Daily Archives: April 10, 2024

Gustav Witze rules out building any offshore fish farms if there is no ground rent tax first. File photo: Magnus Johan Mary

Salmon farming heavyweight SalMar wont develop a fully offshore farm in Norway until the government extends its ground rent tax to offshore developments, chairman Gustav Witze has said.

Witze was speaking to Ole Erik Almlid, chief executive of the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise, in an interview on stage at seafood organisation Sjmat Norges annual conference in Troms yesterday.

So-called ground rent is a 25% tax on the value added to farmed salmon and trout during the sea phase and comes on top of Norways 22% tax on profits, taking the tax level to 47%. Offshore farms will require considerable investment and time before becoming profitable and the rationale for Witzes request appears to be that if offshore farming has a ground rent tax applied now, salmon producers will be able to offset that expenditure against their tax bills, effectively getting a government subsidy to develop offshore.

News outlet DN reported the conference.

We want to produce the salmon further out to sea. In connection with ground rents, the state/Vedum (finance minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum) said that ground rent should not be introduced for offshore aquaculture, but that it should not ignore the fact that it could introduce it later when profitability was better. Where is the understanding of how to use natural resources, DN reported Witze saying.

SalMar, which is the co-owner of Scottish Sea Farms, is the majority owner of Aker Ocean AS, a company formed to develop farming of salmon in the open sea.

The company already operates Ocean Farm 1, which was built in China for SalMar. It is located off the coast of Trndelag at a location that is exposed, but not classed as offshore. Since 2021, SalMars plan has been to build sea cages and install them in even more exposed locations and offshore, but Vedum and the government have put a damper on the companys plans.

Witze said SalMar had an ambition to produces 150,000 tonnes of salmon annually into the open sea in 2030.

Then the politicians come and say that just wait until you have finished investing. Then comes the ground rent tax.

Is it out of the question for SalMar to build offshore in Norway as long as there is no ground rent tax there, asked Almlid.

Yes, yes, yes, are you on track? The basic interest will come if the earnings come. It doesn't work, replied Witze, according to DN.

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SalMar 'won't build offshore farms in Norway without ground rent tax' - FishFarmingExpert

The partnership sees EDF Renewables UK, ESB and Reventus Power each owning a 33.33% share. The partnership confirms the trios commitment to delivering floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea and expects to bid in The Crown Estates Leasing Round 5.

DP Energy remain a development partner in the project, leveraging their local presence and engagement.

Matthieu Hue CEO of EDF Renewables UK said: We are delighted to welcome ESB and Reventus Power onboard as our new joint venture partners to Gwynt Glas. We already work with ESB on other projects, including Neart na Gaoithe, our offshore wind farm, currently under construction in the Firth of Forth and the Stornoway onshore wind farm in the Western Isles. We have a close relationship with the Reventus Power team, having a worked with them on Provence Grand Large, Frances first floating offshore wind farm.

Jim Dollard, Executive Director, Generation Trading at ESB said: ESB is delighted to be joining two experienced partners in a collective effort to secure seabed rights in The Crown Estate Round 5 seabed allocation process. As ESB drives towards its Net Zero by 2040 target, it is recognised that offshore wind will be a crucial contributor to that goal. Floating offshore wind in particular has the potential to really turn the dial, not just here in the UK but also in Ireland where we have one of the best floating offshore wind resources in the world. I look forward to growing our relationship with EDF Renewables UK and I welcome the opportunity to work with Reventus Power.

Michael van der Heijden CEO of Reventus Power said: We are delighted to join with EDF Renewables and ESB, two industry leading players, in the Gwynt Glas consortium. Together with our partners, we bring a deep understanding of the floating offshore wind market and we look forward to participating in the forthcoming UK Round 5 Leasing Round

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New floating offshore wind partnership committed to Celtic Sea - 4C Offshore

Norwind Offshore has placed an order for a stand-alone ECMC 7-tonne 3D crane for the commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) newbuild 952, Norwind Helm. The order extends the delivery of Seaonics first electric gangway system to Norwind Hurricane, which occurred on 21 March 2024.

