Here is a round up of some the key developments in the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) sector. This week we have seen GE secure a deal to supply gas engines for China's emerging shale gas market, Fluor winning an EPC contract for the Quell

GE Power & Water has agreed terms with HongHua to supply GE gas engines to power new rigs that will be used for shale gas projects in China. GE plans to begin shipping the units in May 2014, and the first pilot rig is scheduled to begin operations in September 2014. Find more information here.

GE's renewable energy division has also demonstrated a 7 m wind turbine blade extension, taking GE wind turbines from a 77 m rotor to a 91 m rotor. The extension increases the swept area of the rotor by 40 percent and increases energy production by more than 20 percent. See more here.

Cobra Energia, developer of the Tres Hermanas wind power plant in Peru, has awarded Siemens Energy an order for 25 direct drive SWT-3.0-108 wind turbines and eight geared SWT-2.3-108 units. The contract also includes six years of service and maintenance. The plant will be commissioned in July 2015. Read more about it here.

Jacobs Engineering Group has received a contract from Borealis to provide engineering, procurement, project management and construction management services for a project designed to increase cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) production capacity at its manufacturing site in Stenungsund, Sweden. More information here.

Saipem has won four new engineering and construction contracts - three onshore in Saudi Arabia and one offshore Brazil - totalling approximately USD4 billion.

In Brazil, Petrobas awarded Saipem an EPCI contract for the Lula Norte, Lula Sul and Lula Extremo Sul Project, to be developed in the Santos Basin Pre-Salt Region, approximately 300 km off the coasts of the Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo States. Read more here.

Fluor Corporation has received a limited notice to proceed from Anglo American PLC for engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services for the Quellaveco copper project in Peru.

The Quellaveco project includes a copper production facility and port expansion. See more details here.

RusHydro and Atlantis Operations (UK) Ltd have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop tidal power plants projects in Australia. Find out more here.

Brazil's Eletrobras has completed a technical and financial appraisal of the 8,000 MW Sao Luiz do Tapajos hydropower project, according to a report on Hydroworld.com. Pending approval by Brazil's regulatory agencies, bidding for the Sao Luiz do Tapajos plant may take place before the end of 2014. More information available here.

During 2014 PKN ORLEN plans to drill at least three exploration wells in Poland, including a new horizontal well and a hydraulic fracturing operation. See more here.

Gamesa has signed an agreement to supply 24 G90-2.0 MW class I wind turbines to Fujian Energy for a wind farm built in Dahanshan, Fujian Province, China. The turbines will start to be delivered in September 2014 and the wind farm is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2014. Read about it here.

Aker Solutions won a contract worth USD2.4 billion from Total to provide a subsea production system for the Kaombo Block 32 development in Angola. Find more information here.

Shale gas exploration company Egdon Resources has upped its estimate of gas-in-place in its north England exploration regions to 18 trillion cu ft, following the completion of an independent evaluation. Read about it here.

Russia is considering how it can participate in the Nicaragua Canal, a project estimated to cost at least USD50 billion.

The waterway project is being developed by Hong Kong Nicaragua Canal Development Investment Company (HKND Group). In 2013 HKND arranged a 50-year lease with the Nicaraguan government to build a canal connecting the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. The canal is seen as a possible alternative to the Panama Canal.

AREVA and ATOX have created the joint venture ANADEC to provide services in the field of decommissioning and dismantling of Japanese nuclear power plants. The venture aims to be trading as early as this year at the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. Get more details here.

Siemens and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) will establish a joint venture that will create plants, products and services for the iron, steel and aluminium industries.

MHI will hold a 51-percent and Siemens a 49-percent stake in the joint venture. Subject to approval of the relevant authorities, the new venture will start operations in January 2015. Read about it here.

Siemens is also acquiring the Rolls-Royce Energy aero-derivative gas turbine and compressor business, in turn strengthening its position in the growing oil and gas industry as well as in the decentralised power generation market. The deal is valued at approximately EUR950 million and the transaction is expected to close before the end of December 2014, subject to regulatory approvals. Find out more here.

A Foster Wheeler subsidiary has acquired the Siemens Environmental Systems and Services business that supplies and services clean air technologies for use in power plants and industrial facilities. See more here.

Balfour Beatty's Andrew McNaughton has stepped down as chief executive of the group and as an executive director of the board with immediate effect. Steve Marshall, Balfour Beatty's non-executive chairman, will take over as executive chairman until a successor is appointed. Find the full story here.

For more information about any of these capital project developments, or if you would like to share details of developments in your region, please contact David Kershaw.

 

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