NextGeneration EU has injected funds for sustainable projects and freed the market to invest in these areas. While this has been very positive, it also created a booming market where human resources are at a premium.
RINA has strong recruitment objectives, and during 2022, the
Energy Business unit grew by around 200 people, but recruitment to match our plans for growth will be an
ongoing challenge for the coming year.
Unexpected geopolitical events impacted projects and how we addressed
our efforts. As Europe looked for ways to address energy security issues and remove dependence on
Russian gas, many projects were accelerated, and ones that had been on hold came back into play.
There were new initiatives and studies on alternative energy sources, and Europe looked at how it
could increase gas production and import more gas from other areas. This required the evaluation
of where infrastructure needed to be added or improved to enable the importation of gas from
different sources as well as the use of alternative energy resources in the future. RINA was well positioned to support these efforts with new studies,
evaluation of alternatives, and supporting projects relating to regasification, input terminals
and small LNG plants. Projects included the acceleration of a liquefaction plant in the
Congo as ENI looked to increase LNG production and an FLNG in Mozambique.
The sharp rise in energy prices also resulted in some big energy-consuming companies having to
shut down for certain periods because costs were simply too high. While this created challenges in
global economies, it also helped push forward the energy transition as businesses looked to find
and secure alternative sources of energy. Energy consumers started to launch their own renewable
projects or push forward those that were planned for the future. Originally designed to meet their
own regulatory environmental targets, these became more urgent as companies looked to production
costs simply to help them remain in the market.
Before the energy crisis, public and political opinions looked at e-mobility as the key driver
to move away from oil & gas. 2022 has seen this rebalanced, but there is still an urgent need
for energy to transition, and RINA is continuing to research technology and invest in renewable
resources and reduced carbon emissions. We need both energy
security and energy transition, but we also need to address these needs in a sustainable way.
To be sustainable, solutions also need to be economically and socially viable, creating a
complicated picture for the world to work towards.
Energy markets are becoming more and more international as markets
become more integrated and local markets less important. We have continued to expand our
geographical reach with new companies in areas such as Africa and significant growth outside
our core Italian and European markets. This has been successful as we reorganised our
energy business into a single entity in 2021 to better represent the full package of services
RINA can offer globally. This has enabled us to provide more comprehensive support through all
project phases and throughout the energy value chain and better leverage our international
footprint. Where we were previously seen as an inspection service provider, we are now very
much seen as an energyservice provider.
In 2022, we started restructuring the RINA Consulting business
into geographical hubs. The first was the UK, which takes the lead on both business
development and operations. We have also developed a transversal approach to business
development in the Middle East and India. Our business development team includes members
across all business units. The new approach allows us to be closer to our clients and ensure
we maximise the value RINA can add across all its business units’ services.
RINA is continuing to invest in both research and new services to meet the diverse needs of the energy market. Our expertise covers developing areas, including carbon capture, sequestration, and new fuels such as hydrogen and battery storage, where we are securing opportunities that are opening in the market. We are leveraging these competencies but also developing specific new ones focussed towards biodiversity, wildlife and social aspects to ensure we understand how projects will impact surrounding areas not only today but also into the future.
Digital tools provide the power to increase our services' efficiency, timeliness and overall value. We are implementing a digital programme to automatically analyse and prioritise work for inspectors based on their availability, location, skills and experience to help ensure we get the best match for a project as quickly as possible. We have also created a digital importing tool that, based on a series of logic-driven questions, automatically creates the narrative report for an inspection, reducing the time the client takes to receive the information.
We need to implement NextGeneration EU and Italy’s Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e
Resilienza (PNRR; National Recovery and Resilience Plan). We will take action to support present and future
clients and help them understand the opportunities that are ahead and how RINA can help. This includes helping
energy companies make the transition not only to cleaner fuels but also to the competencies of their people as
we move forward.
RINA will continue to invest in research because, although we may have
started and know the direction we are going in, no one yet knows what the solutions of the future will be. By
2050, we expect to see many different aspects of the transition that we have not seen before. We are open to and
embrace all technologies and possibilities. Anything that reduces CO2
emissions is moving us in the right direction, which means, in the shorter term, there is still very much a
place for gas and LNG in the energy mix.
