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A satiety-inducing molecule called bombesin is not only present in humans and other vertebrates but also in invertebrates such as starfish and their marine relatives
The common starfish (Asterias rubens) in Brofjorden at Govik
plays a key role in regulating hunger by signalling when we’ve had enough to eat
Its name comes from the fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina)
from whose skin the peptide was first isolated in 1971
bombesin was found to reduce meal size and increase the time between meals
This led scientists to believe that bombesin-like neurohormones
are part of the body’s natural system for controlling food intake
alongside weight-loss inducing drugs such as Ozempic
compounds that mimic the action of bombesin are in development for treatment of obesity
Queen Mary University of London’s Professor Maurice Elphick and colleagues explored the evolutionary history of bombesin
By analysing the genomes of invertebrate animals, they discovered genes encoding bombesin-like neurohormones in the common starfish (Asterias rubens) and other echinoderms
“It was a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack
but eventually we discovered genes encoding a bombesin-like neurohormone in the genomes of starfish and their relatives,” Professor Elphick said
The researchers then turned their attention to the function of this starfish bombesin
they determined the molecular structure of ArBN
allowing it to be chemically synthesised and tested
They investigated how ArBN affects starfish feeding behaviour
Starfish have a unique way of eating: they evert their stomach out of their mouth to digest prey like mussels and oysters
I saw that it caused contraction of the starfish stomach,” said Dr
a researcher at Queen Mary University of London
“This suggested that ArBN might be involved in stimulating stomach retraction when starfish stop feeding.”
When I injected ArBN into starfish with their stomachs everted
it triggered the stomach to retract back into the mouth.”
ArBN also delayed the initiation of feeding
as starfish injected with ArBN took longer to enclose a mussel compared to those injected with water.”
The discovery of bombesin’s ancient role in appetite regulation sheds light on the evolutionary origins of feeding behavior in animals
“We can infer that this function extends back half-a-billion years to the common ancestor of starfish
and other vertebrates,” Professor Elphick said
A paper on the findings will be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Discovery and functional characterization of a bombesin-type neuropeptide signaling system in an invertebrate
a wholly owned subsidiary of Corral Petroleum Holdings AB (CPH)
has let a contract to Topsoe AS to deliver technology for a project to reconfigure a conventional processing unit for production of renewable fuels at the operator’s 11.4-million tonne/year (tpy) refinery in Lysekil
Topsoe will provide its proprietary HydroFlex technology for the revamping of the refinery’s existing isocracking unit to enable production of 1.2 million cu m/year (22,000 b/d) of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel
The converted unit is scheduled to begin producing SAF and renewable diesel in 2027 to support Preem’s 2035 targets for achieving both 5 million cu m/year in renewable fuels production and climate neutrality across the entire value chain
While Topsoe did not reveal a value of the contract
the award follows Preem’s late-2023 final investment decision (FID) to move forward with the Lysekil isocracker revamp (ICR) project at an estimated cost of 5.5 billion krona ($524.2 million)
Pending final environmental permitting from Sweden’s Land and Environmental Court due in late-spring 2024
Preem’s conversion plan for the isocracking unit—which currently produces diesel—is the second in a series of proposed large-scale projects designed to expand the operator’s 530,000-cu m/year total renewable production capacity of two refineries to 2.5 million cu m/year by 2027
followed by a subsequent doubling of capacity to reach the 2035 target
Already under way and confirmed by Preem in mid-March 2023 for anticipated startup in second-quarter 2024
the first of these projects entails the retrofitting of an existing Synsat hydrotreating plant at Lysekil to enable co-processing up to 40% renewable raw materials for production of renewable diesel
with a goal of increasing that rate in the future to further phase out processing of fossil-based feedstock by the plant (OGJ Online
Preem said Lysekil’s increased renewable production following commissioning of the Synsat and ICR revamp projects will play a central role in helping Sweden to achieve its climate targets
with the conversion projects estimated to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions throughout the value chain by 1.7 million tpy and 2.5 million tpy
with the ICR alone to reduce local CO2 emissions from the refinery by 200,000 tpy
Alongside its transformation plan for Lysekil
Preem has also undertaken basic engineering and front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for potential installation of a standalone plant dedicated to production of renewable fuels at the operator’s 6-million tpy refinery in Gothenburg
the grassroots plant at Gothenburg would consist of a Topsoe-licensed Hydroflex unit
and renewable feedstock pretreatment unit that
would enable the site to produce a combined 1 million cu m/year of SAF and renewable diesel
as well as result in a potential reduction of up to 2.5 million tpy in CO2 emissions
In a November 2023 notice confirming its decision to proceed with proposed transformation work at Lysekil ahead of Gothenburg
Preem said construction of ICR and Project Viking would proceed sequentially than in parallel
with FID on Project Viking to occur at “the relevant point in time.”
