Coal

Babcock & Wilcox Canada Awarded $13 Million Contract to Supply Equipment and Services to Reduce Environmental Emissions from North American Petroleum Refinery

Retrieved on: 
Monday, February 12, 2024

Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. (B&W) (NYSE: BW) announced today that its subsidiary, Babcock & Wilcox Canada Corp. (B&W Canada), has been awarded a contract for more than $13 million to supply equipment and design and engineering services to help a petroleum refinery in North America comply with environmental regulations.

Key Points: 
  • Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. (B&W) (NYSE: BW) announced today that its subsidiary, Babcock & Wilcox Canada Corp. (B&W Canada), has been awarded a contract for more than $13 million to supply equipment and design and engineering services to help a petroleum refinery in North America comply with environmental regulations.
  • B&W will supply 18 high-efficiency, low-NOx burners for the reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions for three units at the plant.
  • B&W will also design a flue gas recirculation system, provide performance engineering services, supply fans, and other equipment for one of the units.
  • “B&W’s technology will help upgrade this refinery with advanced burners and other technologies, which will significantly reduce the plant’s NOx emissions and assist in the compliance with environmental regulations,” said Stephen Dutkiewicz, Vice President & General Manager, Thermal Projects, B&W.

Warrior Met Coal Announces 14% Increase in Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 9, 2024

Warrior Met Coal, Inc. (NYSE:HCC) (“Warrior” or the “Company”) today announced that its board of directors has approved an increase in the regular quarterly cash dividend by 14%.

Key Points: 
  • Warrior Met Coal, Inc. (NYSE:HCC) (“Warrior” or the “Company”) today announced that its board of directors has approved an increase in the regular quarterly cash dividend by 14%.
  • This marks the third consecutive year the Company has raised its regular quarterly dividend while developing its world class Blue Creek reserves.
  • The board of directors declared on February 9, 2024, a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.08 per share to be paid on February 26, 2024, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 20, 2024.

Pierce & O’Neill Earns Chambers Regional Spotlight Texas Honors

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 9, 2024

Houston-based trial and appellate firm Pierce & O’Neill, LLP, has earned placement for a second consecutive year in the Chambers USA Regional Spotlight Texas.

Key Points: 
  • Houston-based trial and appellate firm Pierce & O’Neill, LLP, has earned placement for a second consecutive year in the Chambers USA Regional Spotlight Texas.
  • In addition to the Regional Spotlight Texas recognition, Chambers USA also honored managing partner Jesse Pierce for commercial litigation, with Band 1 rankings – the highest honor – for oil and gas expertise in its latest directory.
  • Chambers Regional Spotlight Texas recognizes the leading small to medium-sized law firms in the state.
  • The annual guide honors firms that demonstrate “remarkable work which results in an impressive regional reputation.”

US ‘pause’ on future liquefied gas exports throws doubt on fossil fuel’s place in energy transition

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 9, 2024

In 2023 the US was both the world’s largest producer of natural gas and its largest exporter of LNG, with exports that year totalling 86 million tons.

Key Points: 
  • In 2023 the US was both the world’s largest producer of natural gas and its largest exporter of LNG, with exports that year totalling 86 million tons.
  • On January 26, Biden announced a temporary pause on approvals of pending LNG projects until a review could be completed.
  • Biden has not stopped exports from existing projects or construction work on future ones, whether or not they have the necessary approvals.
  • The spotlight on US LNG exports is at least a chance to question whether gas should have a place in the energy transition.

Freedom LNG

  • The Trump administration described US LNG exports as “molecules of freedom” in 2019 that could reduce Europe’s reliance on Russian gas.
  • The traditional LNG model tied producers and consumers into long-term contracts with destination clauses that constrained where LNG could be sold.
  • Instead, US LNG is sold free on board, meaning buyers (other oil and gas companies, utility companies and traders) take ownership at the export terminal, arrange shipping and sell the LNG wherever they wish.
  • Industry and energy thinktank analysis suggests that the liquidity of the global LNG market will be untouched by the pause.


US LNG exports to Europe are secure for now, but Europe has pledged to significantly reduce how much gas it burns. And so, there is a lot of uncertainty around gas demand in the 2030s and beyond.

Time to take our foot off the gas?

  • If countries meet future energy demand with gas instead of coal, emissions will fall.
  • However, other analyses highlight the methane that leaks from pipelines and suggest that gas may actually be worse for the climate than coal.
  • If this happens, the LNG industry could be building production capacity for which there is no market.


Michael Bradshaw receives funding from the UK Energy System Research Programme and EPSRC in relation to his role as Co-Director for the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC). He also advises the government, thinktanks and companies on energy matters.

Fortis Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter & Annual 2023 Results

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 9, 2024

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland and Labrador, Feb. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortis Inc. ("Fortis" or the "Corporation") (TSX/NYSE: FTS), a well-diversified leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility industry, released its 2023 fourth quarter and annual financial results1.

