The Norwegian-based quality assurance company DNV GL, responsible for verifying the safety and technical integrity of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and for issuing a certificate of compliance will no longer provide integrity testing services for the above mentioned pipeline due to the US threat to sanctions. In fact, on January 1, the United States Senate voted to cancel President Donald Trump’s veto on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which includes new provisions relating to Nord Stream 2 under the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Clarification Act (PEESCA). The building company of Nord Stream 2 could now try to involve another society in order to carry out the job of DNV GL.

A nuclear reactor at the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant 220 kilometers northwest of Helsinki was shut down on Thursday after a big abnormal event which has caused severe radiations inside the unit. According to the Finnish Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, there is no radioactive release in the environment. The event was probably caused by a fault in the purification system for the reactor water. The Finnish authority has stated that “There is no danger outside the unit and no radioactive release is expected. Iodine tablets shall not be taken, and it is no need for other actions as staying inside. The radiation situation outside the unit is normal.”

ExxonMobil and Petronas have announced a new oil&gas discovery offshore Suriname. The hydrocarbons were discovered in the Sloanea-1 exploration well on Block 52, which is drilled by Petronas with a 50-percent stake. The well is currently being evaluated to determine its resource potential. Mike Cousins, senior vice president of exploration and new ventures at ExxonMobil said:
“Our first discovery in Suriname extends ExxonMobil’s leading position in South America, building on our successful investments in Guyana. We will continue to leverage our deep-water expertise and advanced technology to explore frontier environments with the highest value resource potential.”

Snam and Linde will work together to develop clean hydrogen projects and related infrastructure in Europe. The agreement previews the promotion of key technologies along the hydrogen value chain and develop opportunities for joint investments in commercial projects in the areas of production, distribution, compression and storage. According to Snam’s CEO Marco Alverà, the project will combine the know-how and innovative capabilities of both companies in order to contribute to scaling-up hydrogen and reaching climate goals, aligned with the European Hydrogen Strategy.”

According to Energy Minister Dan Jorgensen, Denmark is ready to stop offering new licenses in the North Sea and phase out production altogether in 2050 as it takes an historic step toward a fossilfuel free future. The government reached an agreement for which a planned 8th licensing round will be abandoned, as will all future exploration. About 150 million barrels of oil and equivalents will remain beneath the ocean’s surface. Jorgensen said in a statement: “We hope this can inspire others. We’re the first country with a meaningful production to take such a step.”’

Eni has entered the largest offshore wind project in the world. The project previews the installation of 190 turbines of last generation from 13MW each to a distance of beyond 130 km from the UK coasts, for a total power of 2,4 GW. Eni has acquired 20% form the Equinor and SSE Renewables, of the project Doffer Bank (A and B). Under the Dogger Bank scheme, it will be the biggest project in the world, capable of producing renewable electricity for about 5% of the UK demand and providing energy to about 6 million households.

OPEC and Russia have found a new agreement on the production cuts, in the attempt to support the price of the crude oil. The production will be increased of only 500 thousand barrels a day, instead of the 2 million foreseen by the previous agreement. A news which has been considered positive, since the price per barrel immediately grew over 45 dollars in Wall Street, earning over a percentage point. It is a compromise that should satisfy all the parties involved.

Saipem, together with the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) have signed a non-onerous collaboration agreement to carry out researches on new geothermal energies. In particular, INGV will make available its expertise in the analysis and the evaluation of geothermal resources, while Saipem will provide its expertise as a global solution provider in the engineering and construction of energy plants field and in onshore and offshore drilling, including HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) wells. The Mediterranean basin, especially Italy, are particularly rich in geothermal resources, but today they are marginally used despite the great potential.

John Gilbert Getty, the grandson of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, was found dead in a hotel room in San Antonio. The causes of death are still unknown. Six years ago, his brother Andrew was mysteriously killed. With the death of John Gilbert Getty, the saga of the Getty dynasty, once led by the richest man in the world, is enriched by another sad event. John was the grandson of billionaire oil magnate J. Paul Getty and heir to the estimated $5 billion family fortune.

About 22 billion barrels of non-conventional and recoverable crude oil were recently discovered in Abu Dhabi according to SPC (Abu Dhabi’s Supreme Petroleum Council). The SPC has also approved a record Dh448 billion capital expenditure plan for Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) for 2021-2025 to enable smart growth. This oil discovery will shore up the economy of the UAE in these virus-laden times. Among UAE, Abu Dhabi is on top of the list with most of the oil (92 billion barrels), followed by Dubai (4 billion barrels) and Sharjah (1.5 billion barrels).