Sustainable feedstocks to be processed for production of renewable fuels at the Lysekil and Gothenburg projects would include a mix of used cooking oil
Preem’s proposed transformations of its Lysekil and Gothenburg refineries come amid CPH’s initiation in fourth-quarter 2023 of a program aimed at evaluating strategic options to remain viable
which could include the potential sale of 100% interest in Preem and Preem Holdings AB
With Preem deemed as critical infrastructure in Sweden under the country’s Protective Security Act
Preem and CPH said any potential sales transaction would be subject to review under the Swedish Foreign Direct (FDI) Investment Act that was to take effect on Dec
further information regarding any potential sale has yet to be revealed by either Preem or CPH
Robert Brelsford joined Oil & Gas Journal in October 2013 as downstream technology editor after 8 years as a crude oil price and news reporter on spot crude transactions at the US Gulf Coast
He holds a BA (2000) in English from Rice University and an MS (2003) in education and social policy from Northwestern University
(NYSE: MRC) announced that it served as a key valve supplier for the Preem Lysekil Refinery biofuel project located in Lysekil
This major project will make the Lysekil Refinery the largest producer of renewable fuels in Scandinavia and aid Preem in their goal of creating a more sustainable future
one of the world’s leading consulting and engineering companies
collaborated to modify the Synsat unit at Preem’s Lysekil Refinery
This unit will produce clean renewable diesel based on various renewable feedstocks
the unit will be prepared to process various renewable feedstocks
The unit is scheduled to be operational in 2024
MRC Global supplied over 2,200 valves including gate
globe and check valves ½” through 24” in various alloys such as carbon steel
chrome molybdenum and other high alloys within a compressed timeline meeting a critical deadline
“We appreciate the value that Preem places on MRC Global’s supply chain and product expertise,” said Rob Saltiel
“Our customer service and strong supplier relationships were the differentiators that made MRC Global successful on this project
These same factors allow us to enjoy a leading role in providing pipe
and fittings to global energy transition projects,” added Mr
Investor Relations & TreasuryMRC Global Inc.Monica.Broughton@mrcglobal.com
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Swedish refiner Preem AB
a wholly owned subsidiary of Corral Petroleum Holdings AB
has restarted the bulk of operations 228,900-b/d at its refinery at Lysekil
following a late December 2018 production disruption caused by an electrical power failure
the refinery was back at near-to-full capacity except for one unidentified unit
where a reactor is undergoing mechanical repairs
Other units at the site were restarted immediately in the wake of the electrical outage
Further details regarding the incident or its impact to production at the site were not disclosed
The company did not reveal a timeframe for restart of the unidentified unit still under maintenance
Preem said the 1.7 billion-kronor VDU project reached mechanical completion in fourth-quarter 2018 and is scheduled for startup sometime during first-quarter 2019
Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected]
the Lysekil refinery’s FCC has completed its first trial of coprocessing pyrolysis oil to produce partially renewable
low-carbon transportation fuel based on UOP’s proprietary bioliquid feed system with Optimix GF Feed Distributor technology
Preem’s coprocessing trial of the UOP technology to coprocess pyrolysis oil produced from sustainable solid biomass materials such as sawdust or agricultural residuals comes as part of the operator’s plan to reduce carbon intensity of its transportation fuel production in line with Sweden’s Integrated Energy and Climate Plan and the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED)
under which pyrolysis oil can qualify as an Annex IX Part A-approved feedstock
Announcement of the completed trial follows Preem’s confirmation on June 21
that it had initiated coprocessing of 300 tonnes of pyrolysis oil produced from sawdust at the Lysekil FCC as part of the trial’s first phase
Preem said it would carry out a second phase of the trial involving the FCC’s coprocessing of up to 50,000 tonnes of pyrolysis oil for 2 years
“Residual products from our Swedish forests have a unique potential to make Sweden self-sufficient in an increasing share of liquid renewable fuels in the long run instead of importing 85%
Given that Sweden’s statutory mixing requirements for renewables in the gasoline pool will increase to 7.8% to help reduce the country’s fuel-related carbon dioxide emissions 28% by 2030
Abrahamsson added that Preem’s renewable fuels production would be an important piece of the puzzle in helping Sweden achieve its climate goals
“Our long-term goal is to produce about 5 million [cu m/day] of renewable fuels by 2030
which means that we can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 12.5 million [tonnes/year]
corresponding to 20% of Sweden's total emissions,” Abrahamsson said
Last year, the operator also announced it is advancing a broader plan to convert the Lysekil refinery into Scandinavia’s largest manufacturing site for renewable fuels by 2024 (OGJ Online, Oct. 27, 2020)
In light of new economic circumstances caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Preem’s board has decided to cancel the Lysekil ROCC project as well as withdraw and amend the refinery’s 2016 environmental permit application—of which the project formed a sizeable part—to instead focus on projects centered around renewable production at the site
Designed to reduce production of sulfur-rich
heavy fuel oil in favor of low-sulfur products such as diesel and gasoline
