Business & Markets

Oil Prices Pull Back on Concerns about Virus Impact on Demand

Oil prices slipped on Thursday as hopes for a vaccine were overshadowed by a surge in new cases of the coronavirus around the world, which raised concerns about the outlook for crude demand.

Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Sinai Pipeline Blast

A blast struck the Al Arish-Al Qantara natural gas pipeline in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Thursday, and Islamic state later claimed responsibility without giving evidence.

Court Allows Construction to Continue on Mountain Valley Pipeline

The U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a motion to stay a permit for the $5.8-$6.0 billion Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to Virginia.

Blast Strikes Natural Gas Pipeline in North Sinai

A blast struck the Al Arish-Al Qantara natural gas pipeline in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Thursday, three witnesses told Reuters.

Venture Global Delays Plaquemines LNG Export FID to 2021

Sempra Energy's Costa Azul liquefied natural gas plant in Mexico will be the only North American LNG export project to go forward this year now that Venture Global delayed its plan to start on its proposed Plaquemines project in Louisiana until 2021.

TC Energy: Keystone XL Pipeline Fits Biden Agenda

The creation of union jobs and support by Indigenous investors will help convince U.S. President-elect Joe Biden that the Keystone XL pipeline fits into his “Build Back Better” agenda, an executive with TC Energy said.

Explainer: What's Happening With the Keystone XL Project?

TC Energy Corp is continuing to advance its Keystone XL oil pipeline, the $9 billion project that would move oil from the province of Alberta to Nebraska. Here's an overview of the project status.

Canadian Indigenous Group to Invest in Keystone XL Pipeline

Pipeline operator TC Energy said on Tuesday Canadian indigenous group Natural Law Energy will invest up to C$1 billion ($763.77 million) in its long-delayed Keystone XL oil pipeline project.

New CO2 Tax Hikes Price of Natural Gas in Germany

Millions of German households will see their gas heating bills rise at the start of 2021 because of a new carbon dioxide tax, price comparison portal Verivox said on Tuesday, citing 7.1% average increases planned by 104 suppliers it surveyed.

First LNG Trains Delivered to Calcasieu Pass from Italy

Venture Global LNG moved a step closer to startup of its Calcasieu Pass LNG export facility with Baker Hughes’ delivery of the first two pre-built liquefaction trains to the project site in Cameron Parish, La.

OPEC+ Leans Toward Extending Production Cuts Past January

OPEC and allies including Russia are leaning towards postponement of a planned January increase to oil output by at least three months to support prices as the COVID-19 pandemic continues its second wave, sources told Reuters on Monday.

Italy Drafts Guidelines for National Hydrogen Strategy

Italy has set out guidelines for a national hydrogen strategy to help de-carbonize the economy as it phases out coal and boosts renewables, a change that would rely on existing pipeline infrastructure.

Environmental Groups Appeal Illinois Approval of DAPL Expansion

Environmental groups are appealing a decision made last month by Illinois regulators to allow the expansion of the Dakota Access oil pipeline (DAPL), according to documents filed with the state.

Max Midstream Announces Binding Open Season

Max Midstream Texas announced it is launching an open season to solicit shipper commitments for services in the Eagle Ford region on its Seahawk crude oil pipeline.

Beneath the Bustling City, Pipelines Operate Largely Unnoticed

Within cities, utilities considering pipeline replacement or expansion must have it all, including great communication, a solid plan, the latest technology and a smart public awareness strategy.

Gas Storage’s Impact on Pipelines

The arrival of natural gas in Europe in the 1960s marked the advent of large regional gas storage solutions designed to meet multiple needs. Today, gas storage systems balance and stabilize flows of gas to meet demand, smooth price fluctuations and help ensure energy security.

China Bullish on Myanmar’s Gas Reserves, Pipelines

After many years of brokering deals and planning, China has managed to cement its place as the sole buyer of Myanmar’s massive Shwe Gas reserves. A new trans-Burma corridor now aims to secure oil imports from the Middle East and Africa.

Sonatrach to Expand Pipeline Network in New Contracts

Algeria’s national integrated oil and gas company Sonatrach’s short- to medium-term investment strategy has moved a notch higher after it signed contracts with six companies for construction of midstream, upstream and downstream projects

Tech Notes: Neptune Energy, Eserv Partner on Digitization of Cygnus Platform

Neptune Energy announced a new partnership with 3-D technology specialist, Eserv, as part of the ongoing digitalization of Neptune’s assets, including its operated Cygnus gas platform in the southern North Sea in the U.K.

Projects

Jemena Reveals Plans to Extend Eastern Gas Pipeline  Newcastle and the Central Coast may soon be integrated further into Australia’s East Coast gas grid with leading energy infrastructure company, Jemena, today revealing plans to extend its 495-mile (797-km) Eastern Gas Pipeline (EGP) from Horsley ..

Bakken Restart: Back to Basics with Idle Wells

Abandoned wells have long been a part of the more-than-a-century-old American oil and gas industry, but industry and state regulators have become more thorough in mitigating and remediating these retired well sites.

Doubling Down on $5 Natural Gas

While there hasn't been a lot of good news on the midstream front lately, projected $5 natural gas by the fall of 2021 is a hopeful sign. And who can argue with the Farmer's Almanac weather forecast?

Michigan Governor Seeks Shutdown of Great Lakes Oil Pipeline

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took legal action to shut down the Line 5 pipeline, which carries oil beneath a channel linking two of the Great Lakes.

Mexico Sets Condition for Sempra LNG Export Permit

Mexico will give the local unit of U.S.-based Sempra Energy an export permit for an LNG facility in northwest Mexico, as long as the company helps offset an oversupply of gas in the area, the president said on Friday.

Minnesota Approves Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline Project

Minnesota regulators approved Enbridge's $2.6 billion Line 3 pipeline replacement project, clearing one of the last remaining hurdles for U.S. construction to begin.

Callahan Pipeline Completed in Northeast Florida

Affiliates of Chesapeake Utilities and TECO Peoples Gas have completed the 27-mile Callahan Intrastate pipeline, underpinning natural gas service expansion in two Florida counties.

DAPL's Future Uncertain as Biden Presidency Looms

The election of Democrat Joseph Biden could create more headaches for the Dakota Access Pipeline's (DAPL) owners, who are already embroiled in legal battles to keep the main conduit for flowing oil out of North Dakota running.

WhiteWater, MPLX Substantially Complete Agua Blanca Expansion

WhiteWater Midstream and MPLX announced the substantial completion of their Agua Blanca pipeline system expansion, which is expected to be in full service in early 2021.

Energy Transfer Sues North Dakota for Return of Documents

Dakota Access Pipeline developer Energy Transfer is suing for the return of thousands of documents held by North Dakota, saying the disclosure of those records could present a security risk.

Brent touches $45 on Vaccine Hopes and Storage Drawdown

Global oil benchmark Brent rose on Wednesday, briefly touching a more than two-month high above $45 a barrel on hopes of a COVID-19 vaccine and U.S. crude storage drawdowns.