For 2023, we will take the same approach but expect markets to be more stable. Increased certainty and
predictability may reduce the urgency of investment, but it will provide the opportunity to make the right
decisions for our planet. There are many opportunities ahead.
A full geotechnical characterisation of an offshore
site
Starting in February 2022 with estimated completion in mid-2023, the Baleine Phase 1 site
geotechnical characterisation project covers all parts of the offshore installed facilities,
from the field area at about 1100m water depth to the nearshore area. With the area crossing
different environments in terms of soil and seabed morphology, RINA is providing field
management, onboard supervision of the drilling vessel, laboratory testing, and engineering
reporting. The team includes geotechnical engineers, geologists and geophysicists. With the
exception of offshore operations, which are being supervised by RINA, RINA is managing and
operating the entire project internally, providing the control and flexibility required to
meet the tight timeline for the project.
Design and follow-on
services for nine deep water tie-in spools
In 2022, RINA was awarded the contract by Baker Hughes for engineering activities
relating to nine tie-in spools for the Jansz-Io subsea compression installation, which is
designed to enhance gas recoverability in the fields. The Jansz-Io gas field is part of the
Gorgon Project, operated by Chevron, in Western Australia, which gathers natural gas from the
Jansz-Io and Gorgon gas fields and transports it to Barrow Island for processing.
The project is challenging because the installation is in deep water (about 1600m), requiring
particular attention to the effects of external pressure. With a design life of 50 years,
assessments of long-term settlements, spool and support mattresses interaction, and soil
interaction also require careful consideration.
Other challenges include tie-in spools that use many different types of horizontal driverless
connectors, very stringent functional requirements of the production spool, and lifting and
installation calculations for considerable dimensions of the assets. The largest spool, the
export spool, is 30” in diameter, 127 meters long, and weighs 137 tons. RINA is providing its
expert resources and strong experience in FEM analysis, deep water structural analysis, and
heavy lifting analysis.
Evaluation of latest regasification technologies
Starting in May 2022, RINA is providing front-end engineering design (FEED) for the
expansion of the Ennore LNG Terminal from 5 MMTPA to 10 MMTPA capacity. The project covers
multidiscipline works viz. process, mechanical, electrical, civil structural, architectural,
fire & safety, instrumentation and telecom design aspects. It includes the design of the
Captive Power Plant, including comparative assessment of Gas Engine against Gas Turbine
technology; design of cryogenic tanks (180,000 m3 capacity x 2); optimization of the balance
of the plant, including BOG handling; project cost estimation; detailed technical
specification and scope of work for EPCC bids. RINA evaluated all the latest available
regasification technologies and presented the results to the client.
The Ennore LNG Terminal is the first FEED project secured by our Mumbai office and presents a
good reference for future opportunities in the region.
Development and
application of a clear methodology for transition to hydrogen
SNAM is one of the first TSOs who addressed the H2 suitability verification of its assets.
RINA has been awarded a contract to perform an independent assessment of the suitability of
existing natural gas pipeline network for hydrogen transportation (up to 100% by volume). The
project aims at developing a methodology that focuses on material suitability based on
applicable internal codes and standards and through laboratory testing, material knowledge and
engineering competencies provided by RINA.
Acceptance criteria were defined through a comprehensive review of limited international
codes, standards, and technical guidelines currently available. The project also included a
review of historic SNAM company standards and preliminary verification of material suitability
for hydrogen service for components of selected pipelines.
RINA is well-positioned for a project of this type thanks to the expertise in pipeline
engineering design and long experience in the testing of materials in a hydrogen environment,
which is essential to assess H2 material suitability. We were able to leverage the internal
synergies between our Energy and Industry business units, contributing towards the complex
process of transitioning to sustainable energy.
