Do you want to switch to E20 or E85 gasohol, but your car is not compatible?
Yontrakit subsidiary Advance Auto Parts&Service,which is responsible for marketing and sales of auto parts and lubricants, has ventured into the alternativefuel business and is now offering an ethanol conversion kit called the FFI Platinum.
It is an electronic upgrade program for the electronic control unit, so that a car's engine can run on E20 to E85 gasohol without the need for further tuning or any othe rengine modifications, said FFi product manager Puranima Jiamvijak.
The FFI Platinum althers the air-fuel ratio in the combustion chambers and adjusts the timing of the fuel injectors.
The product is widely used in the US and 42 other countries, Puranima said.
The company plans to sell 2,000 FFI sets in the first year.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
WIND STUDY SLOWS DOWN ALTERNATIVE-ENERGY PLAN
Implementation of the 15-year alternative-energy development plan is proceeding more slowly than planned, as the government has just commissioned a feasibility study of the potential to use wind in power generation, according to the Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department.
"Private companies have proposed the sale of as much as 1,800 megawatts of electricity generated by wind. But only 160MW has been bought," director-general Krairit Nilkuha said yesterday.
Krairit said the department had hired Silpakorn University to conduct a study of wind speeds in order to determine where wind-power plants should be located. The university has previously conducted similar studies in Cambodia and Vietnam.
"It will take nine months to conduct the study. And this may rather delay implementation of the master plan as scheduled," he said.
The alternative-energy development plan covers the period from 2008 to 2022.
He added that companies had proposed the sale of 1,800MW of wind-generated electricity to the Provincial Electricity Authority, against the agency's target of 800MW over the next 15 years. However, to date only 160MW have been purchased.
"We have to study the potential for wind power again, as there has been no study of the potential to harness wind at a level above 40 metres from the ground. We're now studying the wind-speed potential at 90 metres above the ground," said Krairit.
However, the Energy Ministry is confident there will be an overall reduction in fuel oil consumption of 20 per cent a year through all types of alternative energy - equivalent to 7.5 million tonnes or Bt180 billion annually - by 2011, he said.
The department is also studying the country's solar potential by hiring Silpakorn University for Bt10 million to conduct a study, which is expected to be completed in the next 10 months.
Besides, he said, the department would focus on continuous promotion of energy conservation.
Next year, it will use Bt2 billion from the Energy Conservation Fund to support research-and-development projects for improving production processes in the industrial sector.
As to tax privileges for the energy-conservation project's second phase, Krairit said there were 138 participants. Of the total, 134 have been approved and 100 given funding support.
"Private companies have proposed the sale of as much as 1,800 megawatts of electricity generated by wind. But only 160MW has been bought," director-general Krairit Nilkuha said yesterday.
Krairit said the department had hired Silpakorn University to conduct a study of wind speeds in order to determine where wind-power plants should be located. The university has previously conducted similar studies in Cambodia and Vietnam.
"It will take nine months to conduct the study. And this may rather delay implementation of the master plan as scheduled," he said.
The alternative-energy development plan covers the period from 2008 to 2022.
He added that companies had proposed the sale of 1,800MW of wind-generated electricity to the Provincial Electricity Authority, against the agency's target of 800MW over the next 15 years. However, to date only 160MW have been purchased.
"We have to study the potential for wind power again, as there has been no study of the potential to harness wind at a level above 40 metres from the ground. We're now studying the wind-speed potential at 90 metres above the ground," said Krairit.
However, the Energy Ministry is confident there will be an overall reduction in fuel oil consumption of 20 per cent a year through all types of alternative energy - equivalent to 7.5 million tonnes or Bt180 billion annually - by 2011, he said.
The department is also studying the country's solar potential by hiring Silpakorn University for Bt10 million to conduct a study, which is expected to be completed in the next 10 months.
Besides, he said, the department would focus on continuous promotion of energy conservation.
Next year, it will use Bt2 billion from the Energy Conservation Fund to support research-and-development projects for improving production processes in the industrial sector.
