Hyundai Wins Building Bid for Singapore Oil Cavern Storage Facility

Pictures Source: The Straits Times, Singapore.

Via Your Industry News:

Friday, Apr 17, 2009

Singapore moved forward with plans to build a 9.5 million-barrel rock cavern oil storage facility by awarding on Thursday an S$890 million ($594 million) building tender to South Korea's Hyundai Engineering (000720.KS: Quote).

The first phase of 1.48 million cubic metres (9.5 million barrels) comprises five caverns on offshore Jurong Island that could hold crude, naphtha, condensate and gas oil, most likely for commercial, rather than strategic purposes. The first two caverns are expected to be operational by early 2011.

A planned second phase could add another 1.3 million cu m of storage but a decision has not yet been made.

For cost and operational reasons, underground caverns are often used to hold long-term strategic stocks rather than more actively traded barrels.

The U.S. government stores its strategic crude reserves in four underground sites, while South Korea leases out its tanks to refiners to be used for strategic purposes.

Industry sources say underground caverns, which normally cost more than an above-ground facility of similar capacity, are typically used for barrels that remain in-tank for longer periods and are not traded in and out of tanks rapidly.

"The cavern facility will be used for commercial purposes, but there will be physical limitations for storage of trading barrels, particularly those that need to move quickly or be blended, as transferring of products will be involved," said a source in the storage business.

State-owned industrial landlord JTC Corp had said it would unveil the winning bid for the operator of the Jurong Rock Cavern project in the April-June quarter, delaying it from end of February.

A spokeswoman said the results would be unveiled before end-June.

JUMP IN STORAGE CAPACITY

This is not the first time the decision has been postponed -- the tenders were first called in late 2007, and the results have been plagued by months of delays since.

JTC said that more time was needed to study the design and construction process for the large-scale, complex project, as safety was a key priority.

Industry sources said bidders for the operation tender include Dutch oil and chemicals storage firm Royal Vopak NV (VOPA.AS: Quote), New York-based engineering and infrastructure consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff and storage operator Horizon Terminals Ltd, wholly owned by Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC).

Vopak already operates landed oil storage tanks next to the planned facility.

For phase one of the cavern project, there will be about 7.0 km (4.3 miles) of galleries and tunnels.

Once both phases are completed, the project could raise oil storage capacity in land-scarce Singapore to nearly 11 million cubic metres or almost 70 million barrels.

Since end-2005, Singapore has almost doubled independent oil storage capacities, but all of it has been leased out, leaving the market short of tanks despite slowing consumption.

For example, fuel oil storage capacity in Asia , following the opening of three new terminals with a Total of 4-5 million cu m since end-2006, has increased substantially but has not been balanced by a similar rise in demand for the residual fuel due to the economic downturn.

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Related News: Energy Business Review

JTC Awards Contract To Hyundai Engineering & Construction For Oil Storage Project In Singapore

Published:17-April-2009

By Staff Reporter

JTC Corporation (JTC), a provider of industrial real estate solutions and services, has handed the construction tender for the city-state's rock cavern oil storage project to Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. Jurong Rock Cavern (JRC) is an initiative driven by JTC to increase underground oil storage capacity on Jurong Island. JRC will comprise an oil storage complex to be built at subterranean depths beneath the seabed of Banyan basin.

Upon completion, the underground caverns will have a potential storage capacity of close to three million cubic meters catering specifically to liquid hydrocarbons like crude oil, condensates and diesel oil.

Development works for Phase 1 of JRC, with a storage capacity of about 1.5 million cubic meters, had commenced at the end of 2006. JTC is currently appointing an operator to manage, operate and maintain the JRC facility.

The first contract of the Phase 1 JRC project involving the construction of two access shafts and start-up galleries is near completion. JTC is progressing onto the next critical milestone of the JRC project -- the construction of tunnels, caverns and associated facilities.

Work will now commence with the detailed design of the caverns/facilities and actual construction is expected to start by end of the year. When completed, the JRC will have an overall storage capacity of 1.47mil cubic meters. The whole project will be completed in stages, with the first two caverns targeted for completion in 2013.