Key Points: 
  • ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland and Labrador, Feb. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortis Inc. ("Fortis" or the "Corporation") (TSX/NYSE: FTS), a well-diversified leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility industry, released its 2023 fourth quarter and annual financial results1.
  • On November 1, 2023, the sale of Aitken Creek closed for approximately $470 million including working capital and closing adjustments.
  • Adjusted net earnings attributable to common equity shareholders2 ("Adjusted Net Earnings") reflects results for Aitken Creek through the March 31, 2023 effective date.
  • For the fourth quarter of 2023, Adjusted Net Earnings were $350 million, or $0.72 per common share, comparable with the same period in 2022.

Australia’s leading iron ore producers partner with BlueScope on steel decarbonisation

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

If successful, it could help open a potential pathway to near-zero greenhouse gas emission-intensity operations for steelmakers that rely on Australian iron ore to meet global steel demand.

Key Points: 
  • If successful, it could help open a potential pathway to near-zero greenhouse gas emission-intensity operations for steelmakers that rely on Australian iron ore to meet global steel demand.
  • Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Simon Trott said: “The carbon intensity of iron and steelmaking requires profound change to meet the needs of our planet and our climate objectives.
  • Iron ore is first converted to direct reduced iron (DRI) before being charged into the ESF.
  • Other lower CO2 emission-intensity production routes, such as electric arc furnaces, require scrap steel and DRI produced from high grade iron ores.

Avangrid Pilots Mobile Robot Dog to Advance Substation Inspections with Artificial Intelligence

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, announced today a pilot project with Levatas and Boston Dynamics to advance substation inspections using artificial intelligence (AI) with the goal of increasing reliability for customers.

Key Points: 
  • Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, announced today a pilot project with Levatas and Boston Dynamics to advance substation inspections using artificial intelligence (AI) with the goal of increasing reliability for customers.
  • This project will deploy an extremely capable mobile robot called Spot® modeled after a dog to complete visual and thermal inspections at two substations of its Connecticut subsidiary, United Illuminating (UI).
  • “Last year, we announced the establishment of an in-house team to build unique machine learning models to increase reliability.
  • This pilot will not only change expectations of what robots can do, but it will also enrich critical visual and thermal substation inspections.”

Hydrogen Hybrids and Heating - IDTechEx Explores the Hydrogen Economy

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

With new hydrogen infrastructure, existing aspects of living, like driving and heating, can be improved by switching harmful gases for cleaner and more efficient choices.

Key Points: 
  • With new hydrogen infrastructure, existing aspects of living, like driving and heating, can be improved by switching harmful gases for cleaner and more efficient choices.
  • Green hydrogen, the most sustainable form of hydrogen, is produced by eletrolyzers, splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.
  • Governments worldwide have high ambitions for hydrogen – the UK aims for 5GW of installed green hydrogen capacity and 1 million tonnes per annum of blue hydrogen capacity by 2030.
  • IDTechEx predicts that the global low-carbon hydrogen production market will reach US$130 billion by 2033.

Hydrogen Hybrids and Heating - IDTechEx Explores the Hydrogen Economy

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 8, 2024

With new hydrogen infrastructure, existing aspects of living, like driving and heating, can be improved by switching harmful gases for cleaner and more efficient choices.

Key Points: 
  • With new hydrogen infrastructure, existing aspects of living, like driving and heating, can be improved by switching harmful gases for cleaner and more efficient choices.
  • Green hydrogen, the most sustainable form of hydrogen, is produced by eletrolyzers, splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.
  • Governments worldwide have high ambitions for hydrogen – the UK aims for 5GW of installed green hydrogen capacity and 1 million tonnes per annum of blue hydrogen capacity by 2030.
  • IDTechEx predicts that the global low-carbon hydrogen production market will reach US$130 billion by 2033.

Natural Resource Partners L.P. Declares Fourth Quarter 2023 Distributions

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Natural Resource Partners L.P. (NYSE: NRP) today announced that the board of directors of its general partner declared a fourth quarter 2023 distribution of $0.75 per common unit for NRP.

Key Points: 
  • Natural Resource Partners L.P. (NYSE: NRP) today announced that the board of directors of its general partner declared a fourth quarter 2023 distribution of $0.75 per common unit for NRP.
  • The distribution will be paid on February 27, 2024 to unitholders of record on February 20, 2024.
  • The board also declared a fourth quarter distribution on NRP’s 12.0% Class A Convertible Preferred Units totaling $2.15 million.
  • Natural Resource Partners L.P., a master limited partnership headquartered in Houston, TX, is a diversified natural resource company that owns, manages and leases a diversified portfolio of properties in the United States including coal, industrial minerals and other natural resources, as well as rights to conduct carbon sequestration and renewable energy activities.