As to tax privileges for the energy-conservation project's second phase, Krairit said there were 138 participants. Of the total, 134 have been approved and 100 given funding support.
Extractor targets smaller palm farms
Community palm-oil extraction facilities are being marketed to serve small-scale plantations and support Thailand's emerging biodiesel industry.
Expanding to a single site with a harvested area of 10,000 rai is no longer possible but smaller sites of about 1,000 to 3,000 rai have appeared in recent years to cash in on the alternative energy boom, said Nared Chin-inmanu, assistant vice-president of Great Agro Co, a unit of Charoen Pokphand Group.
"These new plantations, mostly located far from crushing plants and biodiesel refiners, face higher expenses from transport and lengthy delivery times that could degrade palm nuts," he said.
To solve the problem, Great Agro joined with the National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC) to develop an innovative steamless palm-oil extraction machine at an affordable price.
The CPP1500 model costs 4.5 million baht and can crush a tonne of fresh palm fruit each hour to create 200 litres of palm oil for a biodiesel plant.
The steamless production process maintains crude palm oil (CPO) quality and curbs the environmental impact from waste water, said Mr Nared.
Steam extraction has been widely used in Thailand. A machine with capacity to extract 15 to 60 tonnes of palm fruit an hour needs an investment of at least 100 to 150 million baht.
The cheaper machine has attracted new operators, notably palm-nut traders in the South who want to diversify to supply refined palm oil for biodiesel plants.
Last week, Great Agro sold its first machine to four palm-nut traders in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Krabi and Surat Thani. The company expects to sell 10 machines by the year-end.
High oil prices have raised the value of energy crops and encouraged farmers to plant more palms, which Mr Nared estimates will cover 3.5 million rai next year - up from 3 million rai at present.
Sakda Hengparinyathorn, a palm-nut dealer, plans to install the machine at a plant in Krabi next year and said the investment was viable because palm product prices were good.
Extracted palm oil is currently 23 baht per kilogramme, a strong price despite the slide from more than 30 baht last year, he said.
In addition to palm oil, investors can sell byproducts such as waste and kernels,which are used in animal feed.
The government is attempting to promote alternative fuels from several crops - including ethanol from cassava and sugarcane, as well as biodiesel from jatropha and oil palm - to cut the cost of imported fuel.
The Energy Ministry estimates diesel use in transport and industry at 49 million litres per day but only about 1.27 million litres are B100 biofuel or 100% crude palm oil.
Expanding to a single site with a harvested area of 10,000 rai is no longer possible but smaller sites of about 1,000 to 3,000 rai have appeared in recent years to cash in on the alternative energy boom, said Nared Chin-inmanu, assistant vice-president of Great Agro Co, a unit of Charoen Pokphand Group.
"These new plantations, mostly located far from crushing plants and biodiesel refiners, face higher expenses from transport and lengthy delivery times that could degrade palm nuts," he said.
To solve the problem, Great Agro joined with the National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC) to develop an innovative steamless palm-oil extraction machine at an affordable price.
The CPP1500 model costs 4.5 million baht and can crush a tonne of fresh palm fruit each hour to create 200 litres of palm oil for a biodiesel plant.
The steamless production process maintains crude palm oil (CPO) quality and curbs the environmental impact from waste water, said Mr Nared.
Steam extraction has been widely used in Thailand. A machine with capacity to extract 15 to 60 tonnes of palm fruit an hour needs an investment of at least 100 to 150 million baht.
The cheaper machine has attracted new operators, notably palm-nut traders in the South who want to diversify to supply refined palm oil for biodiesel plants.
Last week, Great Agro sold its first machine to four palm-nut traders in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Krabi and Surat Thani. The company expects to sell 10 machines by the year-end.
High oil prices have raised the value of energy crops and encouraged farmers to plant more palms, which Mr Nared estimates will cover 3.5 million rai next year - up from 3 million rai at present.