South Korea to Produce Wood-Pellet Fuel in Indonesia

Taken from: Emirates News Agency

Mar 7, 2009 - 08:22 - SEOUL, 7 March,2009 (WAM) -- South Korea signed an agreement with Indonesia Friday to produce wood pellets that are cheaper and cleaner to burn than fossil fuels, Yonhap News reported.

The memorandum of understanding between the Korea Forest Service and Indonesia's Forest Ministry calls for 200,000 hectares of forest land to be set aside to produce wood for pellets starting in late 2010.

The Daejeon-based state forestry service said that the deal signed on the sidelines of President Lee Myung-bak's visit to the Southeast Asian country gives the South Korean government a free 99-year lease on Kalimantan Island, with Indonesia benefiting from investment that can lead to jobs for its people.

"The forest service will provide administrative support, with the actual building of the pellet-making facilities and everyday operations to be carried out by private companies," Yonhap quoted an official as having said in its dispatch from Jakarta,. He said the size of fuel production will be determined after the forest has been examined in detail to check for usable plants.

"The process will involve both cutting trees and planting to make up for those used as fuel," he said.

Wood pellets are made from finely ground and compressed wood that is cheap to use, has relatively good fuel qualities and does not release as much greenhouse gas as refined fuel products.

The cylinder-shaped pellets on average have lower heat value than diesel fuel, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and kerosene, but could provide an 99-square-meter living space with adequate heat for 1.8 million won (US$1,160) per year.

This is better than the 4.2 million won needed when burning diesel, 2.0 million won for LNG and 3.0 million won for kerosene.

The pellets have also been found to produce 12 times less greenhouse gases than diesel fuel.

At present, South Korea's wood pellet consumption is small and generally limited to use in some rural communities and greenhouses. It has only one operational wood pellet facility, with two more to be opened within the year. The majority of products used are imported from China and Canada.

The 200,000 ha deal, meanwhile, increased the size of forest land leased by South Korea in Indonesia to 700,000 ha.

The 500,000 ha leased in 2006 under a similar long-term arrangement is used by companies like SK Networks Co. and Inni Joa Co. to grow timber for wood products and palm oil.

WAM/MAB

Israel and Korea to Boost Environmental Cooperation

Via Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection:

Israel Environmental Protection Minister Gideon Ezra and his Korean counterpart Environment Minister Lee Maanee signed a memorandum of understanding on bilateral environmental cooperation on November 12, 2008.

Under the agreement, the two countries will enhance cooperation on air pollution, climate change, biological diversity and sewage disposal and will promote exchanges between environmental experts.

Among the subjects discussed by the two ministries during Minister Lee Maanee’s visit to Israel were renewable energies and efficient use of water resources. The ministers called on professionals in their respective ministries to review possibilities for joint projects and continue coordination in international environmental forums.

Foreign[er]s' Information Service Centres in Seoul

Via: Joongang Daily

Seoul Opens its Arms to Foreigners
12 November 2008

A Belgian native living in southern Seoul’s Seocho District recently wanted cable TV to be installed at home, but didn't have the first clue how to go about getting it. As a newcomer here, Isabelle Chenqui’s Korean was also rudimentary.

Unsure of where to turn, she visited the nearby Global Village Center in Seorae Village on the recommendation of a friend. The center staff called a cable TV company, got all the necessary details such as contract term and prices and helped her get connected.

This is just one example of a number of free helpful services that are available these days to foreigners living in Korea.

There are six Global Village Centers around Seoul, including the Seoul Global Center, which is the city's largest. As part of efforts to make the capital a foreigner-friendly city, the local government established the help centers this year in areas with high numbers of foreigners.

The centers provide a range of services, from business advice to information about daily living and cultural exchanges, as well as support for migrant workers.

The centers can also help with administrative services involving confusing paperwork such as foreigner registration and local tax payments. They also provide useful information about facilities, employment and health care.

“We are trying our best to help foreigners adjust to the new environment in Seoul,” said Lim Hyeon-ok, who works at the Seorae Village center.