the ROCC project was an innovative but technically difficult and costly project in which COVID-19’s effects on the global energy sector have undermined the economic logic of investment
“The closure of ROCC is a necessary commercial decision based on an assessment of profitability and technical feasibility,” said Magnus Heimburg
Preem’s newly appointed chief executive officer
Already Sweden’s largest producer of renewable transport fuels
Preem said its highest priority now is to expedite its ongoing program aimed at producing renewable fuels at the Lysekil refinery
With cancellation of the ROCC now freeing funds to be concentrated on projects enabling increased production of renewables
Preem plans to submit a new environmental permit application for the Lysekil refinery that will enable large-scale production of renewable fuels
The operator also said it plans to ramp up renewable fuels production at its 125,000-b/d refinery in Gothenburg, Sweden, at which the country’s largest production plant for renewable diesel and aviation fuel already is under development (OGJ Online, Mar. 12, 2020)
the new 16,000-b/d renewables unit—which will be completely dedicated to producing renewable fuels from tall oil
and other renewable feedstocks—will produce about 1 million cu m/year of fuels
which corresponds to about 25% of Sweden’s estimated consumption of renewable fuels in 2030 and will enable reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cars and planes by 2.5 million tonnes/year
The environmental permit process for the Gothenburg unit is now under way and under review in Sweden’s Land and Environmental Court
“The reprioritization is an important step in accelerating the transition at both of our refineries from fossil fuel production to renewables [and] is a positive step in our commitment to the Green Agenda,” Heimburg said
“Focus on renewable fuels is the cornerstone of Preem's overall and long-term business strategy
In a situation where tough decisions have to be made
it is crucial for Preem to allocate resources to those projects that will accelerate our renewable production fastest and most cost-effectively
The Gothenburg renewable fuels plant and reprioritization at Lysekil come as part of Preem’s broader plan to become the world's first climate-neutral petroleum and biofuels company with net zero emissions across its entire value chain before 2045
The operator also previously said it plans to increase its renewable fuel production to 5 million tpy by 2030
Preem also confirmed in 2019 that it intends to build a full-scale carbon capture plant at the Lysekil refinery to reduce CO2 emissions by one-third by 2025 following a demonstration project at the site that began in 2019 and will run to 2021 (OGJ Online, Mar. 4, 2019)
which has decided on a more ambitious blending mandate in the country
also has announced a willingness to support investments in domestic production of renewable fuels
thereby improving the investment climate for renewables-based projects
is progressing with its previously announced plan to expand vacuum distillation capacity at its 11.4-million tonne/year refinery at Lysekil
With delivery of the 37-m long tower that will form the heart of Lysekil’s vacuum distillation unit (VDU) completed in mid-August
the refinery is scheduled to receive the VDU’s furnance—the project’s final piece of major equipment—in October
With a revised estimated cost of 1.6 billion kronor (Swedish) from its earlier 1.5-billion kronor price tag
the VDU expansion remains on schedule to be completed in 2018
Granted environmental clearance to proceed from regional regulators in July 2016
the proposed project will add a second VDU to supplement the refinery’s existing 64,600-b/d VDU to increase the plant’s production of vacuum gas oil (VGO) and eliminate Preem’s current monthly VGO import requirements of about 50,000 cu m
The VDU expansion at Lysekil also will position the refinery to maximize its current crude through capacity
as well as enable it to upgrade residual oil from other refineries in the region
Planned with a nameplate capacity to process 215-240 cu m/hr of residual oil
the VDU will increase the Lysekil refinery’s VGO production capacity by about 50% from current production rates
In 2016, Preem let a contract to Amec Foster Wheeler to provide engineering, procurement, and construction management for the Lysekil VDU expansion (OGJ Online, Jan. 7, 2016)
Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected]
is moving forward with a recently proposed project to convert its 220,000-b/d refinery in Lysekil
into Scandinavia’s largest manufacturing site for renewable fuels (OGJ Online
With an application to amend the refinery’s existing environmental permit to enable large-scale production of renewable fuels planned for submission before yearend
Preem expects to reach final investment decisions on the project in summer 2021 for targeted startup of the new plant by 2024 at the latest
“Preem’s main priority is to begin large-scale renewable production at the refinery in Lysekil...we will now take the first
big step in the refinery’s renewable conversion,” said Magnus Heimburg
Preem said it will carry out a redevelopment and rebuild of the refinery’s existing Synsat plant that currently produces Swedish Environmental Class 1 diesel with a maximum sulfur content of 10 ppm (wt) to increase Preem’s renewable diesel production by 650,000-950,000 cu m/year
which is as much as two to three times higher than present renewable production capacity at the operator’s 125,000-b/d refinery in Gothenburg
the reconfigured plant will have the capacity to process up to 40% renewable raw materials
with a goal of increasing that rate in the future to further phase out processing of fossil-based feedstock by the plant
