Saudi-backed Johor refinery set to change fuel landscape

As China sends a flood of fuel abroad, a giant project in Southeast Asia that’s backed by Saudi Arabia is set to add to the regional deluge.

State-run Saudi Arabian Oil Co is helping finance a US$27 billion (RM107 billion) refinery and a petrochemical complex in Johor. The project, known as Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development, or Rapid, will add a new stream of fuels near Asia’s main oil trading hub of Singapore at a time when China continues to unleash record amounts of diesel and gasoline onto the global market.

“The immediate impact from Rapid will lead to more Malaysian exports of diesel and jet fuel, while also reducing the need to import as much gasoline,” said Joe Willis, a senior research analyst for refining and oil products at Wood Mackenzie Ltd in Singapore.

“For middle distillates, Johor is conveniently located next to the Singapore storage hub.”

Puncak Niaga sells DLB 264 for RM12.8m

Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd is disposing of a 52-year-old idle vessel and open yard items owned by its wholly-owned sub-subsidiary for US$3.31 million (RM12.78 million).

The disposal, to Singapore-based ship trading company SOMAP International Pte Ltd, would allow Puncak Niaga to focus on its existing core businesses, the group said in a filing.

The businesses include water and wastewater, sewage, environmental engineering and construction, as well as oil palm plantation.

The pipe lay barge DLB264 was built by NV Rotterdamsche Drydock, Netherlands in 1966 for American Bureau of Shipping. It is presently registered under the Malaysian flag, with Puncak Niaga’s sub-subsidiary KGL Ltd as its owner.

KGL’s principal activity is in the offshore leasing of the vessel on a time-charter basis. However, the vessel has remained unutilised for several years, due to the downturn in the oil and gas industry.

Petronas plans to upgrade Kerteh refinery by 2022

Petronas plans to upgrade its refinery in Kerteh, Terengganu, by 2022 to produce higher quality fuels and expand the crude types it processes beyond Tapis, a company executive said.

Production of light sweet Tapis crude, once Malaysia’s flagship grade, is declining, so the Kerteh refinery is looking to switch to other grades such as medium-sweet Kimanis, Petronas Penapisan (Terengganu) Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Zabidi Ahmad said at a Platts conference this week.

“We’re also looking at processing different condensate, probably (Australia’s) North West Shelf or (Iran’s) South Pars or Qatar’s DFC (deodorized field condensate),” he said.

The Kerteh upgrade, which could be completed by 2022, will allow the refinery to produce fuels that meet Euro V standard specifications, although the refinery’s capacity will remain unchanged, he said.

The refinery’s primary units are a crude distillation unit and a condensate splitter.

Sapura Energy bags RM905m worth of contracts

Sapura Energy Bhd, formerly known as SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd, said it has secured several contracts with a combined value of about RM905 million via its direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Sapura Fabrication Sdn Bhd secured three provision of engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contracts.

One of the three contracts is for the Kinarut ERB West Compressor upgrading project for Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, which spans three years till the fourth quarter of 2020. The works entail the replacement and refurbishment of compressors and associated equipment at ERB WEST and Kinarut platforms.

The second contract, also awarded by Petronas Carigali, is for a minor EPCC project at Bokor Betty Brownfield and Rejuvenation for four and a half years, expected to expire in the second quarter of 2022. The job scope comprises Bokor rejuvenation and host tie-in works at existing platforms, as well as redevelopment of platform facilities to support Bokor EOR (enhanced oil recovery) and redevelopment of the two fields.

Petronas sweeps six of 19 blocks awarded in Mexico oil auction

Royal Dutch Shell snapped up nine of 19 Gulf of Mexico oil and gas blocks awarded in a Mexican auction on Wednesday, as the global oil major ramped up its big bet on Latin America's deep waters.

The auction raised an estimated $93 billion in investment for Mexico and was the biggest since the country's energy sector opened to foreign firms in 2014.

The stakes were high for Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and his struggling party, which wants to showcase the results of its energy liberalization ahead of a presidential election in July.

With oil prices at a three-year high, conditions were better for this auction than any of the previous eight sales in Mexico since 2015, lending weight to Pena Nieto's argument that opening up the sector would bring the investment needed to turn around a dilapidated state-run oil and gas industry.

Shell bid aggressively despite fears that Pena Nieto, who will not run in July, might be replaced by a leftist leader who may revise the terms of energy contracts.

Barakah starts the year on clean slate

Barakah Offshore Petroleum Bhd had expected to maintain its profitability in the financial year ended Dec 31, 2017 but delays in its Pengerang gas pipeline project in Johor had set the company back almost a year, resulting in losses.

However, vice-president and chief corporate officer Abdul Rahim Awang is keen to put all this behind the company and start 2018 on a clean slate. He anticipates Barakah will return to the black in the first quarter ending March 31.

“Our losses will be reflected over two quarters, mainly from our Pengerang pipeline project and firefighting water system. The work was delayed due to site issues. A portion of the site was not given to us in time to execute so we were not able to connect the system, which runs through the whole area.

“It is now almost completed, but the extension was for almost a year. As a result, the billing was impacted. By this quarter we will clear everything up, and start 2018 on a clean slate.

Gas leak at Petronas SSGP in Lawas

A gas leak occured at 1.45am today at Petronas Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline (SSGP) located in Long Luping, Lawas district in Limbang Division.

Petronas Sabah and Labuan Regional Office Media Relation said the emergency response team had been mobilised  and put the situation under control, with all relevant authorities having been informed the matter.

“There is no impact to the surrounding communities and the environment. Investigation still being carried out,”it said in a brief statement today.

For the record, the 512-km SSGP transported gas from Kimanis, Sabah, to Bintulu,Sarawak, for processing into liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the Petronas LNG Complex for export. — Bernama