This techno-economic report offers a review of the options available to refiners and ship owners to conform to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) global sulfur specification that will take effect in 2020.  Refiners must consider continuing current HSFO production, new fuel oil blending options, installing residue desulfurization technology to produce LSFO or installing residue upgrading technology to reduce HSFO production.  Ship owners must comply by purchasing more expensive compliant fuels, installing exhaust gas scrubbing units on their ships or switching to an alternative fuel that is inherently low sulfur.  The report also provides economics for these options in various regions under a consistent first quarter 2017 price scenario and includes an analysis of the global bunker fuels market.

This report has two key goals: to review and compare the technologies and equipment that are employed to unload, store and vaporize LNG; and to identify and describe the key opportunities and threats facing regasification terminal project development going forward.    

This report analyzes the integration of refineries and petrochemical facilities considering integration of steam cracking and aromatics.  Regional variations in the extent of integration and the underlying reasons are analyzed. The economic benefits are quantified for three producing regions. 

The purpose of this report is to introduce the concept of small-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a gas monetization and supply solution.  This report will identify the commercial and regional drivers behind small-scale LNG development, thereby highlighting the attendant potential business development opportunities to Nexant’s clientele.