in layoffs. “The 253 employees concerned will each be offered a solution aligned with their personal situation: retirement or an internal transfer to another position based at the Antwerp site”, the statement said. “This project is subject to the legally required employee consultation and notification process, which TotalEnergies will initiate with representatives of Antwerp platform employees in late April”. The facility, on the other hand, will this year enable a conventional refining unit to co-process biomass to produce 50,000 metric tons a year of sustainable aviation fuel. This will be supplied to aviation customers, TotalEnergies said. Meanwhile as part of the facility’s decarbonization TotalEnergies has signed a tolling deal for 130 megawatts (MW) from a 200-MW electrolyzer project of Air Liquide. That secures 15,000 metric tons per annum of green hydrogen for the Antwerp complex. “Upstream of the electrolyzer, TotalEnergies will supply green electricity thanks to its OranjeWind offshore wind project”, TotalEnergies added. “Scheduled for the end of 2027, the project will reduce CO2 [carbon dioxide] emissions at the

The UK government and Italian energy firm Eni are set to announce approval for a major carbon capture project in England on Thursday, according to reports. The FT reported that officials will announce the go-ahead for a 38 mile pipeline as part of the HyNet North West carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, citing two people familiar with the project. The announcement will be made at a major energy security summit in London later today. Under the HyNet plans, industrial emissions will be capture and transported for storage at Eni’s Douglas CCS platform in the Liverpool Bay. Based in the north west of England, HyNet was selected as one of the two Track-1 CCUS clusters to receive funding from the UK government in November 2021 alongside the East Coast Cluster. © HyNetHyNet The UK government gave approval to the Northern Endurance Partnership CCS project, part of the East Coast Cluster, in December last year. The approvals come after the government last year pledged nearly £22 billion for the Track 1 projects over the next 25 years. Energy Voice has contacted Eni and the UK government for comment in response to the FT story. HyNet North West Industries set to make use of CO2 storage through HyNet include cement, construction materials, oil refining, recycling and waste management, low carbon hydrogen and waste-to-energy generation. Eni expects to be able to store 10Mtpa of CO2 before the end of the decade. The project backers, including EET Hydrogen and Viridor, estimate HyNet will contribute up to £17bn in economic benefits. Alongside the HyNet and East Coast Cluster, the industry is also progressing the Acorn CCS project in Scotland and the Viking CCS project in the Humber under the Track-2 process. In 2024, the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) regulator also finalised its first ever offshore carbon

The UK government will make a “calm and considered decision” on whether to shake up the energy market and move towards zonal pricing, Ed Miliband has said. The Energy Secretary is reported to be considering zonal pricing, which some newspaper reports have said could lead to higher bills in the South East of England, while other areas may get cheaper energy. There are also concerns among the Scottish renewable energy sector that zonal pricing reforms could risk “derailing” tens of billions of pounds of offshore wind investment. The changes could also impact areas including battery storage and green hydrogen production. Asked about the move by Sky News, Miliband said: “We’re still looking at the details of this, which is something we’ve got to really get right, and we are studying in detail the effect. “My bottom line here is we want to cut bills, and we want to do so in a way that’s fair, and we want to make sure that happens, and that’s my test for any reforms that we make. © Supplied by Ocean WindsThe last turbine to be installed on the Moray West offshore wind farm in Scotland. “There’s very strong views on both sides of industry, as you’ll probably have gathered on this. People are fighting it out. “We’re going to take this, make a calm and considered decision on this.” Miliband said he would not take a decision that would raise energy prices in some parts of the country. Speaking to LBC about zonal pricing, the Energy Secretary said: “I’m not going to take a decision that is going to raise prices in some parts of the country. That is not what I’m going to do. “Honestly, this is about reforms to cut prices for people, that is my absolute bottom line here.” He

