Infrastructure

Focus: BP Ventures Back into Oil Frontiers to Boost Output

BP is ramping up oil exploration and drilling activity in frontier prospects as the energy giant tries to stem a decline in its oil and gas output after years of focusing on a shift to renewables to cut carbon emissions.

Texas Waha Natural Gas Prices Turn Negative on Low Spring Demand

Spot natural gas prices for Wednesday at the Waha hub in the Permian Shale in West Texas fell into negative territory as pipeline maintenance prevented some gas from leaving the basin and mild spring weather reduced demand for the fuel.

Congo in Discussions with Uganda Over Use of 898-Mile Crude Pipeline

Uganda is developing the $3.5 billion 1,445-km (898-mile) East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) that will start from oil fields in its Albertine rift basin on its western border with Congo to Tanzania's Indian Ocean seaport of Tanga.

Sunoco Buys Terminals from Zenith Energy for $110 Million

(P&GJ) — Sunoco LP completed the acquisition of 16 refined product terminals located across the East Coast and Midwest from Zenith Energy for $110 million, the company announced on May 2.

DOE Selects Crescent Midstream-Supported Project to Advance Commercial-Scale CO2 Storage

(P&GJ) — The company plans to repurpose an existing 110-mile pipeline corridor it owns and operates, positioning Crescent to become one of the first full-service midstream solutions for CCS while also reducing the initiative’s carbon footprint.

EU Joint Gas Buying Scheme Attracts Demand From 65 Firms

More than 60 companies have submitted demands to buy gas through the European Union's scheme for joint purchases, with the bloc aiming for the first deals to be signed within months.

Chile, Argentina’s YPF Ink Deal to Import Oil via Trasandino Pipeline

The contract, which is valid for 45 days, would enable the Chilean firm to buy 41,000 barrels of oil per day between May and June.

Italy, Germany, Austria Sign Letter to Support Hydrogen Pipeline

Energy ministries of Italy, Germany and Austria have signed a joint letter of support for the development of a hydrogen-ready pipeline between North Africa and Europe, Italian gas grid operator Snam said on Tuesday.

Pipeline Operator Kinder Morgan Begins Commercial Operations at Renewable Fuels Logistics Hub

(P&GJ) — Kinder Morgan Inc. has announced the commercial in-service of its renewable feedstock storage and logistics hub project with Neste, a leading provider of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel.

Germany, Austria, Italy Urge EU to Back Hydrogen Projects

Austria, Germany and Italy have pressed the European Union to support a cluster of infrastructure projects to transport green hydrogen imported from North Africa, as part of efforts to build a market in Europe for the low-carbon fuel.

Equinor, Partners to Invest $9 Billion in New Gas Field Off Brazil

Gas from the offshore field will be directly injected into the national gas grid via a 200-km (124-mile) pipeline landing at the city of Macae in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Pembina Pipeline Activates Emergency Procedures After Fire, Floods Ravish Western Canada

Pembina Pipeline Corp., which operates oil-gathering pipelines in the region, said it has activated emergency response and incident management processes and is "evaluating any current or anticipated operational impacts".

Equinor’s Hammerfest LNG Plant Offline After Compressor Failure

The outage was caused by a technical problem with a heat exchanger that occurred during a restart of the plant following a one-day maintenance outage, an Equinor spokesperson said.

Pipeline Operator Enbridge Reaches Mainline Toll Agreement with Oil Shippers

Canada's Enbridge Inc. said on Thursday it has reached a toll agreement with oil shippers for its Mainline crude pipeline system, one of North America's biggest, after scrapping earlier plans for long-term contracts.

New Fortress Energy Could Install Fast LNG Units Onshore at Altamira, Mexico

U.S. energy company New Fortress Energy Inc. said on Thursday it could install the second and third of its Fast LNG production units onshore at Altamira in Mexico in the second half of 2024.