“We look forward to all visits.”

The staff also provide information on electricity, gas, water, waste disposal, safety, security, emergency clinics, pharmacies, restaurants, traffic, job seeking and employment, medical counseling, investment and visas.

Books, newspapers and magazines are available. The centers also provide Korean language classes.

City officials plan to open more such help centers around Seoul.

Other foreign-language services such as the 120 Dasan Call Center, a city-run one-stop call center, are also available.

If you are looking for a hospital, the nearest subway station or the latest tourist attraction in Seoul, dial 120 ( or 02 120 from a cell phone or a land line outside of Seoul) and then press “9” for foreign language services.

Operators who are in fluent in English, Japanese, and Chinese have been offering general information to international residents since September 2007.

The 120 line provides information about tourist attractions, restaurants, transportation, international schools, legal consulting and other daily living issues in Seoul.

The line is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Before Babel Brigade, commonly known as bbb, is a voluntary network that provides free interpreting services to people.

Established in 2002 to celebrate the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, the voluntary group provides translation services in 17 languages: English, Japanese, Chinese, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, German, Portuguese, Arabic, Polish, Turkish, Swedish, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Bahasa Malaysian.

Anyone who has problems communicating with Koreans can call 1588-5644 (no area code is necessary) and then press the number assigned to each language.

The caller will be automatically connected to a bbb volunteer interpreters.

The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you don't have a cell phone, just show a bbb card to any Korean, so that they can help you with their phone.

These bbb cards are available at airports, subway stations and tourist information centers.

By Park Sang-woo Staff Reporter [spark@joongang.co.kr]

Trends For Mega Cities Like Seoul

Source: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (2008, September 1). Trends For Mega Cities Like Seoul. ScienceDaily.
Retrieved 2 September, 2008

ScienceDaily (Sep. 1, 2008) — Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a typical mega city: vast, pulsating, noisy and full of exhaust fumes. This is the setting in which Fraunhofer researchers are developing new building concepts and IT solutions that will save energy, cut pollution and make living in the city a more pleasant experience.

A Fraunhofer Representative Office will shortly be opened in Seoul to coordinate these projects.

Housing as far as the eye can see – Seoul is one of the world’s mega cities. South Korea’s capital city has undergone exponential growth over the past few decades: Its population has quadrupled in fifty years. Ten million people live within the city boundaries today. If the count is extended to cover the metropolitan region surrounding the city, it comes to over 20 million. The population growth has had a dramatic impact on the environment, bringing about a huge increase in traffic noise and air pollution.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon is no longer willing to stand by and watch this happen. If things go as he would like them to, Seoul will soon be a green city with clean air – a role model for other mega cities that are contending with similar problems. The city is investing in innovative technologies and building projects, and it is supported in its ambition by Fraunhofer, one of Europe’s largest research and development institutions. On September 3, a Fraunhofer Representative Office will be opened in Seoul to coordinate projects between the Fraunhofer Institutes and their Korean partners. One of its core activities will be to develop technological concepts that make life in tomorrow’s mega cities easier, kinder and more pleasent to the environment.

Trend 1: Using renewable energy sources

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg are now developing an energy-efficient demonstration building on behalf of the city of Seoul. It will be designed to incorporate all the principles of modern energy-saving technology, and will be heated and cooled using sustainable energy sources.

“The building will show the population what kind of potential there is for using renewable energy. We are planning to build seminar rooms, research facilities and private dwellings that will demonstrate the technical possibilities for gaining energy from sustainable sources, but also for saving energy,” explains Professor Volker Wittwer, deputy director of the ISE. “We want to demonstrate that the zero-energy house is feasible, averaged out over the year, and that it is pleasant to live in: It will be equipped with the latest building technologies and integrated in the usual national power supply networks.” Construction work on the new building is to begin next year – in time for the annual convention of the mega city working group in Seoul. “Our goal is to produce an exemplary building that will provide an incentive for industry to invest in low-energy technology,” adds the researcher.

In the “zero-energy house” project, his team is contributing their know-how on the utilization of alternative energy sources such as sunlight, geothermal heat, or wind.