Malaysia’s Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) has signed 11 Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) to boost the country’s oil and gas services and equipment (OGSE) sector through two initiatives, Yard Transformation and Productivity Enhancement, and Skilled Trade Champion. The MOUs were signed by Petronas’ Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM).   The agreements promote cooperation with industry stakeholders to improve the efficiency of fabrication yards through modernization and to develop a highly skilled local workforce, Petronas said in a media release. “The MOUs reflect PETRONAS’ steadfast commitment to build a robust and sustainable oil and gas sector in Malaysia. The structured implementation, undertaken in close collaboration with homegrown OGSE players, will focus on delivering measurable outcomes to create an environment that is conducive for investment and accelerated growth, aligned with national aspirations”, MPM Senior Vice President Bacho Pilong said. As part of the Yard Transformation and Productivity Enhancement initiative, Petronas said it has signed five MOUs with leading local fabrication yard contractors: Brooke Holding Sdn. Bhd., Ocean Might Sdn. Bhd., Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd., Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Bhd., and Sapura Fabrication Sdn. Bhd. Petrona said this initiative is a vital part of Malaysia’s overall plan to rejuvenate the fabrication yard ecosystem. The efforts aimed at transformation emphasize the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies, enhancing workforce skills, and broadening market prospects to increase productivity, it said. Petronas added that under the Skilled Trade Champion initiative, six MOUs were signed with key industry players, including Pan-Malaysia Maintenance, Construction and Modification contractors, Hook-up and Commissioning contractors, and the Malaysia Offshore Support Vessel Owners’ Association. These collaborations focus on enhancing essential offshore trades, including rigging, blasting and painting, scaffolding, welding, joint-making, and seafaring. The initiative also emphasizes the importance of enhancing the skills of Malaysian seafarers to develop a larger pool of qualified officers in offshore

Power-hungry AI data centres could more than offset their energy demands with the technology being used to drive down consumption across other industries, a science minister has said. Labour frontbencher Lord Vallance of Balham told Parliament the UK stood “a very good chance” of securing a large number of computer processing sites, as critics cast doubt on Britain’s attraction given its high energy costs compared with other countries. The Government has previously set out plans to turn areas of industrial wasteland into “hotbeds” for AI development. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wants to drastically expand use of the technology to help revolutionise struggling public services and turn around Britain’s economy. Measures include the development of “growth zones” around the country to build infrastructure such as data centres and improve access to the power grid. However, concern has been expressed at the amount of energy consumed by the new technology as the Government pursues the emissions goal of net-zero by 2050. It follows the ending of the mainstream political consensus on tackling climate change, amid worries over the cost of the UK’s green transition on household bills. Tory peer Lord Mackinlay of Richborough, director of the Global Warming Policy Foundation think tank, said: “For that diminishing number of people who still believe that diminishing Britain’s 0.8% of global CO2 still further is actually an undertaking worth having, I bring very good news. “And that is the amount of CO2 to be released from UK data centres will be very close to zero. “Because with energy price in the UK some three times higher than the US, double the price of much of mainland Europe – notably Switzerland where this is a developing industry – I very much doubt we will have any or very few energy hungry AI centres.” But Lord

The UK government says clean energy projects and other major infrastructure will be delivered “at least a year faster” on average under accelerated planning reforms. The government said “burdensome” statutory consultation requirements for major projects will be scrapped through amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Reforming the planning system was a key pledge of the Labour party ahead of its election victory last year amid frustration from the energy sector over delays. The reforms will cut down the average two-year statutory pre-consultation period by half, the government said, “paving the way for new roads, railways and windfarms”. Altogether, the government estimates the reforms could save over £1 billion for industry and taxpayers within the current term of parliament. Deputy Prime Minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner said the UK “can’t afford to have projects held up by tiresome requirements and uncertainty”. “We are strengthening the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to make sure we can lead the world again with new roads, railways, and energy infrastructure as part of the Plan for Change, whilst ensuring local people still have a say in our journey to get Britain building,” Rayner said. ‘Significant step forward’ for renewable energy RenewableUK head of policy James Robottom welcomed the government announcement and said the reforms are a “significant step forward for the renewable energy industry”. “The industry has a long track record of engaging early and closely with local communities and a wide range of environmental stakeholders, and this will continue as we want to carry on building projects with local support by giving communities a clear voice in the decision-making process,” he said. Ørsted UK country manager Benj Sykes said the changes will allow developers to “focus on the issues that matter to stakeholders and local communities, and to our developments”.