Infrastructure

DIMP-Related Replacement Work Continues in U.S.

(P&GJ) — While the amount of work to replace cast-iron and bare-steel pipe has declined in volume – following the implementation of the Gas Distribution Integrity Management Program (DIMP) in 2009 – there is still plenty of construction left to be done.

Editor’s Notebook: Trouble in the Heartland

(P&GJ) — It seems that even CO2 pipelines — a centerpiece of the Biden administration’s net zero greenhouse gas reductions policy — can’t catch a break when it comes to getting out of the starting block where permitting and public opinion are concerned.

RSI Verifies Validation Results for Pipeline Tool

(P&GJ) — Plastometrex, a provider of advanced mechanical testing technologies, received a successful independent review of the pipeline validation testing data from its novel material verification tool.

Elliott Takes $1 Billion Stake in U.S. Pipeline Operator Phillips 66, Urges Board Revamp

Elliott Investment Management has taken a $1 billion stake in Phillips 66 and is urging the U.S. oil refiner and pipeline operator to revamp its board to boost lagging performance.

Occidental in Talks to Buy Permian Producer CrownRock

Occidental Petroleum is one of the finalists in the auction for CrownRock, an energy producer in the west Texas area of the Permian basin, with a bid of more than $10 billion. ConocoPhillips, Diamondback Energy, Devon Energy, Marathon Oil and Continental Resources were also studying potential bids.

Cambodia Scraps Coal Power Project to Build Gas-Fired Plant, Import LNG

Cambodia has abandoned plans to build a $1.5 billion 700 megawatt (MW) coal-fired power project in a protected reserve along the southwestern coast and will build an 800 MW natural-gas fired plant instead, its energy minister told Reuters.

Europe Studies Mega-Projects for Piping CO2 Offshore

(P&GJ) — Belgian TSO Fluxys and Norway’s state oil and gas company Equinor are working on plans for a 620-mile (1,000-km) pipeline that could export CO2 from industrial clusters in Zeebrugge, Belgium to storage sites offshore Norway. An extension to industrial sites in the port of Dunkirk, France is also under consideration.

CEZ Books 2 Bcm Capacity at German LNG Terminal

Czech majority state-owned utility CEZ has agreed to book 2 billion cubic meters (Bcm) of annual capacity at the Stade LNG terminal in Germany from 2027, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Thursday.

Brazil Midstream Hopes for $20 Billion Infusion by 2028

(P&GJ) – The Brazil gas and pipelines sector hopes to attract about $20 billion in investments for its development by 2028, thanks to de-monopolization of the industry and the adoption of new legislation, according to recent statements, made by leading market participants and state analysts.

Full Production Restored at Chevron's Gorgon LNG Facility After Electrical Incident

Full production has returned to a liquefied natural gas (LNG) train at Chevron's Gorgon facility in Western Australia, a company spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Balticconnector Gas Pipeline to Expand Transmission Capacity Post-Repair

The Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia, which was damaged last month, will get a bigger northbound transmission capacity next year following repairs, Finnish operator Gasgrid said in a statement on Wednesday.

Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Affects Seven Producers, Investigation Underway

U.S. officials said on Tuesday seven energy companies have been impacted by an oil discharge near Main Pass Oil Gathering Co.'s (MPOG) pipeline system in the Gulf of Mexico that is estimated to have released more than a million gallons of crude oil.

US Paves the Way for a New Era in Hydrogen: Federal Funding Boosts Clean Hydrogen Initiatives

The Biden administration strengthened its support for clean hydrogen back in October by funding a range of proposed development hubs spread across the United States.

Wolf Carbon Solutions Initiates Withdrawal of Carbon Pipeline Application in Illinois

Wolf Carbon Solutions has moved to withdraw its permit application in Illinois to build a carbon capture pipeline that would transport as much as 12 million tons of carbon dioxide annually to a storage site in the state, according to a company filing in the state regulatory commission docket.

US Coast Guard Investigates Source of 1.1 Million Gallons Oil Leak in Gulf of Mexico from Underwater Pipeline

The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday said it was still looking for the source of a leak from an underwater pipeline off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico that it estimated had released more than a million gallons of crude oil.