Lysekil’s increased renewable production will play a central role in helping Sweden to achieve its climate targets
with the conversion project estimated to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions throughout the value chain between 1.2–1.7 million tonnes/year
of which the largest reduction will take place in road traffic
The operator is also undertaking a project to ramp up renewable fuels production at its Gothenburg refinery
at which the country’s largest production plant for renewable diesel and aviation fuel already is under development (OGJ Online
the new 16,000-b/d renewables unit—which will be completely dedicated to producing renewable fuels from tall oil
and other renewable feedstocks—will produce about 1 million cu m/year of fuels
which corresponds to about 25% of Sweden’s estimated consumption of renewable fuels in 2030 and will enable reduced CO2 emissions from cars and planes by 2.5 million tpy
The environmental permit process for the Gothenburg unit is now under way and under review in Sweden’s Land and Environmental Court
The Gothenburg renewable fuels plant and reprioritization at Lysekil come as part of Preem’s broader plan to become the world’s first climate-neutral petroleum and biofuels company with net zero emissions across its entire value chain before 2045
The operator also previously said it plans to increase its renewable fuel production to 5 million tpy by 2030
Preem also confirmed in 2019 that it intends to build a full-scale carbon capture plant at the Lysekil refinery to reduce CO2 emissions by one-third by 2025 following a demonstration project at the site that began in 2019 and will run to 2021 (OGJ Online
which has decided on a more ambitious blending mandate in the country
also has announced a willingness to support investments in domestic production of renewable fuels
thereby improving the investment climate for renewables-based projects
Swedish refiner Preem AB
has let a contract to Aker Solutions ASA to perform tests and studies of carbon-capture technology at its 228,900-b/d refinery at Lysekil
Aker Solutions will conduct a feasibility study of the technological and economic impact of implementing carbon capture of major emission sources the refinery
The scope of work also includes pilot testing of carbon capture from the refinery’s flue gas in industrial conditions
Aker Solutions’ mobile test unit—a complete
small-scale carbon capture plant—will be engaged in a 9-month test campaign at the refinery
the purpose of which is to learn more about the carbon capture process performance on refinery gas
Parameters such as solvent degradation rate
and percentage of carbon dioxide captured will provide important information for possible later design and implementation of a large-scale capture plant
The feasibility study also will include design of a full-scale carbon capture plant for the refinery’s hydrogen production unit
The project comes as part of Preem’s next steps in the transition to sustainable operations
as the Lysekil refinery is one of the largest emitters of CO2 in Sweden and a potential candidate for carbon capture and permanent storage of CO2
The service provider revealed neither a value of the contract nor a specific timeframe for when the carbon capture
and storage demonstration project will begin
news release that it aims to build a full-scale carbon capture plant at the Lysekil refinery to reduce CO2 emissions by one-third by 2025 following the demonstration project
which is scheduled to run from 2019 to 2021
Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected]
What the high-latitude region lacks in American tourists it makes up for with plentiful seafood and bright seasonal sunshine
Here’s the lowdown on visiting this Swedish wonderland
stick to late spring for oysters and late September for lobsters
Midsummer celebrations beginning in June linger through August
with vacationing Swedes filling the otherwise placid stillness with sailing
The creamy mussel soup at Brygghuset on Fiskebäckskil’s harbor is worth the 20-minute ferry ride from Lysekil on its own
People-watching at this stop for passing yachts and sailors is a bonus—and so is the stroll to and from the ferry through cobblestoned streets lined with elegant pastel cottages
Order the catch of the day and some local cheeses with island-grown berries and vegetables
Sea kayakers paddle in Lysekil’s Gullmar Fjord, next to small islands of pink granite shaped by the ice age. (Photograph by Christian Aslund)Based in Lysekil, Nautopp Seakayaking offers paddling tours (at right)
including day-trips to the outer Lysekil archipelago and longer journeys along the coastline
Or join a seal safari on the Soten, a restored 60-foot luxury steamer from 1915 that departs from the Havets Hus aquarium in the Lysekil Harbor
who began working on boats as a deckhand at age 12
is a walking encyclopedia of Swedish maritime and military history
Strandflickorna Hotel in Lysekil was built at the turn of the 20th century as a spa retreat
That serenity endures in the backyard garden
and outdoor tub overlooking the Gullmar Fjord
The Sea Studio has two glass walls and a deck with a ladder leading to the sea
The Hotel Koster has a large outdoor restaurant and a lawn where crowds listen to live music under the midnight sun
which is said to be brighter here on South Koster than anywhere else in Sweden
most of its 78 modern rooms offer views to the sea; breakfast is served in a historic mansion
and hiking trails start right out the front door
Nautically themed rooms have sunny terraces
and a seaside deck serves hot buns for breakfast and seafood for dinner
Sweden ranks third in thirsty coffee drinkers of the world
This piece was reported by Stephanie Pearson to accompany “Sweden by the Sea,” a feature she wrote for National Geographic Traveler’s June/July 2014 issue.