The crane is to be installed in connection with the delivery of the newbuild from Vard Brattvaag planned for November 2024.

The boom control, slew control, and telescope control of the Seaonics ECMC crane are all electric and dynamically used to perform the 3D compensation of the crane tip.

Norwind Helm will be the first CSOV with two 3D cranes installed, said the Norway-based company.

This delivery is in addition to the ECMC Gangway with the integrated 3D crane that Seaonics is already delivering to the same vessel.

The ECMC crane will be delivered and commissioned during the summer.

Norwind Helm was launched at Vard Shipyards Braila, Romania, on 2 February 2024. The CSOV has an overall length of 85.5 metres, a breadth of 19.05 metres, and accommodation for 87 people.

The vessel will be delivered to Vard Brattvaag, Norway, where the last equipment will be mounted, and the tests and trials will be performed.

This is the third vessel built by Vard for Norwind Offshore. The first CSOV,Norwind Gale, was delivered to Norwind Offshore in June 2023.

In terms of other news coming from Norwind Offshore, the company recently, in collaboration with Navigare Capital Partners, signed a contract with Vard for the design and construction of a tailored CSOV. The vessel is planned to be delivered in the first quarter of 206.

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Norwind Offshore's CSOV to Feature Seaonics Fully-Electric Crane - Offshore WIND

Published on April 09, 2024 by Dave Kovaleski

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The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities will use PJM Interconnections competitive planning process to help New Jersey advance its offshore wind goals.

The collaboration, which asks PJM to solicit transmission solutions to serve an additional 3,500 MW of offshore wind energy, totaling 11,000 MW, by 2040, was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

This is the second time New Jersey has leveraged a provision in PJMs Operating Agreement that enables the state to take advantage of PJMs expertise and planning process to develop transmission improvements.

Overall, New Jersey is the first state to use PJMs State Agreement Approach process to advance public policy goals. PJMs work with NJBPU has been cited as a model for other states to develop the transmission infrastructure needed for their own energy policies.

PJM filed the agreement, signed by both PJM and NJBPU, with FERC on Feb. 2. It was made effective as of Jan. 3, 2024, as requested.

This is the next phase of PJMs State Agreement Approach Study Agreement, or SAA 2.0. In November 2020, NJBPU requested the use of the SAA to incorporate New Jerseys initial offshore wind goals of 7,500 MW by 2035 into PJMs regional transmission planning process.

That resulted in NJBPU awarding $1.1 billion in projects to construct the onshore transmission facilities necessary to deliver those 7,500 MW to New Jersey customers. Those enhancements to the grid are currently being implemented by the designated entities that were awarded project components.

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FERC approves collaboration between PJM, New Jersey to boost offshore wind - Daily Energy Insider

The Vegas Golden Knights (42-27-8) play their last road game of the regular season on Wednesday night when they visit the Edmonton Oilers (47-24-5). The Golden Knights havent had a great road trip so far in losses to Arizona (7-4) and Vancouver (4-3) but theyll try to salvage the trip against an Oilers team that []

The Vegas Golden Knights (42-27-8) play their last road game of the regular season on Wednesday night when they visit the Edmonton Oilers (47-24-5). The Golden Knights havent had a great road trip so far in losses to Arizona (7-4) and Vancouver (4-3) but theyll try to salvage the trip against an Oilers team that could be without Connor McDavid (questionable undisclosed).

It goes without saying that Edmontons chances take a hit if McDavid cannot go on Wednesday night. The reigning MVP suffered a lower body injury on Saturday against Calgary and even though the Oilers have had three nights off, the playoffs are right around the corner and it might not be worth risking his health.

The Oilers have won five of their last seven, scoring at least 4 goals in each of those victories. Leon Draisaitl has 9 points in his last 6 games so he can pick up the slack if McDavid is indeed out on Wednesday.

