Industry News

Andreas Raps, new CEO of EagleBurgmann[/caption]

New CEO of EagleBurgmann

Dr. Andreas Raps has been chosen as the next CEO of EagleBurgmann Germany, joint venture of the EKK and Freudenberg Group. Raps, who served in Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, succeeded Dr. Stefan Sacré, the former CEO. Raps has an MBA from the University of Passau and a PhD in Business Administration. EagleBurgmann provides industrial sealing technology, such as mechanical seals and supply units, or special gaskets.

MTU Statoil LM deal

MTU Maintenance has extended its contract with Norwegian oil and gas company Statoil for its GE LM industrial gas turbines. The seven-year agreement covers maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) for parts of the largest commercial LM fleet in the world, which is operated offshore on Statoil’s oil platforms. MTU has been responsible for the MRO of Statoil LM2500, LM2500+ and LM6000 series turbines since 2006. Alongside the provision of conventional MRO services in Ludwigsfelde near Berlin, the package also covers on-site services and the supply of spare parts.

Floating production crash

The Q2 2016 Floating Production Systems Report by Energy Maritime Associates (EMA) revealed that no floating production systems have been awarded so far in 2016, following zero orders in Q4 2015. The last orders for production units were placed in July 2015 by shell. However, 11 units have been delivered this quarter, being sent to various offshore oil field and LNG sites. As low oil prices continue to prevail, this is showing up in the shuttering of deepwater drilling which is more expensive than onshore or nearshore fields.

As a result, EMA reported that production of eight more offshore fields has been, or will be stopped in 2016. The analyst firm also keeps track of backlogged delivery of floating production systems. The orderbook had been relatively stable at 62-65 units since Q4 2013, but dropped by 11% in Q1 2016. Declines are expected to continue as deliveries outpace orders. 18 deliveries are scheduled by end 2016, but a few may be delayed. By 2017, therefore, EMA expects the backlog to drop below 40 units, a level last seen in the 2009 downturn. As yet another sign of a struggling market, 35 units are idle without contracts and many of them will eventually be scrapped.

New power plants

Entergy has acquired the 1,980 MW Union power plant located near El Dorado, AK. Commissioned in 2003, it comprises four combined-cycle, gas-fired generating units, each with a capacity of 495 MW. It features eight GE 7-FA gas turbines (GTs) with inlet air fogging, eight Alstom heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) with supplemental duct firing and four GE single case, single-flow axial exhaust condensing steam turbines.

Duke Energy has secured approval to replace its 376 MW Asheville coal-fired power plant with a new natural gas facility. Two combined cycle natural gas generating units will be constructed, with a capacity of 280 MW each replacing the old coal plant, which is to be decommissioned by 2020. Construction of the combined cycle power plant (CCPP) should start this year and be completed by late 2019. A 15 MW solar facility will be added at the site as well as 5 MW of utility-scale storage.

Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) has acquired the 785 MW CPV Towantic Energy Center in Oxford, CT. This represents CPV’s first investment in the U.S. power generation market. CPV Towantic has obtained permits to be powered by two GE 7HA GTs with a steam turbine and associated generators. Gemma Power Systems (GPS) was selected as the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor. GPS will also construct a 475 MW CCPP in Kings Mountain, NC. The company is likely to begin activities under an EPC services contract with NTE Carolinas LLC, an affiliate of NTE Energy. A second 475 MW project, similar to Kings Mountain, is being built in Middletown, OH. The Kings Mountain project is likely to be completed in the second half of 2018, while Middletown is scheduled for the second quarter of 2018. Both projects feature a Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas (MHPSA) M501GAC GT, a Vogt Power supplementary-fired HRSG and a Toshiba steam turbine (ST).

The government of Bangladesh has launched a project for re-powering the fourth unit of Ghorashal power plant. It is expected to be online by June, 2019. A diesel generator, GT and gas booster compressor will be replaced and the existing ST rehabilitated. It was installed in 1989, with capacity of 210 MW, but that has dropped gradually to 180 MW. U.S. electric power company Dynegy has partnered with private equity firm Energy Capital Partners to buy power plants from French utility Engie. This encompasses plants producing 8,731 MW, almost all powered by natural gas, to give Dynegy presence in the Texas market. The deal, which includes the 725 MW former Troy Energy gas-fired plant in Wood County, OH, is expected to boost Dynegy’s power plant portfolio to more than 35,000 MW.

Toshiba will supply a steam turbine for an ultra-supercritical coal-fired plant being constructed for Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), Indonesia’s state-owned electricity company. This is part of the expansion of the Lontar plant in Java. With the addition of a 315 MW ST, capacity will increase to 1,260 MW. Delivery is expected in 2018.