Sakda Hengparinyathorn, a palm-nut dealer, plans to install the machine at a plant in Krabi next year and said the investment was viable because palm product prices were good.
Extracted palm oil is currently 23 baht per kilogramme, a strong price despite the slide from more than 30 baht last year, he said.
In addition to palm oil, investors can sell byproducts such as waste and kernels,which are used in animal feed.
The government is attempting to promote alternative fuels from several crops - including ethanol from cassava and sugarcane, as well as biodiesel from jatropha and oil palm - to cut the cost of imported fuel.
The Energy Ministry estimates diesel use in transport and industry at 49 million litres per day but only about 1.27 million litres are B100 biofuel or 100% crude palm oil.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Teheran will "never give up its right to nuclear energy"
Iran will never abandon its "legal and obvious" right to nuclear technology and will not halt uranium enrichment, its foreign minister said,despite talks the West hopes will lead to restraints on the disputed programme.
"The meetings with world powers and their behaviour shows that Iran's right to have peaceful nuclear technology has been accepted by them ... Iran will never abandon its legal and obvious right,"Manouchehr Mottaki said yesterday.
Talks between Iran and three world powers on a uranium supply deal to address concerns about Teheran's enrichment programme began on Monday in Vienna but their scheduled resumption yesterday was delayed by two hours.
It was not clear whether the delay was related to Mr Mottaki's remarks, in which he also said Iran did not need France to be part of the tentative deal,whose politically sensitive details remain to be ironed out.
French, US and Russian delegations were conferring behind closed doors outside the meeting hall.
The meeting, hosted by the Inter-national Atomic Energy Agency, offered the first chance to build on proposals raised earlier this month to defuse a standoff over suspicions that Iran's uranium enrichment programme is a cover for developing nuclear weapons.
Mr Mottaki praised the talks, which Western diplomats said were based on an Iranian agreement in principle to send uranium to Russia and France for processing into fuel for a Teheran reactor producing medical isotopes.
"We see serious development in the talks ... the continuation of talks can lead to a deal over supplying Iran with the 20% enriched uranium," Mr Mottaki told a news conference in Teheran.
"What we want is our right based on the Non-Proliferation Treaty. It says the member countries should be supplied with nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes by those members that have the fuel."
The West hopes the step of farming out a large amount of Iran's low-enriched uranium reserve for conversion as fuel for the medical isotope reactor will minimise the risk of Iran refining the material to levels suitable for bombs.
"The meetings with world powers and their behaviour shows that Iran's right to have peaceful nuclear technology has been accepted by them ... Iran will never abandon its legal and obvious right,"Manouchehr Mottaki said yesterday.
Talks between Iran and three world powers on a uranium supply deal to address concerns about Teheran's enrichment programme began on Monday in Vienna but their scheduled resumption yesterday was delayed by two hours.
It was not clear whether the delay was related to Mr Mottaki's remarks, in which he also said Iran did not need France to be part of the tentative deal,whose politically sensitive details remain to be ironed out.
French, US and Russian delegations were conferring behind closed doors outside the meeting hall.
The meeting, hosted by the Inter-national Atomic Energy Agency, offered the first chance to build on proposals raised earlier this month to defuse a standoff over suspicions that Iran's uranium enrichment programme is a cover for developing nuclear weapons.
Mr Mottaki praised the talks, which Western diplomats said were based on an Iranian agreement in principle to send uranium to Russia and France for processing into fuel for a Teheran reactor producing medical isotopes.
"We see serious development in the talks ... the continuation of talks can lead to a deal over supplying Iran with the 20% enriched uranium," Mr Mottaki told a news conference in Teheran.
"What we want is our right based on the Non-Proliferation Treaty. It says the member countries should be supplied with nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes by those members that have the fuel."
