Operations
Deep Freeze Hits U.S. Oil Industry from North Dakota to Texas
A severe winter storm shut a U.S. Gulf Coast refinery in Texas on Tuesday, triggered malfunctions at others, and halved North Dakota oil production as it dumped snow and rain across a broad swath of the nation.
Shell Ends Nearly a Century in Nigeria's Troubled Onshore Oil, Sells Subsidiary for $2.4 Billion
Shell is set to conclude nearly a century of operations in Nigerian onshore oil and gas after agreeing to sell its subsidiary there to a consortium of five mostly local companies for up to $2.4 billion.
QatarEnergy Pauses Red Sea LNG Shipping Amid Attacks, Seeks Security Advice
QatarEnergy, the world's second largest exporter of LNG, has stopped sending tankers via the Red Sea although production continues, a senior source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday.
New Alternatives for Noise Reduction in Gas Pipelines
Natural gas pipeline pressure reduction applications pose significant design challenges for engineers. Since flow varies considerably through these stations, control valves are required to throttle over a wide range, with large pressure drops at times, which create the potential for high noise.
Optimizing Emergency Response Through Alarm Management
With the implementation of the PHMSA Control Room Management (CRM) Rule in 2012, pipeline operators and control room managers have become familiar with the fundamentals of alarm management.
Fuel Theft Crisis Persists in Central Mexico as Nine Bodies Found Near Pipeline
(P&GJ) — Central Mexico authorities have discovered nine men's bodies in vehicles near a fuel pipeline. Although the circumstances surrounding the deaths are still being probed, officials said there are signs suggesting a possible connection to fuel theft.
Spotlight on Supply Chain: How Companies Can Avoid Uncertainty
Supply-chain uncertainty is a major headache for many sectors across the world. Minimizing supply-chain risks could help oil and gas firms better secure their labor and materials while cutting costs by up to 15%.
Texas Explosion Likely Caused by Gas Leak Injures 21
At least 21 people were injured Monday in an apparent gas leak explosion at the Sandman Hotel in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, the city's fire department said.
German Gas Storage Operators Warn of Overblown Plans for Hydrogen Grids
Germany's future hydrogen demand could fall well short of the baseline the country is assuming in its plans to extend its gas network to carry the fuel, a study commissioned by a storage operators' group showed on Thursday.
Two Dead After Fire on Vessel at Port of Houston, Texas
Two crew members are dead and one injured after a fire on a vessel at Port of Houston, Texas, on Monday, according to local media reports.
Motiva Enterprises Initiates 45-Day Overhaul, Temporarily Shuts CDU, Coker at Largest U.S. Refinery
Motiva Enterprises is scheduled to shut the large crude distillation unit (CDU) and large coker at its 626,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Port Arthur, Texas, refinery by Monday, people familiar with the company’s plans said on Friday.
U.S. DOT Invests Nearly $15 Million to Improve Pipeline Safety
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is awarding $14.8 million in grants to fund projects and activities to improve pipeline safety.
Bunge Halts Operations at Indiana Soy Plant Due to Damaged Gas Pipeline
A soybean processing facility in Decatur, Indiana, operated by global grain handler Bunge stopped operations last week following damage to a natural gas pipeline that feeds the site, the company said in a statement to Reuters on Wednesday.
Summit Carbon Solutions Secures 80% Right-of-Way in North Dakota for Carbon Capture Project
Summit Carbon Solutions has acquired 80% of the Right-of-Way (ROW) needed for its proposed carbon capture, transport, and storage project across North Dakota.
U.S. Energy Acquires Two Refined Product Terminals in Illinois
(P&GJ) — With the addition of these facilities, U.S. Energy now owns and operates 37 terminals across nine states with a collective storage capacity of over eight million barrels.
Crucial Role of Testing Labs in Pipeline Emergency Response
(P&GJ) — Emergency situations, like explosions due to pipeline ruptures, often happen instantly and without warning. Pipeline managers know about the risks that come with the job, but the aftereffects of pipeline ruptures and leaks are often secondary to protecting human life.
At Least 40 Dead in Liberian Gas Tanker Explosion, Says Official
At least 40 people have died following the explosion of a gas tanker in north-central Liberia, the West African country's chief medical officer, Francis Kateh, said on Wednesday.
