April 2025, Vol. 252, No. 4
Projects
Projects April 2025
Venture Global Plans $18 Billion Expansion of Plaquemines
Venture Global plans to increase its production capacity at the Plaquemines LNG plant in Louisiana to 45 mtpa, up from the current 27 mtpa.
The additional third phase of expansion will consist of 24 trains, adding to the 36 existing trains at the LNG plant, and will bring Venture Global’s total investment in both current and planned projects in Louisiana to over $75 billion, CEO Mike Sable told Reuters.
The company expects a final investment decision on the expansion to come after the first production at its CP2 export plant in Louisiana.
Venture Global has been tied up in contract disputes with customers, including Shell, bp and Edison, over not receiving cargoes from the Calcasieu Pass.
Gascade Converting 249 Miles of German Pipeline to Hydrogen
Gascade Gastransport GmbH has begun the initial hydrogen filling of the first section of its Flow-Making Hydrogen Happen program. The project involves converting 249 mile (400 km) of an existing natural gas pipeline to transport hydrogen, with completion expected by the end of 2025. The repurposed pipeline will form part of a north-south hydrogen corridor in Germany.
As part of Germany’s hydrogen core network, this is the first large-scale hydrogen pipeline conversion of its kind globally. Once fully operational, it will serve as a key north-south hydrogen transport corridor, providing essential infrastructure for future hydrogen distribution and reinforcing GASCADE’s role in the energy transition.
“This provides planning certainty for the market ramp-up of the value chain worldwide,” said Gascade Managing Director Christoph von dem Bussche.
The Flow project focuses on adapting existing infrastructure to support hydrogen transport quickly and cost-effectively, reducing the need for new pipeline construction.
By initiating the first hydrogen filling, the company is pioneering hydrogen transport in Germany. The converted pipeline is expected to reduce CO2 emissions and promote renewable energy integration.
Colonial Pipeline, Shippers Clash over Transport Changes
Four U.S. gasoline marketers are preparing legal and regulatory challenges to the Colonial Pipeline over proposed increases in transportation charges, claiming that their margins will be harmed, and the move will increase pump prices.
Two U.S. gasoline traders said their firms were exploring options for court challenges if Colonial follows through with the changes, Reuters said.
Colonial earlier sought approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to halt the shipping of different gasoline grades at the same time and to eliminate shipments of Grade 5 gasoline.
Colonial said the changes would streamline its operations and minimize slowdowns.
The Colonial Pipeline is a key artery for shipping fuel from the U.S. Gulf Coast to the East Coast, where refining capacity has shrunk, and where pipeline shipments are the most cost-effective way to meet regional demand.
Williams to Invest $1.6 Billion in Infrastructure Expansion
Williams Companies has unveiled plans for a $1.6 billion investment to build onsite natural gas and power infrastructure for an unnamed investment-grade client, according to Yahoo Finance. The project aims to bolster energy availability in areas facing grid constraints and is expected to be operational by late 2026.
This initiative marks a strategic move for Williams, as it ventures further into power generation. With rising energy demands, particularly from artificial intelligence and data centers, the company is positioning itself to leverage its extensive natural gas network, which already facilitates a significant portion of U.S. supply.
Under the agreement, Williams will develop and supply natural gas and power infrastructure, contingent on securing necessary permits. The project includes a 10-year power purchase agreement with a fixed-price structure, offering financial predictability by reducing exposure to market fluctuations.
McDermott Completes Pipeline Work for GOM Development
McDermott successfully completed the engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) work for Shell Offshore's Whale development in the Gulf of Mexico. The project, which began in 2021, reached a key milestone last month and marked the start of oil production at the site.
The project required McDermott's marine assets, including the North Ocean 102 vessel and the upgraded Amazon, to perform complex pipelay operations in depths of nearly 2,800 m (9,100 ft).
The work involved installing 30 mi ( 50 km) of pipeline and 9 mi (15 km) of umbilicals that connect five subsea drill centers to a new floating production platform.
Mahesh Swaminathan, McDermott’s senior vice president of Subsea and Floating Facilities, emphasized the importance of collaboration and engineering expertise in the project’s success.