Iberdrola won a contract to build the 887 MW Noroeste CCPP in Sinaloa state, Mexico. The company will be responsible for EPC and maintenance, as well as being the owner. The plant will be equipped with MHPS M501J GTs. Iberdrola will set up power lines and a transformer substation required to connect to the grid. The plant is expected to begin operation in January 2019.

APR Energy has signed a contract with Hydro Tasmania to install and operate three dual-fuel gas turbines at a plant expected to be operational in early-May. The aeroderivative turbines will use water injection to reduce NOx emissions. Egypt’s state-owned utility Egyptian Electricity Holding Co. (EEHC) has secured $4 billion to construct three plants with a combined capacity of 14,400 MW. The loans, will fund the Beni Suef, Burullus and New Capital plants. Siemens will supply GTs.

Saudi Diversification

Saudi Aramco reaffirmed its In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) program. The objectives are to double the percentage of locally produced energy-related goods and services to 70% by 2021, and to have the local energy goods and services industry export 30% of its output over the same period. The goal is to motivate suppliers to open a local shop and hire a predominantly local workforce.

RWG Avon overhauls

Svenska Kraftnät Gasturbiner (SvKGT) has awarded RWG a multi-engine contract for overhaul, re-installation and commissioning of Siemens Industrial Avon GTs operating at a power station in Southern Sweden. This is part of an initiative to balance reserve power generation capacity supporting Sweden’s national grid. The initial phase involves overhaul of four GTs at SvKGT’s Lahall power station, but with an option to extend the work over the next four years to encompass all 24 Industrial Avons at the Lahall, Hallstavik and Arendal power stations. RWG is a Siemens and Wood Group Company.

Supercritical CO2

NET Power has completed a 50 MW power plant in La Porte, TX to demonstrate its Allam Cycle technology. Allam Cycle uses CO2 as a working fluid to drive a combustion turbine. The technology is said to eliminate atmospheric emissions and produce pipeline-quality CO2 that can be sequestered or used in various industrial processes, including enhanced oil recovery (EOH). NET Power uses an oxy-fuel, supercritical CO2 power cycle to produce electricity. It burns natural gas with oxygen, as opposed to air, and uses high-pressure CO2 to drive a turbine. It produces electricity, water and pipeline-ready CO2. The technology can operate without water. The company is a group effort among Exelon Generation, CB&I, and 8 Rivers Capital. The $140 million program includes demonstration plant design and construction, ongoing technology advancement, a testing and operations program, and commercial development. Toshiba will manufacture a CO2 turbine and combustor for the project. CB&I will be the EPC. Exelon is providing operations, maintenance and development services. 8 Rivers invented the technology. Commissioning is expected to begin in late 2016. The 50 MW plant is intended to validate construction of a 295 MW commercial- scale plant.

Elliott Brazilian contract

Petrobras has renewed a contract with Elliott Group in Brazil for rotor inspection and storage. The contract covers a minimum of 80 spare turbine and compressor rotors for Petrobras refineries. Petrobras has renewed the contract for three years with an option to extend. Analytics portal SPS, which provides key performance indicators for the energy industry, has introduced a real-time business intelligence platform. The ORAP

Analytics Portal

provides customers the opportunity to see their benchmarking data versus the data of their comparative peer group. Users can visualize the performance data of their plant in near real-time, and customize it to the needs of their organization.

MAN Turbo news

Turkish company Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayii A. (AKSA), one of the world’s largest acrylic fibers producers, has placed an order with MAN Diesel & Turbo for the supply of a 99 MW steam turbine generator set. The ST generator set will replace an existing installation in 2017. Beside auxiliaries, MAN will also provide a service package consisting of operator training modules, spare part supply as well as long-term support by MAN PrimeServ.

Capstone order

BPC Engineering, Capstone Turbine’s Russian distributor, has secured an order for a Kazakhstan pipeline project, which consists of seven C30 microturbines. This is the second order to be shipped to BPC Engineering since March 2015. The microtubines are expected to provide cathodic protection along the Kazakhstan pipeline in addition to lighting and other small critical loads. The Beyneu- Shimkent pipeline project has more than 50 microturbines ranging from C30s to C200s, and powers shutoff valves, telecom operations, gas metering and service campuses.

Ansaldo contracts

Ansaldo Energia Switzerland has been awarded contracts for the supply of equipment to the Ibri 1510 MW CCPP and Sohar III 1710 MW CCPP in the Sultanate of Oman. They are expected to be commissioned in early 2019. Ansaldo Energia will supply the main power train equipment components, including for each power plant, four of Ansaldo Energia’s newly acquired GT26 class GT, four HRSGs, two STs and six turbo generators.