Trend 2: Energy efficiency and comfortableness

The quality of living can be improved even in existing buildings. In the spring of 2008, scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP in Holzkirchen signed a cooperation agreement with Samsung Engineering & Construction, one of the largest construction companies in Korea. “We are aiming to increase the comfort and energy efficiency of residential buildings,” reports IBP-reseacher Dr. Andreas Holm.

Over half the population of Korea today live in high-rise apartment blocks that were built in the last few decades. By German standards, these buildings are poorly insulated. The residents require a great deal of energy to heat or cool the rooms. Overheating in summer and the growth of fungus are also a problem.

The causes are now being systematically examined. By the end of this year, the researchers from Holzkirchen will have equipped 24 apartments in Seoul with sensors that monitor temperature and humidity 24 hours a day. With the aid of these readings, the experts can simulate the indoor climate and make recommendations on how to increase energy efficiency and comfort. “Our goal is to cut the loss of energy even further by using better-insulated windows and facades, at the same time creating a pleasant indoor climate for the residents without unnecessarily pushing up the costs. We are keeping the mass market in mind,” sums up institute director Professor Klaus Sedlbauer.

Trend 3: Acoustics

One highly critical research topic in Seoul is soundproofing. The traffic in the streets of the capital city produces an incessant background of noise, and the high-rise blocks are not well soundproofed. New laws are now to give the citizens more peace and quiet. A new regulation on reducing impact noise – which is incidentally far more stringent than the regulations applicable in Germany – has been in force since 2006. The acoustics experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP in Stuttgart are now cooperating with Korean engineers to devise innovative, soundproof building materials. “We have developed a novel composite-based insulation system that meets the Korean requirements and opens up new prospects of high-quality soundproofing in Germany,” reports Dr. Philip Leistner, head of the acoustics department. “But when it comes to buildings, the interests of large Korean enterprises such as LG Chemicals and Samsung actually go a lot further than that. What they want to achieve are holistic, sustainable concepts for residential and working areas in buildings. This is one of the big issues for the future at Fraunhofer as well. And it applies not only to Korea and Germany, but all over the world.”

Trend 4: Citizen-friendly administration

Services for citizens is another area in which the city of Seoul plans to employ state-of-the-art technology in future. The objective is to make dealings with public authorities simpler, more convenient and less complex. “The National Information Agency NIA is developing special IT services for the government which will not only provide information and reproduce application procedures online, but will also directly involve the citizens themselves and accept their inquiries and reports,” explains Nils Barnickel of the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems FOKUS. In collaboration with Korean IT experts he is currently planning a research project in the field of telephone-based e-government services.

The two sides have signed a memorandum of understanding in which they have agreed to develop a range of services for the mega city that will be similar to the planned service hotline in Europe. In future, all European citizens will be able to obtain comprehensive information and assistance in their dealings with public authorities, including the end-to-end handling of application procedures, simply by calling 115. Seoul would like to offer this attractive service to its own 20 million citizens.

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Adapted from materials provided by Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, via AlphaGalileo.

Plextronics Signs MOU to Supply Its Solar Cell Technology to Korean Manufacturing Company

Plextronics, Inc. announced today that it has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Korea Parts & Fasteners (KPF) to create a research and development center for organic photovoltaic process development in Korea. The agreement specifies that Plextronics will focus on advancements in its active layer inks for solar cells and to provide certain baseline device and process technology to the new R&D facility, which will be built outside of Seoul.

Upon reaching a definitive agreement with Plextronics, KPF's role would be to develop advanced process technology using Plextronics' inks and device and process technology.

"Our strategy is to participate in R&D centers with manufacturing customers all over the world who we believe could be major manufacturers of OPV products," said Andy Hannah, CEO of Plextronics. "This venture with KPF is our first step in this strategy."

Jim Dietz, Vice President of Business Development at Plextronics, said, "We fully expect that the advancement of Plextronics' ink performance and design will help accelerate world-wide commercialization of OPV systems. That's very exciting for us and for our industry."

4th June 2008