Poland to Boost Military Protection of Baltic Energy Infrastructure

The Polish government has approved draft legislation that would allow the military to sink an enemy ship targeting a key gas pipeline from Norway via the Baltic Sea following NATO's warning that Russia might sabotage undersea energy infrastructure.

Timor Gap CEO Expects Great Sunrise Gas Project Decision by November

The head of East Timor's national oil company said he expects a decision by November on whether to pipe natural gas from its offshore Greater Sunrise project to the Southeast Asia island or to Australia for liquefaction and export.

Biden to Support Manchin's Permitting Bill, Adviser Podesta Says

The White House will support Senator Joe Manchin's bill introduced on Tuesday to speed energy project permits, because it would help clean power companies use vast incentives in President Joe Biden's climate law, adviser John Podesta said.

Mexico Pacific to Pump $14 Billion Into Building Natural Gas Pipeline

Mexico Pacific is set to build a natural gas pipeline and liquefaction plant in the northern state of Sonora for an investment of up to $14 billion, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and his office said on Tuesday.

Equitrans May Still Complete 303-Mile Mountain Valley Gas Pipeline by End-2023

U.S. energy company Equitrans Midstream Corp. said on Tuesday it expects federal agencies to issue the required authorizations for its $6.6 billion Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to Virginia by the early summer.

Enterprise Products' Oil Pipeline Volumes Rise on Permian Basin Output Growth

Enterprise has remained bullish on oil production from the Permian basin, spread across Texas and New Mexico, and is looking to build a crude oil export terminal on the Gulf Coast to help push some of those barrels into the foreign market.

Senator Manchin Introduces New Energy Permitting Bill, Urges Completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin introduced on Tuesday his latest measure to speed permitting of both fossil fuel and renewable energy projects, as he tries to win support from both major parties after similar bills failed several times last year. The bill also calls for the completion of Equitrans Midstream Corp.'s Mountain Valley Pipeline.

MPLX Reports Boost in Total Pipeline Throughputs in Q1 2023

The company's overall gathered volumes averaged 6.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), a 21% increase from the first quarter of 2022, it said. Gathered volumes in the Marcellus in Pennsylvania averaged 1.4 Bcf/d, or a 4% increase. Additionally, it announced that it is working to expand natural gas long-haul and crude gathering pipelines for the Permian and Bakken basins.

Mississippi Gas Pipeline Operator Lifts Contract Suspension After Repairs

Canadian energy pipeline operator TC Energy Corp. said on Saturday that unit completed repairs on a portion of its Columbia Gulf Transmission gas transmission line in Mississippi that was halted a day earlier.

API, LEPA Report Shows Strengthened Pipeline Safety Performance

(P&GJ) — This year’s report found that the safety of liquids pipelines increased across several key indicators, even as pipeline mileage and barrels delivered have increased.

STATS Claims Record Diameter for Subsea Pipeline Intervention

(P&GJ) — Pipeline technology specialist STATS Group has been commissioned to complete a range of work in the Asian Gulf that is believed to include a record subsea intervention on a 56-inch pipeline.

Global News May 2023

Latest industry developments.

Editor’s Notebook: Nord Stream Questions Grow Murkier

(P&GJ) — While the investigation into who deliberately blew up Nord Stream continues, the operator of the previously functional first line appears to be taking a serious look at how it will seal and empty the pipeline before more damage occurs.

Pipeline Operator Enbridge Acquires Gas Storage Facility in British Columbia for $295 Million

The storage facility, which is connected to all three major long-haul natural gas transportation lines in Western Canada including Enbridge's Westcoast Pipeline and Alliance Pipeline, has a working storage capacity of 77 Bcf, the company said.

TC Energy Declares Force Majeure on 3,300-Mile Columbia Gulf Pipeline After Fire in Mississippi

Canadian energy company TC Energy Corp. said on Friday that its Columbia Gulf Transmission unit declared a force majeure event at its Corinth natural gas compressor station in Mississippi due to a fire, which had been extinguished.