LA Turbine’s 100th

L.A. Turbine (LAT) shipped its 100th turboexpander earlier this year. The LAT 560EC is a two-stage L3000 turboexpander- compressor with active magnetic bearings, common seal gas system, mounted on a common skid for a U.S. based ethylene processing facility. It was manufactured and tested in the company’s Valencia, CA facility

Emerson automation

Emerson Process Management will provide process automation technologies and services for current and future waste-to-energy projects of Hitachi Zosen Inova. These technologies help plants operate reliably and safely with minimal downtime and maintenance. Zurich-based Hitachi Zosen Inova specializes in worldwide thermal and biological treatment of municipal waste.

Pruftechnik consolidates

Through the merger of its operations in Canada and the U.S., Pruftechnik further establishes its presence in North America. With the new organization, the makers of Optalign and Rotalign will kick-start direct distribution of its products in North America.

3D printing boom

Consulting firm Wohlers Associates has published its annual report on additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing, terms that are used interchangeably. The new report found all AM products and services worldwide grew 25.9% to $5.165 billion in 2015. Growth continued in many segments, particularly in metal AM and the desktop 3D printer segments. In 2015, 62 manufacturers sold industrial-grade AM systems (valued at more than $5,000), compared to 49 in 2014, and twice as many as the 31 companies that sold industrial systems in 2011.

Wood Group acquisition

Wood Group has acquired SVT Engineering Consultants (SVT) based in Australia. This helps the company provide a global vibration, dynamics and noise engineering service line. SVT, a privately owned company with headquarters in Perth, provides piping and rotating equipment vibration, noise, integrity engineering and asset integrity services. Its client base covers the onshore and offshore oil & gas market, including Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), as well as mining, power and utilities sectors.

Permanent magnets

The Switch, a manufacturer of MWclass permanent magnet (PM) machines for marine drive trains, has been chosen to deliver its PM shaft generator for a Saga LNG carrier with a 45,000 cubic meter cargo capacity. This is expected to allow the vessel to gain greater efficiency over its entire speed range, while generating electricity for the vessel’s electrical network. The order is part of a complete energy efficiency system being delivered by WE Tech Solutions (WE Tech) of Finland to Saga LNG Shipping Pte. The vessel will be built by China Merchants Heavy Industry Co.

Kelvion CEO

Robert Wassmer has been appointed CEO and Managing Director of Kelvion Holding GmbH, effective July 1, 2016. Wassmer was chairman of the executive board at Knorr- Bremse Schienenfahrzeuge GmbH, the European Rail Equipment Subgroup of Knorr-Bremse. He has a PhD in engineering from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Rockwell CEO Rockwell Automation has elected Blake D. Moret, a 30-year veteran of the company, as president and CEO, effective July 1, 2016. At that time Keith D. Nosbusch, 65, who has been CEO since 2004, will transition from those roles while continuing as chairman of the board. Moret, 53, is currently senior vice president of the Company’s Control Products & Solutions segment. Moret is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

In addition, Rockwell has expanded its motion control business by completing the acquisition of MagneMotion, a manufacturer of conveyor systems with servo-controlled independent cart technology. It will integrate into existing Rockwell Automation control, safety and sensing solutions to transport products and heavy loads between machines and throughout a plant. MagneMotion systems are designed for applications of almost any length, speed and thrust requirements.

MHPS digest

Sumitomo Corp., Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) and Toshiba Plant Systems & Services Corp. (TPSC) have started construction on the 240 MW Kinyerezi natural gas-fired CCPP in Tanzania. Sumitomo handles EPC; MHPS will provide six H-25 GTs and generators; and TPSC will supply HRSGs, STs and other equipment. The power plant is currently scheduled to begin operation in 2018.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) have agreed to jointly research cyber security technologies applicable to critical infrastructure control systems. The companies will verify the effectiveness of security protection measures for a wide range of fields, including power generation systems.

MHPS has also received an order for an M701F4 gas turbine to be installed at the Bibiyana-III Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) to be developed by the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB). A 400 MW M701F4 GT will be used at the plant, which is expected to go on-stream in 2018.

SoftInWay in outer space

SoftInWay has expanded its collaboration with Japanese research institute ASIRI in the space exploration sector, by using AxSTREAM software to work on development of a turbo pump for liquid rocket for Japanese firm JAXA. AxSTREAM conducts rapid preliminary design, analysis and optimization of turbomachinery.

