Business & Markets

Cheniere Energy Reduces Gas Intake at 2 U.S. LNG Plants by 1 Bcf/d

The largest U.S. LNG producer, Cheniere Energy, on Tuesday reduced its combined feed gas intake at two of its plants by about 1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), according to data provider LSEG.

QatarEnergy, Korea's HHI Sign $3.9 Billion Deal for 17 LNG Carriers

QatarEnergy said on Wednesday it had signed a 14.2 billion riyal ($3.90 billion) deal with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for the South Korean firm to supply it with 17 LNG carriers.

Norway's Equinor Signs 5-Year Gas Supply Deal with Austria's OMV

Norwegian energy group Equinor has signed a five-year agreement to supply gas to Austria's OMV as part of the latter's supply diversification strategy, the companies said on Wednesday.

Italy in Talks with Bavaria for Gas and Hydrogen Exports

Italy is in preliminary talks with Bavaria's government to supply gas and hydrogen to the southern German state, and also aims to sell energy to Austria and Hungary, four Italian and German industry and political sources told Reuters.

Woodside Awards Contract for Pluto LNG Train 1 Modification Project

(P&GJ) — KBR has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) contract by Woodside Energy as operator for and on behalf of the Pluto Joint Venture.

Petronas, MOL, MISC to Develop Liquefied CO2 Carriers for CCS Projects

(P&GJ) — Petronas CCS Ventures Sdn Bhd has signed an agreement with Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and MISC Berhad to jointly invest in developing and monetizing Liquefied Carbon Dioxide (LCO2) carriers for Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects in Malaysia.

UK and Germany Sign Hydrogen Energy Collaboration Agreement

Britain said it would work closely with Germany to underpin the international trade in hydrogen under a new partnership, which the government hopes will support its net zero targets and bolster energy security.

Challenges of Converting Pipelines to Hydrogen Service

(P&GJ) — ASME B31.8, ASME B31.4, and CSA Z662 have well-deserved international reputations as best-in-class, evidenced by their frequent reference by documents within other jurisdictions. However, the standards don't contain explicit requirements to address the design, construction and operational challenges presented by transporting gaseous hydrogen at transmission pressures.

Trans Mountain Pipeline Route Change Request Approved by Canadian Regulator

The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) approved a route change request for the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion on Monday, clearing a major hurdle and avoiding months of delay for the Canadian government-owned project.

Hydro-Rich Tajikistan Plans to Produce 1 Million Tons of Hydrogen by 2040

Hydropower-rich Tajikistan plans to produce 1 million metric tons of green hydrogen by 2040 for usage at home and exports to neighboring central Asian countries, its Minister of Energy and Water Resources Daler Juma told Reuters on Monday.

PLIDCO Introduces Hydrogen-Compatible Fittings for Pipeline Maintenance and Repairs

(P&GJ) — The Pipe Line Development Company (PLIDCO) has launched a new range of products for use with hydrogen pipelines in response to the emerging transition toward hydrogen and other alternative energy sources.

Climeworks Explores Large-Scale Carbon Capture Project in Kenya

Climeworks is exploring the development of a large-scale direct air capture (DAC) project in Kenya to remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with Great Carbon Valley, the first of its kind in East Africa, the two companies said on Thursday.

Shell and Trinidad's National Gas Company Sign New Supply Agreement

Shell Plc on Friday signed an agreement to supply Trinidad and Tobago's National Gas Company (NGC) with natural gas through 2036, including from the yet-to-be developed Manatee offshore field, according to the state gas company.

Mexico's First LNG Plant to Receive Final Piece in Days

The last major piece of infrastructure needed to start production at Mexico's first floating LNG plant is set to depart from a Texas shipyard next week, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a notice to shippers.

Peru Pipeline Workers Unearth Ancient Children's Cemetery

Peruvian workers unearthed eight bundles of funeral belongings believed to be around 1,000 years old while installing a gas pipeline in capital Lima, archaeologists said on Friday, saying the site likely marked a children's cemetery.