The waters around villages such as Kungshamn (shown here) and Lysekil supply most of the country's seafood
havets hus","lg":"https://assets-cdn.nationalgeographic.com/natgeo/static/default.NG.logo.dark.jpg","pblshr":"National Geographic","abt":"Seafood","sclDsc":"A favorite of the late Ingrid Bergman
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Unauthorized use is prohibited.","alt":"Sea kayakers paddle in Lysekil's Gullmar Fjord
is a walking encyclopedia of Swedish maritime and military history."]},{"type":"h2","content":[">"," Where to Stay:"]},{"type":"p","content":[{"type":"a","content":[{"type":"b","content":["Strandflickorna Hotel"]}],"attrs":{"title":"Strandflickorna site (English)","href":"http://www.strandflickorna.se/index_en.html","target":"_blank"}}," in Lysekil was built at the turn of the 20th century as a spa retreat
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a 17th-century fishing village and also the hometown of present-day mystery novelist ",{"type":"a","content":["Camilla"," ","Läckberg"],"attrs":{"title":"Camilla Lackberg","href":"http://www.camillalackberg.com/","target":"_blank"}},"
after the Netherlands and Finland."],"attrs":{"style":{"font-size":"14px","line-height":"1.5em"}}}]}]},{"type":"li","content":[{"type":"p","content":[{"type":"span","content":["Built in 1874
YYYY"}},"layoutOptions":{"top":{"colorMode":"light"},"sidebar":{"isSticky":true,"isStackable":true},"main":{"spacing":{"top":40}}},"Divider":{"className":"natgeoDivider"},"Body":{"inlines":[{"type":"image","data":{"disableFullscreen":false,"articleConfig":{"alignXxs":"full","align":"full"},"image":{"id":"","showCopyright":"Please be respectful of copyright
Sweden's archipelago capital","link":"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/guide-to-stockholm-sweden-capital"},{"description":"As the coastal city marks its 400th birthday in 2023
Madeira has rugged volcanic mountains that rise above the clouds
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Oualidia's oysters are best served raw.","ttl":"Morocco oysters","rchDsc":{"markup":"Plucked from the tidal lagoon
Credit: Lysekil
Sunbase International Holdings and state-owned China Communications Construction Group (CCCC) presented their in November of 2017
regarding the building of a deep harbour in Lysekil in Sweden
making it the largest in the Nordic countries
as the project received negative attention from the media
more that 3,000 people had concerns about the project’s environmental implications and signed a petition for this reason
despite the fact that leaders of Lysekil were interested in the project
As a result Lysekil will not proceed with the port project
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Sweden’s largest test facility for carbon dioxide capture has begun operation at Preem’s refinery in Lysekil
Norwegian engineering firm Aker Solutions is providing its mobile test facility for the project
The project will analyze the whole value chain from capture to storage of carbon dioxide off the Norwegian west coast
It also aims to enable more companies to utilize carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology and reduce their CO2 emissions
The project is a collaboration between Preem
Equinor and the Norwegian research institute SINTEF
The Swedish Energy Agency and the Norwegian research and development program CLIMIT also contribute with funding
The mobile test unit will during 2020 capture carbon from flue gases coming from Preem’s hydrogen gas plant at the Lysekil refinery on the west coast of Sweden
The technology for capturing and storing CO2 is important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and for achieving Sweden’s climate goals
It is also part of Preem’s vision to reduce CO2 emissions and to become climate neutral by 2045
The goal is for the tests to form the basis for a full-scale CCS plant that can be operational by 2025
“We see carbon capture and storage as a vital measure to reduce global carbon emissions
a full-scale CCS plant could initially reduce emissions from our Lysekil refinery by 500,000 metric tons annually
which is close to one-third of the refinery’s total CO2 emissions per year,” said Petter Holland
The carbon dioxide will be stored in Norway
which is leading in this area and has better geological conditions for storage than Sweden
Preem made a statement of intent to collaborate with the Northern Lights project last fall
Northern Lights is a project that includes Equinor
Shell and Total and to develop the technology and the transport chain to store carbon dioxide in bedrock under the North Sea
vice president of Global CCS Solutions at Equinor
“Equinor is involved in several different projects in the capture
“This project can give us third-party volume for our transport and storage project
a carbon capture technology is used that may be relevant for our facilities
“This type of collaboration between industry
research and government is crucial to the success of carbon capture and storage.”