The West hopes the step of farming out a large amount of Iran's low-enriched uranium reserve for conversion as fuel for the medical isotope reactor will minimise the risk of Iran refining the material to levels suitable for bombs.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
WIND STUDY SLOWS DOWN ALTERNATIVE-ENERGY PLAN
Implementation of the 15-year alternative-energy development plan is proceeding more slowly than planned, as the government has just commissioned a feasibility study of the potential to use wind in power generation, according to the Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency Department.
"Private companies have proposed the sale of as much as 1,800 megawatts of electricity generated by wind. But only 160MW has been bought," director-general Krairit Nilkuha said yesterday.
Krairit said the department had hired Silpakorn University to conduct a study of wind speeds in order to determine where wind-power plants should be located. The university has previously conducted similar studies in Cambodia and Vietnam.
"It will take nine months to conduct the study. And this may rather delay implementation of the master plan as scheduled," he said.
The alternative-energy development plan covers the period from 2008 to 2022.
He added that companies had proposed the sale of 1,800MW of wind-generated electricity to the Provincial Electricity Authority, against the agency's target of 800MW over the next 15 years. However, to date only 160MW have been purchased.
"We have to study the potential for wind power again, as there has been no study of the potential to harness wind at a level above 40 metres from the ground. We're now studying the wind-speed potential at 90 metres above the ground," said Krairit.
However, the Energy Ministry is confident there will be an overall reduction in fuel oil consumption of 20 per cent a year through all types of alternative energy - equivalent to 7.5 million tonnes or Bt180 billion annually - by 2011, he said.
The department is also studying the country's solar potential by hiring Silpakorn University for Bt10 million to conduct a study, which is expected to be completed in the next 10 months.
Besides, he said, the department would focus on continuous promotion of energy conservation.
Next year, it will use Bt2 billion from the Energy Conservation Fund to support research-and-development projects for improving production processes in the industrial sector.
As to tax privileges for the energy-conservation project's second phase, Krairit said there were 138 participants. Of the total, 134 have been approved and 100 given funding support.
"Private companies have proposed the sale of as much as 1,800 megawatts of electricity generated by wind. But only 160MW has been bought," director-general Krairit Nilkuha said yesterday.
Krairit said the department had hired Silpakorn University to conduct a study of wind speeds in order to determine where wind-power plants should be located. The university has previously conducted similar studies in Cambodia and Vietnam.
"It will take nine months to conduct the study. And this may rather delay implementation of the master plan as scheduled," he said.
The alternative-energy development plan covers the period from 2008 to 2022.
He added that companies had proposed the sale of 1,800MW of wind-generated electricity to the Provincial Electricity Authority, against the agency's target of 800MW over the next 15 years. However, to date only 160MW have been purchased.
"We have to study the potential for wind power again, as there has been no study of the potential to harness wind at a level above 40 metres from the ground. We're now studying the wind-speed potential at 90 metres above the ground," said Krairit.
However, the Energy Ministry is confident there will be an overall reduction in fuel oil consumption of 20 per cent a year through all types of alternative energy - equivalent to 7.5 million tonnes or Bt180 billion annually - by 2011, he said.
The department is also studying the country's solar potential by hiring Silpakorn University for Bt10 million to conduct a study, which is expected to be completed in the next 10 months.
Besides, he said, the department would focus on continuous promotion of energy conservation.
Next year, it will use Bt2 billion from the Energy Conservation Fund to support research-and-development projects for improving production processes in the industrial sector.
As to tax privileges for the energy-conservation project's second phase, Krairit said there were 138 participants. Of the total, 134 have been approved and 100 given funding support.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Iran dismisses US warning on nuclear issue
Iran dismissed yesterday a US warning that major powers would not wait forever for Teheran to prove it was not developing nuclear bombs,saying any threats or deadlines would have no impact on the Islamic republic.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi, speaking a week before talks on a proposal to send Iranian uranium abroad for further processing, also reiterated Iran's refusal to discuss its "nuclear rights" with the six world powers.
"We have announced several times that we have nothing to discuss regarding that," he told a Teheran news conference in comments translated by Iran's state Press TV.
