Perspectives

Analysis-Pipeline Blasts Leave Nord Stream in Insurance Limbo

With the mystery of the blasts that destroyed undersea gas pipelines between Russia and Germany unsolved, Nord Stream 1's insurers and reinsurers are grappling with how to respond to hundreds of millions of dollars in potential claims.

Perspective: Agencies with Power to Approve Pipelines Need a Reality Check

Federal regulators with the power to approve natural gas pipelines need to make judgment calls on everything from how pipelines will affect farmland to how much methane will leak. When real-world data comes in that contradicts predictions, regulators ought to reevaluate their decisions in the light of new facts.

Retiring EnLink Founder Davis Recounts Decades of Change

(P&GJ) — EnLink Midstream Chairman and CEO Barry E. Davis is stepping away from EnLink, the company he founded and led for more than 25 years. In this exclusive interview with Pipeline & Gas Journal, Davis discusses what it takes to get a pipeline built today, the importance of carbon capture efforts in the coming years, and he also picks a couple of his favorite pipeline projects from his career.

Executive Profile: Advocating for Natural Gas, Clean Energy Future

(P&GJ) — Former Enbridge and Spectra Energy executive and long-time midstream advocate Susan Waller has taken on the role of executive director of the Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future.

Perspective: Rebalancing Texas’ Grid the Right Way

On the afternoon July 11, the part of the Texas electric grid managed by the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) produced roughly 80,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

Energy Transition Spells Opportunity for Midstream Sector

These are interesting times in midstream, and it’s going to take some collective courage, creativity and calculated investment to make sure “interesting” refers to opportunities seized rather than the ominous outcomes the old “may you live in interesting times” expression portends.

Perspective: Security for US and Europe Begins with New Energy Policy

It is high time that the U.S. forges a new energy policy, based on facts and common sense. Before Tuesday’s decision to halt the import of Russian oil and gas, the Biden Administration had put more sanctions on U.S. oil and gas than on Russian oil and gas.

Factbox: Europe's Options in Case of Russian Gas Disruption

Europe relies on Russia for around 40% of its natural gas. What are the region's options in the event that Russian gas deliveries are suspended or pipeline flows are impacted by war damage?

Germany Must Regulate Gas Storage to Secure Supplies - Minister

Germany must introduce regulation that commits its privately operated gas storage facility to have full capacity before winter to avoid the kind of energy crunch gripping the country, Economy Minister Robert Habeck said on Monday.

US Supplies Give China Muscle to Become Major Force in LNG Trade

Chinese firms are set to become a major trading force in the global liquefied natural gas market in coming years, thanks to liberalizations at home and recently signed long term contracts for record amounts of LNG from U.S. suppliers.

Geopolitics, Not Fundamentals, Driving Oil Higher - UAE Minister

Tensions between Russia and the West are driving oil prices, rather than the kind of fundamental fuel shortage that would justify accelerated output increases from OPEC+, UAE energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said on Monday.

U.S. Power Use to Rise in 2022 as Economy Continues to Grow - EIA

U.S. power consumption will rise in 2022 and 2023 as the economy continues to recover, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its Short Term Energy Outlook on Tuesday.

Qatar Has Not Approached Asian Buyers Over Gas Diversions to Europe

Qatar's energy chief said it has not approached its Asian customers over diverting gas to Europe, adding that one country can't fill the gap if Russia stops piping gas to the region

Necessity Meets Innovation

There has been a major oil leak in progress off the coast of Louisiana for 17 years now, and I’d be willing to bet most people, even those in the industry, don’t know about it.

Perspective: Natural Gas, LNG Shrug Off Omicron, Fret About Winter Supplies

In contrast to crude oil, natural gas appears to be largely immune to the potential impact of the new coronavirus variant, with prices in three major regions trading more on expectations around winter supply and demand.

Delay to Nord Stream 2 Pipeline May Be Short - Analyst

The suspension of the approval process for the Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline by a German regulator could be short-lived as Europe is hungry for more gas, an analyst said after meeting officials of Russian state gas giant Gazprom.

Perspective: Would US Oil Reserve Sales Affect Prices Much?

Speculation is growing the Biden administration could order the release of crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to lower oil prices after OPEC+ last week rejected calls to accelerate its output increases.

CEPA Exiting After Nearly 3 Decades

The decision by the Board of Directors to shut down its offices as of Dec. 31 comes as a tough blow for midstream companies, though all things considered the move was not especially surprising.

AGA Chair Anderson Continues Theme of People, Planet and Potential

AGA Chair David Anderson’s 30 years of industry experience and extensive involvement with both AGA and NGA provide him with a broad industry perspective.

Perspective: How Soon Could Carbon Capture Solve Industry CO₂ Shortages?

It may seem surprising that CO₂ – the greenhouse gas heating our world – also keeps certain essential industries functioning. How can there be a shortage of something we’re desperately trying to emit less of?

Perspective: 30% Methane Emissions Cuts Crucial, and Can Pay for Itself

Cutting methane emissions is a big deal for efforts to slow climate change – and for health. While methane isn’t as abundant as carbon dioxide, it’s a far more potent greenhouse gas at warming the planet and a source of unhealthy air pollution.

Australia Bucks Climate Trend with Plan to Subsidize Natural Gas, Coal

Australia's federal government is proposing what amounts to a subsidy to natural gas- and coal-fired power generation, in a bid to solve a problem the country's energy market operator says doesn't exist.

Court Rulings Underscore Challenges for Gas Pipeline Construction

Recently, the construction of new and expanded gas pipelines has been scrutinized, especially as countries address climate change by expanding the use of renewable energy resources and reducing the use of fossil fuels.

ESAI: Era of Peak Demand Growth for NGLs' Nears End

The era of "peak demand growth" for natural gas liquids will come to an end by 2025, according to ESAI Energy's newly published Global NGL 5-Year Outlook.

Perspective: What Lifting US Sanctions Means for the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline

The Biden administration admits that the US sanctions are currently unlikely to succeed, as the project is almost complete and his government wants to improve relations with Germany.

Perspective: IEA’s Roadmap Shows Difficult Journey to Net Zero

Polarized responses to the International Energy Agency report on achieving net zero emissions by 2050 reveal the enormous challenges of the goal and differences about whether it is realistic in the timeframe.

Perspective: Rising Oil Price Will Draw Response from Consumers

Oil prices have risen above the long-term average, once adjusted for inflation, and are likely to encounter increasing resistance from consumers if they continue to climb.

Perspective: How Vladimir Putin Uses Natural Gas to Exert Russian Influence

The recent U.S.-Russia summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin suggests that a controversial Russian natural gas pipeline, Nord Stream 2, is a done deal.

Strategies to Minimize Release of Fugitive Emissions

Large pressure faced by oil and gas companies from environmental, social, and governance (ESG) movements is increasing and inarguably being felt across midstream and all other sectors of the energy value chain.

Canada's Energy Industry Will Shape the Future

It has been another tough couple of weeks for the pipeline industry. Keystone XL lost its Presidential Permit. A critical infrastructure project that would have delivered immense benefits on both sides of the border, cancelled as an act of backward-looking political symbolism by the President of the United States on his very first day in office.