EACOP Unveils 897-Mile Heated Oil Pipeline with Advanced Environmental Safety Technology

Due to pump its first crude oil in 2025, the EACOP integrates a sophisticated fiber-optic network for continuous online connectivity, ensuring real-time monitoring via satellite along its entire length.

TC Energy Receives FERC Approval for Virginia Reliability Project

Columbia Gas Transmission’s Virginia Reliability Project (VRP) is an expansion project that would replace two existing segments of the pipeline system to continue reliable and abundant natural gas supply.

Japanese Firms, Petronas to Launch CO2 Storage Project by Late 2028

Japanese companies have agreed to develop a carbon capture and storage (CCS) project with Malaysian energy firm Petronas which should start holding its first carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from end-2028, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. said on Monday.

Venezuela Close to Approving Offshore Gas License with Trinidad, Shell

Venezuela is close to approving a license for Shell and the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago to develop a promising offshore natural gas field and export its production to the Caribbean country, two people close to the matter said.

Kuwait-based Investment Firm Secures Minority Stake in Pipeline Inspection Provider Pipecare Group

Kuwait-based Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) said on Monday it has acquired a significant minority stake in Pipecare Group Holding, a major provider of pipeline inspection services.

ConocoPhillips' $8 Billion Willow Project Approvals Upheld by US Judge

A federal judge in Alaska upheld U.S. approvals for ConocoPhillips’ multibillion-dollar Willow oil and gas drilling project in the state’s Arctic on Nov. 9, rejecting environmental and indigenous groups' concerns that the project poses too large of a climate threat.

Japan's Okinawa Electric Plans to Trial Using Hydrogen at Gas-Fired Power Plant

Japan's Okinawa Electric Power plans to start co-firing hydrogen on a trial basis at a commercial gas-fired power plant from March in a bid to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, its president said on Friday.

US Coast Guard Heads Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Cleanup After Underwater Pipeline Leak

The U.S. Coast Guard was leading an oil spill clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, partnering with local and federal agencies and companies after a Main Pass Oil Gathering Co. (MPOG) underwater pipeline began leaking.

Environmental Groups Call for Funding Halt to TotalEnergies' Mozambique LNG Project

Banks and other financiers should withdraw their support of TotalEnergies' $20 billion LNG terminal in Mozambique, environmental lobby groups urged in a letter sent to more than two dozen project funders on Friday.

CEZ Abandons Planned Polish LNG Terminal Capacity Over Disputed Conditions

Majority state-owned Czech utility CEZ has shelved a plan to secure capacity for LNG at a new Polish terminal because it was unhappy with the conditions offered, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Russian Pipelines Facing Significant Pressure from Tightening Sanctions

(P&GJ) — The Russian pipelines’ sector is experiencing serious pressure amid ever tightening sanctions and the ever-growing isolation of the country in the international arena. Historically, pipelines have been a strategic asset in Russia, with the largest volume of cargo coming in the form of crude oil and natural gas.

Proposed PHMSA Leak Detection Changes Run into Opposition

(P&GJ) — While the CEQ’s proposed NEPA changes would affect how all federal agencies review potential GHG emissions for various industry energy construction projects, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) wants to restrict methane emissions for already-installed pipelines, as well as new ones.

Emerging Threats of Climate Change, Vandalism

(P&GJ) — Pipeline integrity management systems (PIMS) are now in common practice, driven by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) requirements in the U.S. In June 2022, PHMSA updated an advisory bulletin on earth movement and geohazards, to monitor changing weather patterns and consider the risk posed by climate change.

DOE Rejects Repsol's Bid to Reopen Approval for Venture Global LNG Export Plant

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Tuesday rejected for a second time oil major Repsol SA's request to reopen regulators' approval of Venture Global LNG's Calcasieu Pass export plant in Louisiana.

Pipeline Operators Increase Quality Checks Over Concerns of Metal Contamination in Texas Shale Oil

U.S. oil pipeline and export terminal operators are stepping up quality checks after finding an out-of-specification cargo that raised worries of excess metals contaminating Texas shale oil, operators and sources said.