"That means continuation of our activities within the framework of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the safeguards agreement of the IAEA and enrichment on that basis," he said,referring to the UN nuclear watchdog.
Such comments were likely to fan Western suspicions that Iran is seeking to win time by stringing out inconclusive talks while mastering nuclear technology and stockpiling enriched uranium of potential use for atomic energy or weaponry.
Western diplomats believe Iran is trying to show just enough flexibility to keep trade allies Russia and China opposed to painful UN sanctions which could target its energy sector.
The West suspects Iran is seeking nuclear weapons capability behind the facade of what Teheran says is a civilian enrichment programme aimed at generating electricity.
Britain said yesterday it had ordered financial firms to cease business with Iran's Bank Mellat and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines to counter a "significant risk" posed by Iranian activity facilitating development of nuclear weapons.
"The international community will not wait indefinitely for evidence that Iran is prepared to live up to its international obligations," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in London on Sunday, alluding to UN demands for a nuclear halt.
Asked about her remark, Mr Qashqavi said:"If there is a deadline or any kind of threat in their comments,they will not impact us in any way."
In talks that both sides called constructive, Iran agreed with the United States, Russia, China, France, Germany and Britain in Geneva on Oct 1 to give UN inspectors access to a newly disclosed enrichment plant near the city of Qom.
Western diplomats say Iran also agreed in principle to send about 80%of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium to Russia and France for processing and return to Teheran. This would replenish dwindling fuel stocks for a reactor in the capital that produces medical isotopes, mainly for cancer care.
Iranian, Russian, French, US and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials will meet in Vienna on Oct 19 to flesh out conditions, such as amounts of uranium to be sent abroad.
"There are 150 hospitals dependent on this reactor ... We want to receive this fuel from outside. That's why we are going to have the meeting and we hope that we'll reach an agreement,"Mr Qashqavi said.
But, echoing remarks by a spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, he also suggested Teheran could provide the highly processed fuel material itself if there was no deal on external supply.
A Western security source in Europe said Iran earlier this year approved a plan to enrich uranium to 19.7%well above the level needed for generating electricity - to yield material for the Teheran reactor without foreign help. The plan set out a timetable of one year for fulfilment, he said.
Iran needs uranium refined to a purity of 19.7% for its Teheran reactor.Uranium refined to 20% or above is classified as highly enriched theoretically usable for the fissile core of a nuclear bomb, although a minimum 80-90% is normally required for a viable weapon.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi, speaking a week before talks on a proposal to send Iranian uranium abroad for further processing, also reiterated Iran's refusal to discuss its "nuclear rights" with the six world powers.
"We have announced several times that we have nothing to discuss regarding that," he told a Teheran news conference in comments translated by Iran's state Press TV.
"That means continuation of our activities within the framework of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the safeguards agreement of the IAEA and enrichment on that basis," he said,referring to the UN nuclear watchdog.
Such comments were likely to fan Western suspicions that Iran is seeking to win time by stringing out inconclusive talks while mastering nuclear technology and stockpiling enriched uranium of potential use for atomic energy or weaponry.
Western diplomats believe Iran is trying to show just enough flexibility to keep trade allies Russia and China opposed to painful UN sanctions which could target its energy sector.
The West suspects Iran is seeking nuclear weapons capability behind the facade of what Teheran says is a civilian enrichment programme aimed at generating electricity.
Britain said yesterday it had ordered financial firms to cease business with Iran's Bank Mellat and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines to counter a "significant risk" posed by Iranian activity facilitating development of nuclear weapons.
"The international community will not wait indefinitely for evidence that Iran is prepared to live up to its international obligations," US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in London on Sunday, alluding to UN demands for a nuclear halt.
Asked about her remark, Mr Qashqavi said:"If there is a deadline or any kind of threat in their comments,they will not impact us in any way."
In talks that both sides called constructive, Iran agreed with the United States, Russia, China, France, Germany and Britain in Geneva on Oct 1 to give UN inspectors access to a newly disclosed enrichment plant near the city of Qom.