Its been a tough road trip for Vegas, especially the loss to Arizona who is the 4th worst team in the Eastern Conference. The good news is the Golden Knights end the regular season with four home games, but Wednesdays visit to Edmonton is still important as Vegas is a point back from Los Angeles in the West which would help them avoid the wild card.

The Golden Knights havent looked good the last two games, but this is also a team that won six of seven prior to the consecutive losses. Edmonton is secure in their seeding while Vegas needs a victory, and the uncertainty of McDavid gives the better value to the visitors.

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April 10 Golden Knights vs Oilers NHL Offshore Betting Odds, Preview - The Latest Sports Betting News - OffshoreSportsbooks.com

Arsenal will be hoping to secure their position at the top of the Premier League standings when they return to domestic action this weekend. Aston Villa will be the visitors to the Emirates, with the Champions League-chasers looking to end a two-game winless run. Schedule & How To Watch When: Sunday, April 14, 2024. 11:30 []

Arsenal will be hoping to secure their position at the top of the Premier League standings when they return to domestic action this weekend. Aston Villa will be the visitors to the Emirates, with the Champions League-chasers looking to end a two-game winless run.

There is no pause in the race for the Premier League title this season. Arsenal will have no room for error when they take to the field this weekend against Aston Villa. The Gunners remain top of the standings at this stage, but they are above Liverpool on goal difference alone. Arsenal have recorded victories in four of their last five league matches, and they boast the best attacking and defensive records.

The Gunners have picked up victories in their last two in the league, with their most recent success coming in the form of a dominant 3-0 away victory against Brighton. However, Arsenals momentum was halted slightly in midweek after they failed to gain a first leg advantage when playing out a draw against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Aston Villa still look to be on course for a Champions League finish this season. The Villa come into this round sitting fifth in the standings, but they have dropped in the table after winning just once across their last five matches. But, their European hopes still look strong at this stage, as Man United have failed to make in-roads.

Villa only had themselves to blame for dropping points in their previous fixture, as they threw away a 2-0 advantage against Brentford before drawing 3-3. This fixture comes in the middle of their Europa Conference League tie with Lille, meaning it will be interesting to see what kind of team Unai Emery fields this weekend.

Villas record away from home against Arsenal is a concern ahead of making a wager on this fixture on Sunday. Therefore, we will be taking a chance on the Gunners to maintain their hold on top spot in the Premier League.

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Arsenal vs Aston Villa EPL Offshore Odds, Preview, and Prediction - The Latest Sports Betting News - OffshoreSportsbooks.com

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions hit an all-time high in 2022, reaching 4.1 gigatons of CO2-equivalent. Carbon dioxide emissions are a major cause for concern in the fight against climate change, but CO2 is not the only GHG the industry must address.

Methane, for example, is a significant GHG across oil and gas production accounting for 57% of operational emissions in the natural gas sector. IEA data suggests there could also be substantial underreporting of methane emissions, which is particularly concerning given that methanes potency at trapping warmth in the atmosphere is approximately 28 times more than that of CO2.

Other gases are far more potent still. Nitrous oxide (NOx), for instance, has a 300 times stronger heat-trapping ability than CO2. While it only amounts to 6% of the worlds GHG emissions, its potential to make considerable contributions to climate change at lower levels of emission means that it is not to be ignored.

In 2022, oil and gas operations were responsible for 15% of global energy-related Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, while the use of oil and gas products by end users (Scope 3 emissions) contributed to a further 40%.

As this data from the IEA indicates, much of the oil and gas industrys GHG emissions originate from sold products. Indeed, according to analysis by GlobalData, Scope 3 emissions account for 75% of the average emissions of the worlds top 18 oil and gas companies, followed by 13% for Scope 2 and 12% for Scope 1.

While eliminating Scope 3 emissions entirely would require net-zero products, which is difficult to achieve, it is possible to reduce them through renewable fuels, offsets, and carbon capture technologies, for example. Nevertheless, the focus for most companies in the sector is currently on Scope 1 and 2.

Analysis by GlobalData shows that of the 28 major oil and gas companies around the world, most have set targets for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, with less than half announcing any ambitions to address Scope 3 levels. For the Scope 1 and 2 targets, most of the more ambitious companies are aiming to achieve reductions of between 40-50% by 2030.