FERC Approves Sempra's Port Arthur LNG Phase 2 Expansion Project

(P&GJ) — Sempra Infrastructure has announced that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved the permit authorizing the Port Arthur LNG Phase 2 expansion project under development at Port Arthur LNG in Jefferson County, Texas.

TC Energy's Coastal GasLink Pipeline Fined for Environmental Non-Compliance

British Columbia has fined Coastal GasLink, the natural gas pipeline being built by TC Energy, $256,810 for non-compliance with environmental regulations, the Canadian province said on Thursday.

Russian Oil Producers Send CPC Blend to UAE, Open New Export Route

Russian oil producers supplied their first cargoes of CPC Blend crude to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in August and September, four traders told Reuters, opening up a new export route as Moscow looks to find new customers and skirt Western sanctions.

FACTBOX: Deals on the Rise in US Oil and Gas Pipeline Sector

The oil and gas pipeline business has seen increased consolidation this year as U.S. production grows and new pipeline permitting problems have made existing operators more valuable.

Repsol Challenges Venture Global LNG Over Failure to Supply Gas

Spain's Repsol SA has asked an international tribunal to require U.S. gas exporter Venture Global LNG to fulfill its contract for LNG or compensate it, Reuters reported. It is the fourth European customer to pursue an arbitration case against the U.S. developer.

Sources: Sinopec Buys Over 30 LNG Cargoes for Winter Demand, Trading

China's Sinopec Corp has bought more than 30 cargoes of LNG via a tender for October 2023 to the end of 2024 to cover Chinese winter demand and boost the supply pool for trading, traders said.

Former CFO of Russian Natural Gas Firm Novatek Sentenced to 7 Years in US Prison

A former deputy chief of Russian natural gas producer Novatek was sentenced on Thursday to seven years and two months in a U.S. prison for a scheme to hide millions of dollars of income in undisclosed Swiss bank accounts and submitting a false filing.

Germany Expands LNG Regasification Capacity with New Terminals

A new LNG terminal at Mukran on Ruegen Island in the German Baltic Sea should be operational from the first quarter of 2024, Gascade, the pipeline firm building its onshore connection, said.

Pipeline Operator Enbridge Could Add 200,000 bpd to Mainline Oil Pipeline Capacity

Enbridge Inc. could add 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) of capacity to its 3 million bpd Mainline system, which ships the bulk of Canada's crude exports to the United States, a company executive said on Tuesday.

NextDecade Secures $356 Million Loan for Rio Grande LNG Phase 1

NextDecade said on Wednesday it had received a loan worth $356 million from a group of lenders to finance a portion of Phase 1 of its Rio Grande LNG export facility in Texas.

Berkshire Hathaway Maryland Cove Point LNG Export Plant Shut

The amount of natural gas flowing to U.S. energy firm Berkshire Hathaway Energy's Cove Point LNG export plant in Maryland fell to near zero on Wednesday, a sign that the plant likely shut for work expected to start on Sept. 21.

P&GJ’s Europe 500 Report of Top Pipelines

(P&GJ) — Following is a listing of some of the longest transportation routes on the continent of Europe as of July 2023. This third such report will be broken down into two sections, gas and liquids (oil and products), which will be updated in each of our September issues going forward.

How Emissions Are Measured: Gas Concentration vs. Emission Rate

(P&GJ) — The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) proposed a rule in May that included significant measures to reduce emissions from pipelines and other midstream infrastructure.

Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion to Disrupt Oil Flow to US, Boost Prices

Canada's Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion (TMX), which will nearly triple the flow of crude from Alberta to Canada's Pacific Coast beginning early next year, will shake up North America's supply by diverting barrels now mainly delivered to refiners and exporters in the U.S. Midwest and Gulf Coast.

U.S. Lawmakers Urge Biden to Revive Kurdistan Pipeline for Economic Relief

A new U.S. approach is needed to facilitate the re-opening of a pipeline between Iraq's northern semi-autonomous Kurdistan region and Turkey, a trio of U.S. congressmen urged President Biden in a letter seen by Reuters.