Meeting growing demands for gas
With the aim at meeeting the growing demand of gas in Indonesia, PT Nusantara Regas is
looking to replace the existing floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) operating in
the Nusantara Regas Satu Terminal (also known as West Java FSRU and located in West Java
Island at 15km offshore the coast of Jakarta), which has an LNG capacity of 125,000m3, with a
new, larger FSRU providing a capacity of 175,000m3 to meet the future growing demand of gas.
RINA was contracted to provide the engineering consultancy services for preparation of the
technical documentation for the tender finalized to the engineering and construction of the
new vessel. Documents included functional specification, CAPEX and OPEX estimate, and
engineering & construction schedule. RINA prepared the detailed investment and operating
cost estimate for this strategic asset, that required a deep interaction with vendors to
ensure the accuracy of the numbers. The complexity of the FSRU required a strong
multidisciplinary team with deep experience in floaters, process, piping, mechanical, civil,
and health & safety disciplines. The RINA team provided comprehensive support to PT
Nusantara Regas throughout the project (May-September 2022).
A safe and reliable
logistics system to minimise the impact of scientific research in Antarctica
The crane at the mooring pier for the Italian Antarctic base MZS was damaged by a storm in
extreme polar weather conditions. In a project under the framework of the scientific campaign
carried out by the Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide (PNRA), it was put back in
service, and RINA was contracted to ensure regulatory safety conditions were met and to issue
a report for adequacy of use.
The project required specific qualified mechanical structural competence for the safety of
machines in extreme polar and marine environmental conditions. RINA analysed the problems at
the Antarctic site and directly supported the delicate recovery operations, training operators
and transferring a culture of safety, health and environment to all personnel at the Antarctic
base. Moreover, the structural and functional analysis of the crane has allowed RINA to
acquire new information on the behaviour of steel in extreme Antarctic conditions.
Beyond the scope of the contract, the presence of personnel in Antarctica made it possible for
RINA to provide the ENEA management of the MZS base with a general assessment of possible
interventions to improve engineering sustainability aspects of the base, with particular
reference to the treatment of the organic waste recovery cycle, technical safety of the
equipment present at risk of a major accident, use of renewable energies, and decarbonisation
of technological and logistical processes. Based on these assessments, collaboration proposals
between RINA and ENEA are currently in progress for subsequent implementations of technical
safety and improvements to sustainability and decarbonisation of the base.
A strategic national
project
With an investment cost of more than $3bn, AHC is a deep conversion refining plant for
processing “bottom of barrel” and fully converting the fuel oil based on a “zero fuel oil”
Euro V configuration. By converting low-value fuel oil into petroleum products required to
meet local market demands, this strategic national project will contribute to the development
of production capabilities and capacities of petroleum products, as well as providing multiple
benefits, including economic, social, and environmental areas in Upper Egypt.
RINA is working closely with ENPPI for the provision of worldwide vendor inspections and
expediting visits, which is together with Technip Energies are providing detailed engineering
for all awarded units in the SOW, procurement services for all major equipment and bulk
materials, and construction supervision activities.
RINA is seen as a leading agency for supporting
inspections
Total E&P Uganda has contracted McDermott and SINOPEC Consortium to undertake delivery
of onshore facilities for the production, storage and export of heavy and waxy crude oil
through a CPF, multiple well pads and associated flowline and pipeline Systems. At peak
production, the Tilenga Project is expected to produce over 204k/bopd, but it relies on the
construction of a 1,145km export pipeline from the Albertine Graben to the port of Tanga in
Tanzania. The Tilenga Upstream Development Project is spread around the Lake Albert area,
located on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on the western
branch of the East African Rift. The Project Oil Fields are located onshore Uganda. RINA has
been awarded full inspection scope for this prestigious project.