Oxygen Corrosion Control for Multiphase, Gas Phase Pipelines
(P&GJ) — The oil and gas industry is committed to driving greater production and transportation from existing infrastructure, and ensuring effective asset integrity and flow assurance is essential to this objective.
Smart Tech Takes Aim at U.S. Methane Emissions
(P&GJ) — It’s hardly surprising that major gas leaks hit international headlines. Known as super-emitter events, these leaks cause plumes of methane to escape into our atmosphere — sometimes for days on end. However, these leaks are often spotted by satellites orbiting our planet before they are even known about on Earth.
Crude Stocks at Top U.S. Storage Hub Rebuild After Nearing Tank Bottoms
Oil inventories at the top U.S. storage hub rebounded last month after nearing operational lows, thanks to improved pricing at the hub that pulled in barrels from Texas' Permian basin and higher Canadian crude flows, analysts said.
BP Restarts Pipeline After Gasoline Spill in Washington State
The pipeline was restarted following repairs, integrity testing, and regulatory approval of the restart plan, the source said. The company has been cleaning up the spill since Sunday with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local officials.
Creating Efficiencies with Turn-Key Integrity Solutions
(P&GJ) — As countries around the globe work to reduce emissions, the transition from coal to natural gas is an important step that many pipeline operators are pursuing, as part of their strategy to meet emission targets and move to lower carbon energy sources.
Freeport LNG Settles with EPA Over Safety Failures Following June 2022 Texas Blast
Freeport LNG, which operates the second-largest U.S. liquefied natural gas export plant in Texas, agreed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to settle safety violations related to a June 2022 blast that caused some $275 million in damage to the facility.
Kinder Morgan Increases Permian Highway Pipeline Capacity by 550 MMcf/d
(P&GJ) — Pipeline operator Kinder Morgan has successfully augmented the capacity of its Permian Highway natural gas pipeline by an additional 550 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d), CEO Kimberly Dang announced during an investor call Dec. 7.
Exolum to Acquire 50% Stake in Houston Ammonia, NGL Storage Terminal from Moda Midstream
Exolum has agreed to acquire a 50% interest in Vopak Moda Houston LLC, an ammonia storage, import and export terminal located on the Houston Ship Channel, from Moda Midstream LLC.
BP's Olympic Pipeline Leaks Over 25,000 Gallons of Gas in Washington State
(P&GJ) — Emergency teams worked to address a gasoline spill in northwest Washington State on Dec. 12 after a pipeline segment failed over the weekend that released approximately 25,660 gallons (97,100 liters) of gasoline due to a small tube malfunction.
BP Takes On FERC, Alleges Approval Flaws for Venture Global LNG Plant
BP Plc has challenged U.S. energy regulators' approvals of a Venture Global LNG export facility, arguing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has failed to enforce its regulations, according to a letter filed with FERC on Monday.
Mexico's Pemex Eyeing Later Refinery Start-Up Date, Months After Initial Announcement
Mexican state-owned oil company Petróleos Mexicanos is working to nail down the start-up date at its newest refinery, months after the government said it had begun early output to ramp up to full capacity by December.
Sources: Four Suitors Offer More Than $648 Million for Edison’s Gas Storage Assets
Edison's gas storage assets have attracted offers from four Italian and international suitors, setting the stage for a transaction that could be worth more than 600 million euros ($648 million), two sources familiar with the matter said.
EIA: Continental U.S. Kicks Off Winter with Most Natural Gas in Storage Since 2020
The continental United States entered the winter heating season with the most natural gas in storage since 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Thursday.
- Keystone Oil Pipeline Resumes Operations After Temporary Shutdown
- Biden Administration Buys Oil for Emergency Reserve Above Target Price
- Freeport LNG Plant Runs Near Zero Consumption for Fifth Day
- Enbridge to Invest $500 Million in Pipeline Assets, Including Expansion of 850-Mile Gray Oak Pipeline
- Williams Delays Louisiana Pipeline Project Amid Dispute with Competitor Energy Transfer
- Evacuation Technologies to Reduce Methane Releases During Pigging
- Editor’s Notebook: Nord Stream’s $20 Billion Question
- Enbridge Receives Approval to Begin Service on Louisiana Venice Gas Pipeline Project
- Russian LNG Unfazed By U.S. Sanctions
- Biden Administration Buys Oil for Emergency Reserve Above Target Price