Western diplomats say Iran also agreed in principle to send about 80%of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium to Russia and France for processing and return to Teheran. This would replenish dwindling fuel stocks for a reactor in the capital that produces medical isotopes, mainly for cancer care.
Iranian, Russian, French, US and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) officials will meet in Vienna on Oct 19 to flesh out conditions, such as amounts of uranium to be sent abroad.
"There are 150 hospitals dependent on this reactor ... We want to receive this fuel from outside. That's why we are going to have the meeting and we hope that we'll reach an agreement,"Mr Qashqavi said.
But, echoing remarks by a spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, he also suggested Teheran could provide the highly processed fuel material itself if there was no deal on external supply.
A Western security source in Europe said Iran earlier this year approved a plan to enrich uranium to 19.7%well above the level needed for generating electricity - to yield material for the Teheran reactor without foreign help. The plan set out a timetable of one year for fulfilment, he said.
Iran needs uranium refined to a purity of 19.7% for its Teheran reactor.Uranium refined to 20% or above is classified as highly enriched theoretically usable for the fissile core of a nuclear bomb, although a minimum 80-90% is normally required for a viable weapon.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Official airs nuclear fuel needs
Iran needs up to 300kg of nuclear fuel to cover the requirements of a reactor in Teheran for 18 months,an official said on Saturday.
Ali Shirzadian, a spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, also suggested the Islamic Republic could take steps to provide the fuel itself if it did not obtain it from abroad - a development likely to worry the West.
Western diplomats say Iran agreed in principle at Oct 1 talks in Geneva to send about 80% of its stockpile of lowenriched uranium to Russia and France for processing and return to Teheran to replenish dwindling fuel stocks for a reactor in the capital that produces isotopes for cancer care.
Mr Shirzadian referred to it as Iran's proposal, to turn over low-enriched uranium and receive fuel refined to 20%in return, in comments carried by Isna news agency.
"This proposal is feasible and it has been decided that the different ways of realising this goal should be discussed,"he said."The amount of fuel this reactor would need depends on the way the fuel works and it would range from 150kg to 300kg for a period of 18 months."
It was not immediately clear how much uranium Iran would need to send abroad. Iran's low-enriched uranium stocks total around 1.5 tonnes.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday inter-national powers would not wait forever for Iran to prove it was not developing nuclear bombs. Britain's Foreign Minister David Miliband, whom Ms Clinton met in London, said Iran would never have a better opportunity to establish normal ties with the world but that it had to start behaving like a "normal country".
Iran agreed at the meeting with six world powers on Oct 1 to allow UN experts access to a newly disclosed uranium enrichment plant near the city of Qom. Ms Clinton said the meeting was a constructive beginning but added that it had to be followed by action.
"The international community will not wait indefinitely for evidence," she said.
Ali Shirzadian, a spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, also suggested the Islamic Republic could take steps to provide the fuel itself if it did not obtain it from abroad - a development likely to worry the West.
Western diplomats say Iran agreed in principle at Oct 1 talks in Geneva to send about 80% of its stockpile of lowenriched uranium to Russia and France for processing and return to Teheran to replenish dwindling fuel stocks for a reactor in the capital that produces isotopes for cancer care.
Mr Shirzadian referred to it as Iran's proposal, to turn over low-enriched uranium and receive fuel refined to 20%in return, in comments carried by Isna news agency.
"This proposal is feasible and it has been decided that the different ways of realising this goal should be discussed,"he said."The amount of fuel this reactor would need depends on the way the fuel works and it would range from 150kg to 300kg for a period of 18 months."
It was not immediately clear how much uranium Iran would need to send abroad. Iran's low-enriched uranium stocks total around 1.5 tonnes.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said yesterday inter-national powers would not wait forever for Iran to prove it was not developing nuclear bombs. Britain's Foreign Minister David Miliband, whom Ms Clinton met in London, said Iran would never have a better opportunity to establish normal ties with the world but that it had to start behaving like a "normal country".