Harmonising inspection services across multinational
suppliers
The original Trans Mountain Pipeline was built in 1953 and continues to operate safely
today. The Expansion is essentially a twinning of the existing 1,150km pipeline between
Strathcona County (near Edmonton), Alberta and Burnaby, British Columbia. It will create a
pipeline system with a nominal capacity of approximately 300,000 to 890,000 barrels per
day. RINA is harmonising inspection reporting and standards across multiple countries with
1,000+ km 30” to 42” diameter pipe mill & pipe coating inspection from Canada, India and
Japan and 900+ bends and ancillary equipment being sourced in USA and Canada. Requiring a high
proficiency POC technical coordinator and inspectors working in cold Canadian winter
conditions at stockpile sites throughout British Columbia, this is the first major project
award for RINA in Canada and reflects RINA’s capability to recover and mobilise qualified
inspection resources at short notice.
Assuring quality and timely delivery of internationally
sourced mining equipment
In a project that concluded in December 2022, RINA provided vendor inspection, expediting
and factory surveillance services for the procurement package assigned to Fluor Saifa on
behalf of Gold Fields Mining. It provided personnel, including shop inspectors, dimensional
inspectors CWSIP and NDT Level 2 or 3, welding engineers, structural engineers and plant
engineers, to meet the complex needs of the project, with equipment and goods purchased from
different parts of the world. The successful project ensured timely delivery, equipment
safety, and trust in the quality of the supply of different equipment from various
vendors.
In-country and
international project coordination
For the Azule Energy Development Blocks project, RINA is providing oil & gas experts
in project management, engineering and supervision services working onshore and offshore in
Angola and other locations to meet the needs of the project execution stages. RINA can deliver
ex-pats and local personnel to cover the large range of competencies and specialised services
required for this project. Through its company in Angola, RINEPAL, it can provide project
management and coordination of field activities in country with liaison with other operational
offices for specialist services as required. This project reflects the truly international
footprint, the vast range of competencies, and the international coordination provided by
RINA.
High technical quality professionals to ensure offshore flight safety
Awarded in June 2022 and running until 2026, RINA is providing technical services for
Aviation Safety Management for a large Brazilian company that operates one of the highest
numbers of offshore flights in the world. RINA is providing high-quality technical specialists
with the required qualifications and academic background to ensure safe operations with
supporting back-office infrastructure. While the company is based in Brazil, its operations
cover regions including Brazil, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, making this a
truly international service provision.
High-level quality control for the development of
semiconductor manufacturing hubs
RINA provided Quality Control Supervision during the construction phase of Samsung’s P3L
Pyeongtaek Site Development Project, running from November 2021 to March 2023. The project
focuses on the development of new semiconductor manufacturing hubs, will continue in different
phases across the years, and, as one of the largest investment projects implemented by the
Samsung Group, has estimated costs of over $30 billion. The tight timeline for this project
and the need for the highest levels of quality control meant RINA assigned a large,
multi-discipline team of quality control supervisors at the site with coordination according
to the client’s requirements and schedules.
Environmental and social advisor to a financing
institution
In a project that ran from June 2022 to March 2023, RINA provided Environmental and
Social Due Diligence (ESDD) services for the project financing of a Green Hydrogen Project.
The proposed facility comprises a hydrogen complex to generate 713 MT/day of hydrogen and
4,000 MT/day of ammonia with a maritime offloading jetty, a 1.65 GW wind farm with 150 km 280
kV OHTL, and a 2.2 GW PV farm with 130 km 380 kV OHTL.
The guidance and standards governing the ESDD and compliance of the project and project
company with lender requirements were:
- Local environmental standards and
regulations
- Equator Principles IV
- International Finance Corporation
(IFC) Performance Standards (PS) for Environmental and Social Sustainability
-
Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) Common Approaches (CA)
-
World Bank (WB) Environment, Health, and Safety Guidelines.
As the lender's
Environmental & Social advisor, RINA provided environmental, occupational health, social
and biodiversity experts.
