Page 69 - Danish Offshore Industry 2015

NOTES NOTES NOTES Drop in energy consump- EIB-loan to innovation for tion & self-suffciency rate service to the oilfelds In 2013 Denmark’s gross energy consumption dropped to The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a contract the lowest level of 30 years. But the same year saw Den- for a loan worth EUR 25 million to Danish Welltec A/S. The mark returning to being a net importer of energy. company is offering service to the oilfelds, and the contract Adjusted gross energy consumption describing the is for promoting the company’s innovative development and underlying trends, in 2013 dropped by 2.4% to 763 Pj. engineering activities in assisting the operators in optimiz- Such a low level had not been seen since the crisis period ing management and development during the lifespan of of 1981-83. At the same time an even more distinct drop their wells. This is the frst EIB-transaction in Denmark sup- in production of oil and gas took place in the North ported by the new generation of fnancial instruments aim- Sea, once more turning Denmark into a net importer of ing at innovative and growing companies, “InnovFin – EU energy. This fact appears from the Energy Statistics 2013 fnancing of Innovation”, fnancially supported by the Eu- published by the Danish Energy Agency (DEA). As gross ropean Union under the Horizon 2020 Program. “InnovFin domestic product (GDP) in 2013 dropped by 0.5%, the Financing of Growth of Mid-cap companies” is especially falling energy consumption means that energy effciency dedicated to improve the access to risk coverage of research last year improved by 2%. Energy effciency improve- and innovation projects for mid-cap companies and the ments over the past two decades means that each unit of small and middle-sized companies of the EU. GDP required 33.2% less energy in 2013 than in 1990. The loan to Welltec will contribute to the development Observed Danish energy consumption in 2013 in- of advanced remote vehicle systems used for recovery of oil creased by 0.3% to 759 PJ. This increase was caused by and natural gas, for commissioning of wells, for transport net importing of energy of electricity being considerably and interventions, and for limiting the needs for transport less that in 2012, when imports were unusually high. of heavy equipment. The project ensures Welltec to main- In 2013 Danish production of crude oil, natural gas tain its leading technological position in the international and renewable energy dropped by 10.8% to 709 PJ. market, as the company is constantly introducing new meth- Production of crude oil and natural gas dropped by ods for reducing the time for completing wells, speed-up 13% and 17%, respectively. For the frst time since 1996 the accessibility and increase the contact within the reservoir Denmark was importing more energy than we exported. in order to prolong the lifespan of wells getting increasingly In 2013 the Danish degree of self-suffciency was 93% diffcult to develop and maintain. ■ compared to 102% the previous year. This means that energy production was 7% lower than the energy con- sumption of 2013. ■ Concession for the Horns Rev 3 soon to be granted Support to energy- February 2015 was the deadline for applying for concession political projects for setting up the Horns Rev 3 windfarm off the westcoast of Jutland. Under optimal wind conditions the planned 400 EU has decided to support 49 new energy-technological MW installation is designed to supply electricity to up to projects by granting DKK 273 million. 30 of the projects 400,000 family houses thereby being an important factor in are EUDP-projects, 18 projects are related to the Interna- the conversion of the Danish planning for supply of energy. tional Energy Agency in Paris, and one project comprises The parties behind the energy agreement had decided geothermal energy and large heating pumps. The pro- to fnance the windfarm by money from the PSO-tax, but jects are to lead to a future without depending on fossil the EU-Commission, however, objected to the special Danish energy, strengthen the guarantee of supply of energy, PSO-tax, so Denmark and the Commission had to agree on a and create growth and jobs in Denmark. The projects are temporary solution to the PSO-problem covering the period to be launched this year, and most of them are expected of 2015-16. All parties of the energy agreement have now to be fnished in three to fve years time. ■ decided to fnd by January 1st 2017 a long-term solution for the necessary fnancing of the windfarm. So, a working group with participants from various ministries has been established to report to the parties of the agreement what possibilities of fnancing may be available. ■