“The completion of the Whale project demonstrates the power of collaboration, engineering expertise, and ingenuity,” Swaminathan said. “Our relationship with Shell is one marked by trust, a focus on operational excellence, and solution-oriented project delivery. Together, we overcame challenges and made history with the debut of the Amazon in the Gulf of Mexico.”
The Amazon, designed for complex offshore operations, performed its first ultra-deepwater pipelay operation, installing five steel catenary risers, each 11,000 ft long (3,350 m).
The Whale development, located 200 miles southwest of Houston, features a semi-submersible production platform capable of remote operations and monitoring. The platform’s design reflects advancements in sustainable and efficient energy production.
Reset Energy to Build a Nitrogen Rejection Unit for Permian
Reset Energy won a contract to design and fabricate a 250 MMscf/d nitrogen rejection unit for a midstream operator in the Permian Basin. The project aims to enhance nitrogen removal efficiency while maintaining high-quality residue gas output.
“In selecting Reset Energy for this project, the midstream operator demonstrated their confidence in our ability to design flexible and highly customizable nitrogen rejection solutions,” said Chris Villegas, CEO of Reset Energy. “We are proud to support their commitment to deliver high-quality natural gas while also contributing to their methane emission reduction efforts.”
The NRU is designed to handle high operational demands and features efficient nitrogen removal with minimal methane emissions. Reset Energy’s cryogenic distillation technology separates nitrogen from hydrocarbon streams, incorporating compression, distillation and multi-pass heat exchanger systems to optimize performance.
Reset Energy specializes in customized gas processing solutions, offering both compact and large-scale nitrogen rejection systems.
Northwind Puts Pipelines into Service in New Mexico
Northwind Midstream Partners LLC has expanded its natural gas infrastructure in Lea County, New Mexico, with the addition of 150 MMcf/d of high-circulation amine treating capacity, two acid-gas disposal and carbon sequestration wells, 200 mi of large-diameter pipelines and 41,750 horsepower of compression across five compressor stations.
The expansion is backed by long-term commitments and more than 165,000 dedicated acres from leading public and private oil and gas producers.
“Increased off-spec gas gathering, treating and sequestration capacity is vital to the oil and gas industry’s continued success in Lea County,” Northwind CEO Matt Spicer said. “The expanded Titan facility and associated infrastructure provide our upstream producer partners a safe and economical solution for off-spec gas.”
Northwind is developing one of the industry’s largest off-spec, NACE-standard natural gas systems in the region to handle gas with high carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide levels. Its Titan Treating Complex recently added 100 MMcf/d of amine treating capacity and another deep acid-gas injection and sequestration well, bringing total treating capacity to 150 MMcf/d. The company plans to expand its capacity to 200 MMcf/d by mid-2025 and 400 MMcf/d by 2026.
The company has also expanded its natural gas gathering and compression network. Its system now includes more than 200 mi of NACE-standard pipelines designed to handle gas with high hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide content. The company has also placed four new compressor stations into service, adding 200 MMcf/d of capacity, with the ability to scale up to 400 MMcf/d.
Cheniere Completes First Train at Corpus Christi Stage 3 LNG Project
Cheniere Energy achieved substantial completion of Train 1 at its Corpus Christi Stage 3 Liquefaction Project, the company announced. With commissioning now complete, Bechtel Energy has handed over control of the train and associated systems to Cheniere.
Going forward, financial results from LNG sales from Train 1 will be reflected in Cheniere’s operations.
“The substantial completion of the first train of CCL Stage 3—ahead of schedule and on budget—marks another important milestone for Cheniere and further builds upon the track record of excellence in execution consistently delivered by the Cheniere and Bechtel teams,” said Jack Fusco, Cheniere’s president and CEO.
The company issued a full notice to proceed on the project in June 2022. The first LNG production from Train 1 began in December 2024, and the first cargo was loaded in February 2025. The Corpus Christi Stage 3 project consists of seven midscale trains, expected to produce over 10 mtpa of LNG.
As of Jan. 31, the project was 78.3% complete, with engineering at 97.6%, procurement at 97.2%, subcontract work at 88.8% and construction at 45.5%. Once all seven trains are operational, the total production capacity at Corpus Christi will exceed 25 mtpa.
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