Million pound Bluemull turbine gets £573,000 Holyrood funding

A revolutionary tidal turbine to be sited in Bluemull Sound between Yell and Unst is to receive Scottish Government funding of £573,000 towards the £1m cost of development and demonstration . Nova Innovation has been awarded the cash to develop and demonstrate  a direct-drive tidal turbine under the latest competitive WATERS funding round. The innovative direct-drive generator will increase the efficiency and reliability of tidal turbines, reducing the cost of energy by 20%, and increasing the commercial returns available to Nova Innovation’s customers. Nova developed the world’s first community-owned tidal turbine in 2014 at North Yell in Shetland and will test the technology associated with the WATERS award at its consented site in Bluemull Sound, Shetland.

Welcoming the announcement Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “The Scottish Government and its enterprise agencies are working hard to ensure that small and medium-sized businesses in Scotland are well placed to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the low-carbon economy.

“WATERS is designed to foster a culture of innovation and research and development ... I am determined that we make the most of the clean, secure and abundant energy stored in the waters around our coasts and [the WATERS award winners] are developing pioneering technologies to help us do that.”

Welcoming the awards, Maggie McGinlay, director of energy and clean technologies at Scottish Enterprise said: “Scotland is playing a key role in the development of marine energy at a global level, with the sector offering significant opportunities for our companies.

“By taking key technologies to the next stage of commercial exploitation, this latest round of WATERS funding will help create more opportunities and support the growth of the sector.”

Calum Davidson, Director of energy and low carbon at Highlands and Islands Enterprise, added: "We welcome the announcement of the WATERS 3 funding and warmly congratulate each of the successful companies. The Highlands and Islands already boasts an enviable international reputation in the development of marine renewable energy. This is underlined by today’s announcement of another company investing in our region and offering significant supply chain opportunities."

Simon Forrest, Managing Director of Nova Innovation, said: “Nova Innovation is committed to driving down the cost of tidal power through innovation. Our direct-drive generator is more reliable and efficient than a conventional geared drive train; this increases the energy generated by our turbines and reduces operating costs. The impact is a 20% reduction in lifetime cost of energy and increasing commercial return for our customers.

“This product was originally developed with the help of a Scottish Enterprise SMART award, and has benefited from a Scottish Enterprise funded Knowledge Exchange partnership with the University of Edinburgh. This as an excellent example of public funding in Scotland supporting Scottish companies to bring innovative ideas from the drawing board to the market.”

WATERS 3 is a collaborative venture between Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Story from Shetland News here: http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/10389-revolutionary-tidal-turbine-for-north-yell

Total get Government go-ahead for Edradour and Glenlivet

Total has been given official permission by the UK Government to develop the Edradour and Glenlivet gas fields in the North Sea and connect them to its Laggan-Tormore pipeline.

Full story from Shetland News here: http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/10376-new-gas-fields-to-come-on-stream

New developer for proposed Yell windfarm

Manchester-based Peel Energy has taken over the rights to the proposed Beaw Field wind farm near Burravoe in Yell from German company Enertag, reports The Shetland News.

Some changes have been proposed in the siting of the 20-turbine development.

Full story here: http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2015/03/16/new-developer-for-yell-windfarm-project

FT story - Total will auction 20 per cent stake in Laggan Tormore

According to a story in The Financial Times, Total is preparing to auction off just a 20 per cent stake in its Laggan-Tormore development, and would continue to operate the field, including the gas plant in Shetland.

Full story here: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9c00e9ec-c982-11e4-b2ef-00144feab7de.html#axzz3UUKHsDap

Total to sell Laggan-Tormore for £1 billion - Reuters report

French energy giant Total is planing to sell its Laggan-Tormore gas field, according to the news agency Reuters, quoting 'banking sources'. The gas plant associated with the field is still under construction at Sullom Voe in Shetland and is due to be completed by contractors Petrofac by the end of September, several months behind schedule.

Reuters report that Total will seek around £1 billion for their 80 per cent stake in the field. Development costs for Laggan-Tormore are thought to be approximately £3.5 billion.

Total has refused to comment.

Full Reuters story here: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/03/11/total-northsea-idUKL5N0WD3V820150311

Petro Global News follow up here: http://petroglobalnews.com/2015/03/report-total-mulling-sale-of-laggan-tormore-field/

Total gas plant 'completed by end of September' - new accommodation ship arrives, 2000 staff on site

The Laggan-Tormore Total gas plant contract at Sullom Voe will be completed by the end of September, according to a spokesman for Petrofac.

The company now has five floating accommodation units in Shetland - three barges and two liners. The latest, former cruise ship SNAV Toscana, arrived in Lerwick at the weekend. An incoming workforce of 2000 is now involved in the project.

Full story from The Shetland Times here: http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2015/03/07/new-accommodation-ship-arrives

New start date for BP gas sweetening plant in Shetland

Work by contractors Petrofac on constructing BP's new £500m gas sweetening plant at Sullom Voe in Shetland will begin six months later than scheduled, in early 2016. Clearance of the 16 hectare site will begin later this month and BP say the delay will let the company take advantage of improved weather and actually speed up completion.

BP has been looking at rescheduling some capital projects due to the oil price crash.

A BP spokesperson said:

“This helps us to reset the project to better weather windows. That will reduce the project time, which is beneficial and allows us to look at the project again to make sure it is as efficient as it can be. Everyone is looking at  capital projects and seeing where we could benefit from slowing down."

Story from The Shetland News here.

Shetland - the place to be. New film about oil and gas activity in the isles

A new film looking at Shetland's capabilities when it comes to oil and gas exploration and production in the North Sea and North Atlantic. More films soon about decommissioning and renewables.