Iran agreed at the meeting with six world powers on Oct 1 to allow UN experts access to a newly disclosed uranium enrichment plant near the city of Qom. Ms Clinton said the meeting was a constructive beginning but added that it had to be followed by action.
"The international community will not wait indefinitely for evidence," she said.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Shell plans big f loating LNG plant
The Anglo-Dutch oil group Shell said yesterday it was preparing a blueprint for what could be the first floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant - and the world's biggest vessel - off Australia.
If it goes ahead, the move would have significant implications for the industry because it could unlock "stranded" gas reserves previously considered too costly to develop because of their small size or distance from shore.
"We're in the front end engineering and design phase now," a Shell spokeswoman told AFP."Once that's complete it will then be decided whether we go to the final investment decision."
Shell refused to give a date when the giant facility, which would draw LNG from its Prelude and Concerto gas assets in the Browse Basin off northwest Western Australia, could be operational.
But it said the floating structure, which reportedly would cost US$5.0 billion,would be some 480 metres in length,75 metres wide, and weigh about 600,000 metric tonnes.
It would be significantly the largest vessel in the world when it's constructed,Malcolm Brinded, Shell's executive director upstream international, said on Thursday.
Although the technology is commercially untested, the project would have the capacity to produce 3.5 million tonnes of LNG per year, as well as liquefied petroleum gas over its 20-year lifespan.
The plant, in the shape of an enormous ship, would be towed to each spot and temporarily anchored to the seabed. Reports said it would be designed to withstand extreme weather such as a onein-10,000-year cyclone.
Brinded said demand for LNG would probably rise as rapidly industrialising Asian countries such as India and China increasingly sought cleaner-burning fuels.
"Gas is an absolutely key energy source as a bridge to a fully sustainable energy future, and I think it will be a bridge that will last most of this century," he told reporters.
The technology is particularly relevant for Australia which is believed to have stranded gas reserves worth about A$1.0 trillion (US$890 billion).
Western Australia is the centre of Australia's booming LNG industry which some analysts believe is on course to rival Qatar, the world's biggest producer.
LNG is natural gas that is chilled for shipping as a liquid, then turned back into gas at its destination and distributed by pipeline.
If it goes ahead, the move would have significant implications for the industry because it could unlock "stranded" gas reserves previously considered too costly to develop because of their small size or distance from shore.
"We're in the front end engineering and design phase now," a Shell spokeswoman told AFP."Once that's complete it will then be decided whether we go to the final investment decision."
Shell refused to give a date when the giant facility, which would draw LNG from its Prelude and Concerto gas assets in the Browse Basin off northwest Western Australia, could be operational.
But it said the floating structure, which reportedly would cost US$5.0 billion,would be some 480 metres in length,75 metres wide, and weigh about 600,000 metric tonnes.
It would be significantly the largest vessel in the world when it's constructed,Malcolm Brinded, Shell's executive director upstream international, said on Thursday.
Although the technology is commercially untested, the project would have the capacity to produce 3.5 million tonnes of LNG per year, as well as liquefied petroleum gas over its 20-year lifespan.
The plant, in the shape of an enormous ship, would be towed to each spot and temporarily anchored to the seabed. Reports said it would be designed to withstand extreme weather such as a onein-10,000-year cyclone.
Brinded said demand for LNG would probably rise as rapidly industrialising Asian countries such as India and China increasingly sought cleaner-burning fuels.
"Gas is an absolutely key energy source as a bridge to a fully sustainable energy future, and I think it will be a bridge that will last most of this century," he told reporters.
The technology is particularly relevant for Australia which is believed to have stranded gas reserves worth about A$1.0 trillion (US$890 billion).
Western Australia is the centre of Australia's booming LNG industry which some analysts believe is on course to rival Qatar, the world's biggest producer.
LNG is natural gas that is chilled for shipping as a liquid, then turned back into gas at its destination and distributed by pipeline.