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The Pioneers of Offshore Engineering GustoMSC
part of NOV’s Marine and Construction business
is recognized for providing advanced design & engineering consultancy for mobile offshore units and reliable equipment
and technical knowledge into realistic & innovative ideas
The performance of new and existing jack-ups
Intended to enable the refinery the upgrade as much heavy oil as possible into sulfur-free gasoline and diesel fuels to help meet rising demand, the proposed hydrocracker would be based on CLG’s proprietary LC-SLURRY technology, which would equip the refinery to produce 100% ultralow-sulfur products from its vacuum residue, CLG said.
Alongside technology licensing, CLG—a 50-50 joint venture of Chevron USA Inc. and CB&I Technology Ventures Inc.—will partner with Preem and Beowulf on design and permitting support for the project, the licensor said.
Preem’s decision to explore adding a residue hydrocracking plant at Lysekil comes amid potential impacts from new rules that require lower sulfur-content specifications for bunker fuels in 2020-25, which will reduce overall market demand for heavy oil, according to Preem and Corral 2015 annual reports.
Preem plans to reach final investment decision on the project following further analyses, detailed engineering, and permitting activities for the proposed plant, which likely will take 2-3 years to complete.
Should results of preliminary studies confirm the project as economically attractive, however, the investment would align well with the company’s strategies of maximizing value of its raw materials, minimizing its environmental impact, and increasing refining flexibility and competitiveness for the future, said Petter Holland, chief executive of Preem, in a May 16 press release.
Preem currently is moving forward with a project to expand capacity of its vacuum distillation unit (VDU) at the Lysekil refinery to boost vacuum gas oil production that will be used as feedstock elsewhere in the plant, Corral said.
The expanded VDU is targeted for startup during fourth-quarter 2018, Corral said.
2020Aker Solutions today started operating its mobile test facility for carbon capture at Preem's refinery in Lysekil
Sweden.The test unit is part of the 'Preem CCS' pilot project which will analyze the whole value chain from capture to storage of carbon dioxide (CO2)
The project aims to enable more companies to utilize carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology and reduce their CO2 emissions
The Swedish Energy Agency and the Norwegian research and development program CLIMIT contribute with funding
the entire value chain will be evaluated; from capture at the refinery
transport to the planned storage location off the Norwegian west coast and for the storage itself
The results of the pilot project will then be made public - in order for more companies to be able to use the technology and reduce their CO2 emissions
The mobile test unit will during 2020 capture carbon from flue gases coming from Preem's hydrogen gas plant at the Lysekil refinery on the west coast of Sweden
"We are excited to bring our field-proven carbon capture technology to Sweden for the first time," said Luis Araujo
"Helping operators reduce their carbon footprint is a key part of Aker Solutions' strategy
and we look forward to working with Preem and the other partners on the Lysekil refinery."
The technology for capturing and storing carbon dioxide is an important component for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and for achieving Sweden's climate goals
this is an important piece of the puzzle to reduce CO2 emissions and to become climate neutral by the year 2045
"We see carbon capture and storage as a vital measure to reduce global carbon emissions
which is close to one-third of the refinery's total CO2 emissions per year," said Petter Holland
Aker Solutions helps the world meet its energy needs
systems and services required to unlock energy
Our goal is to maximize recovery and efficiency of oil and gas assets
while using our expertise to develop the sustainable solutions of the future
Aker Solutions employs approximately 15,000 people in more than 20 countries
Visit akersolutions.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube
This press release may include forward-looking information or statements and is subject to our disclaimer, see https://akersolutions.com
The test unit is part of the 'Preem CCS' pilot project which will analyze the whole value chain from capture to storage of carbon dioxide (CO2)
\"We are excited to bring our field-proven carbon capture technology to Sweden for the first time,\" said Luis Araujo
\"Helping operators reduce their carbon footprint is a key part of Aker Solutions' strategy
and we look forward to working with Preem and the other partners on the Lysekil refinery.\"
\"We see carbon capture and storage as a vital measure to reduce global carbon emissions
which is close to one-third of the refinery's total CO2 emissions per year,\" said Petter Holland
Visit akersolutions.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube
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The first tests to produce renewable petrol from sawdust have just been carried out at Preem's refinery in Lysekil. Work has now started to process 50,000 tons of pyrolysis oil at the plant. The renewable raw material will be delivered from the Swedish company Pyrocell.