Achieving these plans will require a wide range of strategies, from lower-emission fuels during operations to investing in new technologies such as carbon capture and storage solutions. Adapting operational and maintenance processes to improve energy efficiency will also play a pivotal role in achieving targets.

In 2020, refining activities accounted for the largest proportion of emissions within the US oil and gas value chain (41%). Refineries are therefore expected to be a key focus for energy efficiency improvements in the coming years. Within the refinery, fired heaters have the highest fuel consumption, translating to high emissions and operating prices. Of particular concern are catalytic reformers, steam methane reformers (SMR), and ethylene furnaces.

According to Integrated Global Services (IGS), addressing fired heater performance at refineries, petrochemical and chemical facilities can lead to emissions reductions of up to 25% for NOx and 15% for CO2. The table below shows the average fuel savings and emission reductions that can be achieved for a variety of fired heater types used across refineries and industrial sites.

IGS is a key partner to the worlds leading energy and industrial companies, helping plants around the world solve a range of engineering-related challenges that directly impact on the efficiency, sustainability, and reliability of their equipments performance. Plants partner with IGS to evaluate their fired heater and understand the opportunities for fuel savings, capacity increase, and emissions reduction. The evaluation estimates the results that can be achieved with the application of one or several innovative technologies: high-emissivity Cetek coatings, Tube Tech cleaning services, and Environmental SCR (selective catalytic reduction) solutions.

Cetek coating can be applied onto the refractory, process tubes, or both, depending on the type of heater and its design and operating parameters. This helps to solve the challenge of poor heat transfer by maximising radiant absorbed duty to improve efficiency. The Tube Tech robotic convection section cleaning system achieves a 90%+ clean area, removing fouling build-up to restore fired heater performance without the safety risks associated with manual/man entry cleaning. If the fired heater has an adjacent selective catalytic reduction (SCR), environmental screens and ammonia mixing systems can significantly improve its performance and catalyst life.

Improving furnace efficiency is an essential strategy in reducing the significant energy input required by refining operations. To access specific case studies and learn more about how IGS can help you reduce emissions by optimising your equipments efficiency, please download the whitepaper below.

Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights.

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O&Gs emissions reduction roadmap and the importance of refinery efficiency - Offshore Technology

West Ham will be looking to boost their chances of a Europa League finish in the Premier League standings when they return to domestic action this weekend. Fulham will be the visitors, with the Cottagers looking to end their two-game losing run. Schedule & How To Watch When: Sunday, April 14, 2024. 9:00 AM ET []

West Ham will be looking to boost their chances of a Europa League finish in the Premier League standings when they return to domestic action this weekend. Fulham will be the visitors, with the Cottagers looking to end their two-game losing run.

Despite the pressure that David Moyes continues to find himself under, it has been an excellent season to this point for West Ham. The Hammers find themselves in the final eight of the Europa League, while they remain in the hunt for a top six finish in the Premier League standings. West Ham come into this round sitting seventh, but they are just one point behind Man United in the standings.

The Hammers bounced back to winning ways in their latest match in the competition, which ended a four-game wait for a success in the competition. However, they have still been challenging to beat throughout that period after losing on just one occasion in their last five league outings. However, a defeat this weekend could see them drop to eighth.

Fulhams form has been poor in recent weeks, and they travel to the London Stadium this weekend after going three without a victory in the Premier League. The Cottagers have also suffered defeats in each of their last two matches in the competition. To make matters worse, Fulham have recorded just one win over their last five.

Fulhams most recent defeat was suffered in front of their home fans against Newcastle last Saturday. That was a disappointing performance by Marco Silvas side, and it also marked the first time that they had suffered back-to-back league defeats since December.

Fulham have been one of the weakest teams on the road this season, and that would be a major concern ahead of this fixture at the London Stadium. For that reason, we will be taking a chance on the home win for the Hammers on Sunday.