GE digest

El Sewedy Power in Angola has ordered six of GE’s trailer-mounted TM2500+ mobile aeroderivative GT packages for new power plant locations. They can run on liquid and gas fuel, and can achieve full power within 10 minutes.

The 1000 MW Tanjung Bin Energy power plant (T4) has entered commercial operation on schedule. The ultrasupercritical, coal-fired power plant uses GE steam turbine and generator technology, boiler and environmental control systems.

GE completed the acquisition of Metem Corp., a U.S.-based provider of precision cooling hole-manufacturing technologies. By bringing this capability in house, GE expects to realize supply chain efficiencies and reduce costs. GE and Metem have had a relationship since the 1970s. Metem’s workforce of 270, as well as the company’s facilities and resources in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Hungary, will be integrated into GE over the next six to 12 months.

GE Power Services is deploying robotic inspection tools to inspect utility Alinta Energy’s gas-fired power plants in Australia and New Zealand. GE’s DIRIS and TurboRotoscan inspection systems will alert the utility to potential generator issues and give it time to evaluate its options. The project was developed through GE’s Alstom power generation business.

GE will inspect 19 generators manufactured by GE, Alstom, Mitsubishi and Brush at seven of Alinta Energy’s gasfired power plants in Australia and New Zealand. The DIRIS robot will provide Alinta Energy with robotic instrumentation and tooling to allow fast and reliable remote inspection of the turbogenerator. It performs critical tests of the generator stator iron core laminations, stator radial wedging system and conducting a visual (video-type) inspection of the inside surfaces of the rotor and stator. These tests would normally be part of a typical overhaul regime after a lengthy process of removing the rotor and utilizing manual and semi-automated tooling.

PSEG Power has ordered a 7HA.02 gas turbine package from GE for the Bridgeport Harbor Generating Station in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The 7HA.02 package includes a GT, ST, associated generators and a former Alstom-engineered HRSG. This represents an expansion of the existing Bridgeport Harbor facility and will clear the way to retire a coal-fired unit in operation for nearly 50 years, the last coal-fired plant in the state.

GE Oil & Gas has signed a partnership agreement with the Iraqi Ministry of Oil that aims to strengthen the performance of the nation’s energy sector by providing equipment, technology upgrades, maintenance of the fleet, knowledge transfer, skills development and local jobs. The agreement aims to enhance the operational efficiency of all assets of the Ministry and envisages the setting up of the country’s first Monitoring & Diagnostics Center that will leverage GE’s Digital solutions. The 24/7 center will take Big Data from sensors embedded in the equipment and software analytics to enable predictive maintenance, reduced downtime and improved efficiency.

GE and Iraq Ministry of Oil have agreed to partner to reduce gas flaring in Iraq oil fields and use it for power generation. This solution could translate into more than 200 MW per site and recovery of several thousand barrels per day of liquefied petroleum gas. In addition, GE Oil & Gas will partner with the Ministry of Oil to develop financing structures for its projects.

Cybersecurity center

Siemens has opened its Cyber Security Operation Center (CSOC) for the protection of industrial facilities, with a joint location in Lisbon and Munich and one in Milford, Ohio. Siemens industrial security specialists at these sites monitor facilities all around the world for cyber threats, warn companies in the event of security incidents and coordinate countermeasures. The increased networking of industrial infrastructures calls for protective action for the automation environment. Siemens Plant Security Services range from security assessments and the installation of protective measures, such as firewalls and virus protection to continuous surveillance of plants with Managed Security Services. Countermeasures are based on the criticality of the incident and the likely impact on the business. They include modifying firewall rules or providing updates for closing gaps in security. In addition, Siemens provides analyses of security incidents. Siemens' Plant Security Services use products from Intel Security. These include: McAfee VirusScan, McAfee Application Control, McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) as well as McAfee Enterprise Security Manager with Security Information and Event Management.

Siemens digest

Siemens was chosen from as the turnkey supplier for Lordstown Energy Center, a 940 MW CCPP to be built in Lordstown, Ohio. Siemens will deliver two SGT6-8000H GTs, one SST6-5000 ST, two air-cooled SGen6-1200A generators, one hydrogen-cooled SGen6- 2000H steam generator, two NEM HRSGs as well as electrical equipment and the instrumentation control system SPPA-T3000. The plant is due to begin operation in 2018.

Siemens has signed today two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the Indonesian state power company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN). Both parties agreed on the development of 500 MW of distributed power and on the development of the Indonesian transmission and distribution grid.