Monday, October 5, 2009
IAEA to inspect nuclear plant
Inspectors are to visit Iran's new uranium enrichment plant on Oct 25, UN atomic watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei said yesterday, adding that "concerns" remained about Teheran's nuclear aims.
Iran had given the assurance that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors would be given access to the new plant which is being built in a mountain near the holy city of Qom,south of Teheran, Mr ElBaradei told a news conference in Teheran.
"There are concerns about Iran's future intentions and this is not a verification thing," he said."We are concerned but we are in no way panicking about Iran's nuclear programme."
ElBaradei was speaking after holding talks with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other officials about Iran's nuclear energy programme, which the West believes is a cover for a nuclear weapons production. Mr Ahmadinejad was later quoted by the Iranian news agency Isna as saying that all matters between the Islamic republic and the IAEA had been ironed out.
"Because of good cooperation between Iran and the agency, important issues were resolved and today there is no ambiguous issue left between Iran and the agency," he said.
Mr ElBaradei said that Teheran had been late in disclosing the fact it was building a new uranium enrichment plant near Qom.
"Based on the IAEA regulations, all countries should inform the IAEA on the day they begin construction" of a nuclear plant, he said. Iran informed the agency on Sept 21, about a year after it started constructing it.
Mr ElBaradei also announced that officials from the US, Russia, France and Iran would hold talks in Vienna on Oct 19 on the possiblity of enriching Teheran's uranium abroad.
The meeting is a follow up to talks in Geneva last week between six world powers and Iran over Teheran's nuclear ambitions, the first such talks in 15 months. Iran tentatively agreed in Geneva to ship some of its stocks of low enriched uranium (LEU) abroad for processing into fuel for an internationally supervised research reactor in Teheran.
Amid fears among Western powers that Iran may have amassed enough LEU eventually to create a nuclear bomb,senior US officials and analysts have said the move might help ease tensions.
Mr ElBaradei said he was "very pleased" about the enrichment project as it was a "confidence building" initiative between world powers and Teheran.
Uranium enrichment is central to the controversy: highly enriched uranium can be used in atomic weapons.
Iran had given the assurance that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors would be given access to the new plant which is being built in a mountain near the holy city of Qom,south of Teheran, Mr ElBaradei told a news conference in Teheran.
"There are concerns about Iran's future intentions and this is not a verification thing," he said."We are concerned but we are in no way panicking about Iran's nuclear programme."
ElBaradei was speaking after holding talks with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other officials about Iran's nuclear energy programme, which the West believes is a cover for a nuclear weapons production. Mr Ahmadinejad was later quoted by the Iranian news agency Isna as saying that all matters between the Islamic republic and the IAEA had been ironed out.
"Because of good cooperation between Iran and the agency, important issues were resolved and today there is no ambiguous issue left between Iran and the agency," he said.
Mr ElBaradei said that Teheran had been late in disclosing the fact it was building a new uranium enrichment plant near Qom.
"Based on the IAEA regulations, all countries should inform the IAEA on the day they begin construction" of a nuclear plant, he said. Iran informed the agency on Sept 21, about a year after it started constructing it.
Mr ElBaradei also announced that officials from the US, Russia, France and Iran would hold talks in Vienna on Oct 19 on the possiblity of enriching Teheran's uranium abroad.
The meeting is a follow up to talks in Geneva last week between six world powers and Iran over Teheran's nuclear ambitions, the first such talks in 15 months. Iran tentatively agreed in Geneva to ship some of its stocks of low enriched uranium (LEU) abroad for processing into fuel for an internationally supervised research reactor in Teheran.
Amid fears among Western powers that Iran may have amassed enough LEU eventually to create a nuclear bomb,senior US officials and analysts have said the move might help ease tensions.
Mr ElBaradei said he was "very pleased" about the enrichment project as it was a "confidence building" initiative between world powers and Teheran.
Uranium enrichment is central to the controversy: highly enriched uranium can be used in atomic weapons.
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