Extensive tests have now begun in Lysekil on the catalytic cracker, one of the refinery's largest plants, which primarily produces petrol.
The test consists of two parts, an initial smaller batch of 300 tons of pyrolysis oil, followed by a longer test operation that will process up to 50,000 tons of pyrolysis oil for two years. The raw material will be delivered from Pyrocell's new facility in Gävle. Pyrocell is jointly owned by Preem and Setra. At the plant, which will be ready during the autumn, sawdust will be processed into pyrolysis oil. The oil will then be further refined at Preem's refinery in Lysekil.
“Residual products from our Swedish forests have a unique potential to make Sweden self-sufficient in an increasing share of liquid renewable fuels in the long run instead of importing 85 percent, as we do today. This is an exciting step in our work to develop the fuel of the future,” says Peter Abrahamsson, Head of Sustainable Development.
At the beginning of 2022, the statutory mixing requirement for renewables in petrol, the so-called reduction obligation, for Sweden will increase to 7.8 percent. By 2030, carbon dioxide emissions from petrol will have decreased by 28 percent.
2019Aker Solutions has been selected by Preem
to perform tests and studies of its carbon capture technology at Scandinavia’s biggest oil refinery in Lysekil on the Swedish west coast
Photo: Preem ABAker Solutions will conduct a feasibility study of the technological and economic impact of implementing carbon capture of major emission source at Preemraff Lysekil
with an annual capacity to process 11.4 million cubic meters of crude oil
The scope also includes pilot testing of carbon capture from the oil refinery flue gas in industrial conditions
Preem’s refineries account for 80 percent of the Swedish refinery capacity
and are among Europe’s most modern and most environmentally efficient
Now the company is exploring its next steps in the transition to a sustainable society
“Norway is at the forefront of technology development for storage of carbon dioxide (CO2)
and in Sweden there are many industries with great interest in capturing greenhouse gases to reduce their emissions
the best possible conditions are given for large-scale CCS to become a reality,” said Petter Holland
“We are pleased to be a partner in this pioneering project,” said Oscar Graff
Utilization and Storage (CCUS) at Aker Solutions
“The refinery in Lysekil is one of the largest emitters of CO2 in Sweden and a potential candidate for carbon capture and permanent storage of CO2.”
Aker Solutions’ activities are part of a broader Preem R&D project
which has been granted funding from public energy funding vehicles; Gassnova in Norway and Energimyndigheten in Sweden
will be engaged in a nine-month test campaign at the refinery
The purpose of the test is to learn more about the carbon capture process performance on the refinery gas
energy efficiency and percentage of CO2 captured
will provide important information for possible later design and implementation of a large-scale capture plant
The feasibility study will include design of a full-scale carbon capture plant for the Hydrogen Production Unit (HPU) at the refinery
“The test results will form a realistic basis for this study and will help to reduce the overall project risk of a possible large-scale development,” said Graff
“The contract with Preem will allow us to demonstrate our carbon capture process on a flue gas that is different from what we experience in other industries
The results will provide valuable information to Preem and support Aker Solutions’ position for future deliveries of carbon capture plants at oil refineries.”
Aker Solutions will conduct a feasibility study of the technological and economic impact of implementing carbon capture of major emission source at Preemraff Lysekil
"I'm pleased SINTEF can contribute to development of the whole value chain in this important Swedish-Norwegian CCS-cooperation
SINTEF has more than 30 years experience in CO2 management
which we now can use to reduce emissions in Sweden
while at the same time strengthen the Norwegian effort to realize a full-scale project for CO2 management,” says Alexandra Bech Gjørv
The results of the pilot project will then be made public
in order for more companies to be able to use the technology and reduce their carbon dioxide emissions
the test facility will capture CO2 from the flue gases from Preem’s hydrogen gas plant at the Lysekil refinery
The technology for capturing and storing CO2 is an important component for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and for achieving Sweden’s climate goals
this is an important piece of the puzzle to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and to become climate neutral by the year 2045
We see carbon capture and storage as a vital measure to reduce global carbon emissions
a full-scale CCS plant could initially reduce emissions from our Lysekil refinery by 500,000 tonnes
which is close to a quarter of the refinery’s total carbon emissions,” says Petter Holland
The carbon dioxide is planned to be stored in Norway
a global leader in CCS with better geological conditions for CO2 storage than Sweden
Preem made a statement of intent to collaborate with the Northern Lights project last autumn
The Northern Lights project includes Equinor
Shell and Total and aims to develop the technology and the transport chain to store CO2 in bedrock under the North Sea
Northern Lights is scheduled to start in 2024
The Preem CCS project is a collaboration between Preem
Preem CCS
Stefania Osk Gardarsdottir
