Perspectives

Shrinking U.S. Oil Stocks Point to Market Rebalancing

Excess petroleum inventories are being absorbed as lower prices compel U.S. shale producers and the members of OPEC+ to limit their output, confirming the market is on course to rebalance in 2021.

Morgan Stanley Sees Potential for $5 Natural Gas

A record decline in natural gas production and rebounding demand could create the tightest market in a decade and set the stage for Henry Hub prices up to $5/MMbtu with cold weather, according to a new Morgan Stanley forecast.

ConocoPhillips Sees Global Oil Demand Returning, Executive Says

U.S. oil producer ConocoPhillips sees global demand returning to 100 million barrels per day and growing from there, with oil an "important part of the energy mix in any scenario" going forward, a senior executive said.

Energy Execs Think U.S. Oil Production Has Peaked - Fed Survey

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. energy company executives polled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas believe U.S. crude oil production has peaked, according to a survey released on Wednesday.

U.S. Crude Oil Exports Continue Monthly Decline Since February Record High

U.S. crude oil exports reached a record high in February 2020 and have since fallen in each month, based on data through June, but still outpaced 2019 volumes through midyear.

Italy Can be Hydrogen Hub with Pipeline Imports from Africa - Snam

Italy could become a clean energy hub for Europe by piping hydrogen produced in North Africa from solar power at 10-15% less than it costs to produce locally, according to a new study.

Underwater: Australia's Oil Industry Faces New Indigenous Heritage Test

A discovery of ancient artifacts near a planned pipeline route off Australia's west coast has opened new challenges for energy companies to conserve indigenous heritage.

Merkel Doesn't Rule Out Sanctions on Nord Stream 2

Chancellor Angela Merkel does not rule out imposing sanctions on a pipeline set to bring Russian gas to Germany in response to the suspected poisoning of a Kremlin critic with a Soviet-style nerve agent, her chief spokesman said on Monday.

Merkel Doesn't Rule Out Sanctions on Nord Stream 2

Chancellor Angela Merkel does not rule out imposing sanctions on a pipeline set to bring Russian gas to Germany in response to the suspected poisoning of a Kremlin critic with a Soviet-style nerve agent, her chief spokesman said on Monday.

AGA: 5 Things U.S. Political Parties Must Keep in Mind When Outlining Energy Platforms

AGA President and CEO Karen Harbert outlines five energy principles that both Democrats and Republicans should consider in their national platforms before the 2020 election

Report: LDCs Own Residential, Commercial Sectors but Pipelines Fuel Power

A new government report on the U.S. natural gas industry shows that local distribution companies supply 90% of natural gas to U.S. residential and commercial sectors, but pipeline companies handle the biggest volumes through direct delivery to electric power and industrial customers.

Pipeline Doubts put Bakken Shale Reboot on Hold

North Dakota oil producers face new pressures to delay bringing back more of their recently curbed output after a U.S. court ruling this month put in jeopardy the pipeline that transports most of the region's oil, executives and analysts said.

China's Surging Crude Imports Mask Weakness in the Rest of Asia: Russell

Although China has been importing large amounts of crude oil in recent months, imports into the rest of Asia remain weak.

Natural Gas Efficiency Programs Pay Off in Reduced Costs, Carbon Emissions

North American natural gas utilities have been spending nearly $4 million a day for programs to make customers more efficient use of the fuel. A new study shows those investments are paying off.

Guest Commentary: The Two-Front War on Pipelines

Pipeline opponents have raised their game, skillfully and aggressively scoring wins against projects on two fronts: in the courts and regulatory proceedings on both the federal and state sides.

A Little Good News from Back East

The pipeline industry in the U.S. Northeast finally got some positive news on the permitting front, when New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) received the go-ahead to move forward with construction work on a controversial 30-mile (48-km) section of the Southern Reliability Link (SRL) pipeline in New Jersey.

End of an Era? Series of Setbacks Bode ill for Big Pipeline Projects

A rapid-fire succession of setbacks for big energy pipelines in the United States this week has revealed an uncomfortable truth for the oil and gas industry: environmental activists and landowners opposed to projects have become good at blocking them in court.

Record Debts Come Due for Canadian Energy Companies

The Canadian energy industry has borrowed heavily to survive a series of catastrophes, and is facing C$6 billion in refinancing in the next six months. Maturing energy debts this year are more than 40% higher than 2019.

LNG Recovery in Asia Depends on China, India Policies

The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts a gradual recovery in global natural gas demand in 2021-22, but the extent of that rebound depends on how committed China and India remain to their transitions from coal.

Keeping Abreast of Alaska’s LNG Aspirations

As a longtime observer of the Alaska energy scene, Larry Persily has the rare perspective of someone who has viewed his subject matter as a journalist, educator and as public policy worker at the federal, state and municipal levels, including federal coordinator for the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects, 2010-2015.

AGA Chair Brings Positive Outlook to Challenging Period for Industry

Diane Leopold became chair of the American Gas Association just in time for an unprecedented economic shutdown in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The circumstances present significant challenges to utilities, and all of their stakeholders have forced a shift in priorities. Few in the industry would be as well-prepared to help lead the organization through troubled times.

Reporting Higher Q1 Profits, Enterprise Products CEO Puts a Personal Spin on COVID Response

Enterprise Products Partners’ outspoken co-CEO Jim Teague used a conference call with investors Wednesday as an opportunity to comment on the U.S. economic shutdown, reflecting on his personal experiences during the 1950s polio epidemic and as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam in relation to the COVID-19 response.

Declining ‘Associated Gas’ Signals Opportunity for Dry Gas Basins

As crude oil producers throttle back production in associated-gas basins, it may signal growth opportunities for dry gas basins such as Haynesville and Marcellus/Utica.

iPIPE Boosting ‘Zero Tolerance’ for Pipe Leaks

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum confronted the pipeline industry nearly three years ago, suggesting that technological improvements were needed to overcome the trend toward increased pipeline leaks in his state.

Data-Driven Strategies for Prospering in a Changing Energy Landscape

The energy landscape is undergoing a fast transformation, and the hydrocarbon value chain’s very fabric is being tested as it will continue to be over the coming years.

Publishing in the Age of COVID-19

Pipeline & Gas Journal Editor-in-Chief Mike Reed discusses how our publication is handling the COVID-19 pandemic and how we are continuing to support our readers during this time.

Slivers of Hope Shine Through Dire Industry Period

As much of the industry focuses on worst-case scenarios, some analysts view recent crude oil forecasts as overly pessimistic and predict the pandemic may have only a short-term impact on global natural gas markets.

Oil Industry Crisis Starkly Revealed in U.S. Weekly Data

The EIA's latest Weekly Petroleum Status Report reveals an industry in crisis – unable to cope with the simultaneous collapse in fuel consumption and rise in crude production.

U.S. Will Become Net Importer of Petroleum Products by End of 2020 — EIA

The U.S. EIA predicts the country will become a net importer of oil and gas products by the third quarter of 2020.

Texas Might Curb Oil Output Under Broader OPEC+ Deal — Regulator

A Texas oil regulator said that America's largest producing state would consider cutting production if Saudia Arabia and Russia reached a curtailment deal.