Climate Change Risk
scenarios, mitigation plan and preliminary analysis of the alignment of power generation
assets to EU Taxonomy
The proper identification and addressing of Climate Change related risks are of paramount
importance in the current environment we work in. Moreover, the EU Taxonomy has a crucial role
as a classification system of sustainable activities. Between September and December 2022,
RINA undertook a project to create a Climate Change Resilience Plan, including a global
screening of the risks that might have effects on Edison power generation assets (240 plants)
and the preliminary analysis of their eligibility and alignment to the EU Taxonomy. The
project supported Edison’s alignment with two sustainable development goals:
- Goal 13
“Fight against climate change”
- Goal 7 “Clean and affordable energy”
Goal
13 mitigates the environmental impacts of Edison’s activities and supports making its
infrastructures more resilient, even in times of climate emergency. Goal 7 drives Edison to
promote investment in increasingly efficient production technologies. RINA provided ESG and
Sustainability engineers and analysts, reviewed literature, analysed public databases for
climate change scenarios and elaborated on the data and information found.
Increasing efficiency and assessing climate change
resilience
In a project funded by the EBRD, RINA identified opportunities to save energy at a
steelworks in Central Asia. Activities included analysis of energy consumption and development
of energy balancing, identification and feasibility of potential energy efficiency
investments, and evaluation of the risks of water scarcity in the region. RINA provided steel
industry, energy efficiency, GHG accounting, and climate change adaption experts to complete
the project.
As well as considering energy efficiency measures, this project also looked to address aspects
of climate change resilience. Through this project, EBRD can invest in a ‘green’
decarbonisation project, and the steelworks can benefit from reduced energy costs and actions
to mitigate the exposure to the risks of water scarcity in the region.
Helping investors de-risk
early-stage projects
RINA has extensive capabilities in carrying out feasibility studies for new offshore wind
markets around the world to help developers and investors de-risk projects in their early
stages. For this project, RINA provided experts in environment, geosciences, wind yield and
power systems to assess the feasibility for potential offshore wind farms off the coast of
Malta. The project included marine spatial planning (environmental, geoscience, and safety),
layout optimisation, yield assessment, grid connection options, and preliminary CAPEX and OPEX
estimations.
Capturing the power of the
sun
RINA provided due diligence to support Cubico’s acquisition of a 1 GW solar development
complex in Brazil by providing technical expertise to validate assumptions made during the
acquisition. The project comprised full technical due diligence, including feasibility rates,
project schedule and constructability review, energy yield assessment and analysis, permits
and authorisations, grid interconnection and infrastructure cost review and civil and layout
design review and site visit.
Educating local planning
officers and governors about BESS
During 2022, RINA acted as the owner’s engineering technical advisor for a battery energy
storage system (BESS) located in the UK. Services were provided by RINA battery storage
experts based in the UK, France and Spain and included documentation review, on-site
construction monitoring, and support during technical meetings. The BESS was located on a
floodplain, which added complexity to the construction phase of the project. The project was
used as an example to educate local planning officers and governors about BESS facilities.
Large solar
transaction
RINA has carried out financing due diligence on behalf of Total Energies for 23 solar
farms, six wind farms and storage projects located throughout France. Based on its expertise
in solar power, it carried out operational and greenfield energy yield assessments, design and
technology reviews, contract reviews for construction, operation and aggregation, grid
connection review, financial model statements and site assessments.
1.4 GW solar development
platform acquisition
RINA has carried out buyer’s due diligence services for Qualitas Energy for the
acquisition of the ENOE solar development platform based in Marseille. The project involved a
wide range of services carried out in a short timeframe. These included a Redflag report based
on a Vendor Due Diligence review, operations and greenfield energy yield assessments, design
and technology review, contract review, grid connection review, environmental impact
assessment and permitting review, corporate assessment, project success rate success
assessment, financial model review, and site assessments.
First pipeline assessment project for RINA
in Nigeria
Nigerian National Petroleum (NNPC) has decided to undertake rehabilitation of its Port
Harcourt Refinery. The refinery used to export its product as well as import feed and
consumables through 13 pipelines running between the refinery and two jetties located
offshore. The subcontract scope focuses on the refurbishment of these pipelines. RINA is
providing pipeline assessment services using long-range and manual ultrasonic testing experts
and associated relevant equipment. The work will enable NNPC to check levels of corrosion in
the pipelines through a fast, methodical and cost-effective approach compared with other
technologies such as pigging.