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West Ham vs Fulham EPL Offshore Odds, Preview, and Prediction - The Latest Sports Betting News - OffshoreSportsbooks.com

Liverpool continue their quest for the league title this weekend when they come up against Crystal Palace at Anfield. Only a victory for the home team on Sunday will send the Reds back to the top of the standings before Arsenal take to the field. Schedule & How To Watch When: Sunday, April 14, 2024. []

Liverpool continue their quest for the league title this weekend when they come up against Crystal Palace at Anfield. Only a victory for the home team on Sunday will send the Reds back to the top of the standings before Arsenal take to the field.

All eyes will be on Anfield this Sunday, as Liverpool look to get their title challenge back on track after dropping points in their previous fixture in the competition. The Reds were fortunate to pick up a point against Man United in their previous outing, with Mohamed Salah rescuing the Reds from the penalty spot in the closing stages.

Those dropped points mean that the advantage in the race for the league title is now with Arsenal, as the Gunners moved to the summit following their victory last weekend. But, the Reds could move back to the top with a win on Sunday. Liverpools form remains exceptionally strong, as they have recorded three victories across their last five matches, while they have suffered a league-low of just two defeats so far this season.

Crystal Palace find themselves toward the opposite end of the standings at this stage of the season. The Eagles have failed to improve their form following the arrival of Oliver Glasner, and they have now suffered defeats in each of their last two, and three of their last five league outings in the Premier League.

Scoring goals has been a big issue for the Eagles throughout the season. They have netted just 36 goals so far this season, which is the third-fewest of the teams in the Premier League.

The odds showcase how dominant Liverpool should be in this fixture on Sunday. We find it incredibly hard to overlook the prospect of a home victory this weekend, and we could see Liverpool winning by at least two goals.

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Liverpool vs Crystal Palace EPL Offshore Odds, Preview, and Prediction - The Latest Sports Betting News - OffshoreSportsbooks.com

We are obviously just a couple weeks into the 2024 MLB season, but the fact that the Kansas City Royals (7-4) have a better record out of the gate than the Houston Astros (4-8) is still kind of surprising. To be fair, Houston faced a higher quality of opponent in their first three series of []

We are obviously just a couple weeks into the 2024 MLB season, but the fact that the Kansas City Royals (7-4) have a better record out of the gate than the Houston Astros (4-8) is still kind of surprising. To be fair, Houston faced a higher quality of opponent in their first three series of the year, but K.C. proved that doesnt matter in their 4-3 victory over the Astros on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Houston was able to salvage a 4-game split with division rival and defending World Series champion Texas with 3-1 and 10-5 victories over the weekend. That was somewhat calming after a disappointing 2-5 home stand to start the year but the Astros couldnt keep that momentum going when they dropped the opener in Kansas City on Tuesday night.

The Royals have momentum as theyve now run their win streak to five straight games. Four of those wins came against the 2-9 White Sox, but the stretch still has K.C. pointed in the right direction. Kansas City rallied from a 3-0 deficit on Tuesday against the Astros to win the game in the 10th inning so the positive mojo is for real.

The Astros will try to even up the series on Wednesday behind Spencer Arrighetti in his MLB debut. Houston may have ideally wanted to be patient with their top pitching prospect, but injuries to Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander, Jose Urquidy, and others have forced their hand. The right-hander Arrighetti had a 720 ERA in two Spring Training starts.

Kansas City counters with Seth Lugo (1-0, 0.71) who is trying to build on two great starts to begin 2024. Lugo threw 6.0 IP of 2-hit, shutout ball against the Twins in his first outing of the year and followed that up with 6.2 IP against the White Sox on Thursday while allowing just one run.

The Astros had Kansas City on the ropes on Tuesday but couldnt finish them off. Arrighetti is a top ranked prospect for Houston and could be great or could be fighting nerves in his MLB debut. Lugo has been solid to start to begin 2024 and is the known commodity here.

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April 10 Astros vs Royals MLB Offshore Betting Odds, Preview - The Latest Sports Betting News - OffshoreSportsbooks.com