Stay up to date with research news from SINTEF
Stay up to date with our latest research news
Lysekil Women's Match 2018 is over and the winner is French skipper Pauline Courtois with her team Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team
so we're incredibly proud of our team’s performance”
the wind was tricky out there but we nailed all our pre-starts,” she said after winning three straight victories in today’s final
This after falling behind 0-2 in her semi-final match with Anna Ostling’s Swedish team
Courtois is the defending champion of the WIM Series and is aiming to defend her title
Henriette Koch sailed her first match racing regatta here in Lysekil this week and although they would have loved to win she is more than happy with the team’s second place in today’s final
”All three matches were really tight where their experience helped them win
Everyone on the team is extremely competitive so it’s never fun to lose
we’ll leave Lysekil with a proud feeling and we are so happy that we made it to the finals”
Sweden’s Johanna Bergqvist with her team Team Bergqvist Match Racing
the latter evened the battle and forced a third and deciding match between the two Swedish teams
“We were really close to taking them in the first match
after that we came back to the way we usually perform and it feels good to have reached the podium,” Ostling said after winning the bronze medal
”We had the most amazing start in the last match and gave us an advantage that we never gave up”
about the team effort in the deciding match
Two competitions of the WIM Series 2018 have been conducted
is also the official Women’s Match Racing World Championship 2018
Results in the final in Lysekil Women’s MatchHenriette Koch
Results in the petite final in Lysekil Women’s MatchAnna Ostling
Results in the semi-finals in Lysekil Women’s MatchHenriette Koch
Results in Lysekil Women’s Match 2018 (team
Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team – Pauline Courtois
Women On Water / Team Kattnakken – Henriette Koch
Team Bergqvist Match Racing – Johanna Bergqvist
New Sweden Match Racing Team – Claire Leroy
L2 Match Racing Team – Marinella Laaksonen
Swiss Women Match Racing Team – Alexa Bezel
ProKaTeam Sailing Team – Ekaterina Kochkina
Matchmoiselles by Normandy Elite Team – Margot Vennin
Swedish Women’s Match Racing Team – Sanna Mattsson
Standings in WIM Series 2018 after two events (team
Caroline Sylvan / Claire Leroy – SWE / FRA
plus all the latest on yachting regattas and offshore adventures around the world
Preem AB – or Preem – is one of the largest CO2 emitters in Sweden (1.5 Mt CO2/year in Lysekil and 500 kt CO2/year in Gothenburg)
the Hydrogen production facility alone emits 480kt CO2/year
The geographical location of Preem on the Swedish west coast mean that it is relevant to consider a connection to the Norwegian full-scale CCS project
CO2 captured by Preem can be relevant to ship to the planned CCS hub on the Norwegian west coast
The main objective of the project is for Preem to undertake on-site demonstration of CO2 capture from their hydrogen production facility in Lysekil
with the goal of enabling full-scale CO2 capture with connections to the Norwegian full-scale project
The main goal of the project can be further divided into several sub-objectives:
Will the fuel company Preem be allowed to expand its refinery in Lysekil off the west coast
the proceedings in the Land and Environment Court of Appeal begin
The question whether the Preemraff refinery will be allowed to expand or not has been hotly debated
and the government has decided that it is they who in the end will decide
the Land and Environment Court of Appeal will have its say in the matter
and that is why the court proceedings are taking place in Lysekil
The concerned parties will put forward their arguments and then the court will make a decision
the expansion will mean hundreds of new jobs in Lysekil and an investment of at least 15 billion kronor
the carbon emissions would increase locally
Victor Jensenvictor.jensen@sverigesradio.se Radio Swedenenglish@sverigesradio.se
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Environmental campaigners in Sweden are celebrating after Preem on Monday withdrew controversial plans to expand its oil refinery on the west coast
Preem's plan to expand its refinery to enable it to upgrade heavy oil to sulphur-free petrol and diesel provoked fierce opposition from environmentalists who said the expansion would raise emissions by a million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year
the Covid-19 crisis and its effects on the world economy have contributed to the project no longer being commercially sustainable
Radio Swedenenglish@sverigesradio.se
A new investigation into a fire that claimed the lives of 159 passengers on the ferry
points to evidence that several members of the crew committed arson for financial reasons
where firefighters eventually managed to put out the flames
A Danish truck driver who perished in the fire was originally blamed for arson
but these investigators say he was innocent
The group of experts who carried out the investigation did it on their initiative
and now the Oslo police have asked for a meeting with them
The group went through over 20,000 pages of material and claim that a number of fires on board were set by the crew
tells Swedish Radio News that he saw crew members break windows so that the fire would spread
employees of the shipping company got part of the insurance money
and documents the investigation turned up reportedly show that the insurance agent who procured the insurance money got two million Danish kronor for doing so