Siemens received approval to build a gas-fired power station in southern Germany. This is the first gas plant order in the country in four years for Siemens if it is finally approved by the European Union. The project is for a 600 MW plant. Germany’s cartel office has approved the plant in Leipheim, north east of Ulm in Bavaria, which would be built by Siemens and Stadtwerke Ulm, a utility in Baden Wuerttemberg. The gas-fired plant is designated as a reserve power plant for Bavaria where the neighboring nuclear power station Gundremmingen will be switched off in two stages, 2017 for block B and 2021 for Gundremmingen C.

Siemens has been awarded a 25-year long-term service agreement for the planned Umm Al Houl CCPP in Qatar. The customer is Umm Al Houl Power. The service agreement covers the plant’s six SGT5-4000F GTs, four SST5-4000 STs, and 10 SGen5-1200A generators including instrumentation and controls service for a period of 25 years. It also provides for an electrical and a resident engineer to be located on-site. The new power plant will be located 15 km south of the capital Doha, adjacent to the Qatar Economic Zone. The plant will consist of two power blocks, each in a 3+2 configuration. Each block will consist of three GTs which will be used to generate the steam to drive two downstream STs. With a total electrical output of 2.5 GW, and up to 136 million imperial gallons (618 million liters) of drinking water per day, the plant will deliver almost one quarter of the nation's installed power generating capacity. It will ensure adequate power and water supply to accommodate seasonal fluctuations and major events. Commissioning of the first phase is scheduled for 2017, with commissioning of the entire complex scheduled for mid-2018.

NAES in Long Island

NAES has been selected by J-Power USA to operate four Long Island, New York, power-generating plants. The plants include Edgewood Energy at Brentwood; Equus Power I at Freeport; Pinelawn Power at West Babylon; and Shoreham Energy at Brookhaven. The addition of these four assets brings the count of J-Power USA facilities under NAES’s operation to seven.

Sundyne pump order

Sundyne’s HMD Kontro sealless magnetic drive API 685 compliant pumps were selected by a Malaysian refinery that is currently upgrading equipment throughout its facility. As refining and petrochemical processing operators around the world face pressure to comply with health and safety regulations, they are replacing aging single-seal pumps with sealless magnetic drive pumps. These pumps eliminate leaks and reduce seal maintenance. Existing API 610 vertical pumps with single-seal systems were prone to leakage and emissions. Sundyne specified the GSPV API 685 sealless magnetic drive vertical pump for this application. In total, the company provided six vertical and two horizontal API 685 pumps to replace the old sealed units handling stripper reflux and debutanizer reflux applications.

Generator rewinds

EthosEnergy completed the delivery of two 223MVA, 200 MW generator rewinds 4m for two STs owned by Indonesia Power. The generators are located at Tanjung Priok power plant site, Jakarta. EthosEnergy reverse engineered, manufactured, installed and commissioned the generator stators within the 140 day window required by Indonesia Power. The shop work and manufacturing was performed in a facility in Lubliniec, Poland, which is experienced in the handling of of large rotors, stators and complete generators with a power rating of more than 400 MW and up to 300 tons.

Distributed generation report

Research firm DNV GL’s view is that trends in materials, wind, solar, electricity storage, data-communications and power electronics will unleash a ‘perfect storm’, creating a new power reality, transforming existing power systems. In that time, the new distributed generation (DG) landscape will be a hybrid of large-scale renewable generating plants and super grids which move power over long distances; and micro grids and energy producing buildings where end-users have an active role. DNV believes that renewable generation will become the safest investment choice and dominate power generation new builds. Markets are already adapting to this reality. Grids will be governed more and more by software. Many electric technologies and appliances including heat pumps, electric vehicles, solar PV and batteries will come together with building systems. These buildings will be net generators instead of just consuming energy. With the help of digitization and automation, they will not only provide electricity, but also offer complex grid balancing and power quality services. These forms of flexibility, which are increasingly needed by the grid, will become available through the mass market. Digitization will lead to more, faster and better data, increased computing power and better connectivity of all elements in the power system. This will optimize the design, planning and operations of assets in wind, solar, transmission, distribution and the use of electricity in society.

Doosan news

Doosan Škoda Power has been awarded a contract to supply turbine sets with an output of 38 MW for the revival of the decommissioned Morupule A coal-fired power plant in Botswana, Africa. Together with its parent company and project EPC contractor, Doosan Heavy Industries of Korea, the company has secured the modernization contract for the 132 MW power plant. Scope of work includes the overhaul of the existing 3 x 33 MW STs, as well as the delivery of a new turbine and generator by Doosan Škoda Power. The first turbine will go into operation in 2017.