Europe
Projects April 2024
U.S. regulators approve Mexico Pacific’s Saguaro Connector pipeline; EU approves $4.9 billion German state funds for hydrogen projects; Tallgrass, Bridger begin open season for Pony Express expansion; and more!
Global News April 2024
Latest industry developments from around the world!
Equinor's Hammerfest LNG Plant Shuts Until Friday After Gas Leak
Equinor's Hammerfest LNG plant in Arctic northern Norway was evacuated on Tuesday because of a gas leak during maintenance and will remain offline until Friday at least, the company said.
Editor’s Notebook: Few Winners in Iraq-Turkey Pipeline Fallout
Increasingly frustrated by impasses regionally, the eight member companies of the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) have gone so far as requesting that two U.S. lawmakers exert pressure on Iraq to reopen the Iraqi-Türkiye pipeline.
Kistos Completes Acquisition of UK Onshore Gas Storage Assets
The acquisition includes two onshore gas storage facilities in the UK, Hill Top Farm and Hole House Farm, at a total cost of $31 million funded from existing cash resources.
Balticconnector Gas Pipeline Resumes Operations Following Damage
A Baltic Sea gas pipeline that was torn apart last year in an incident still under police investigation has resumed commercial operation as planned after months of repair, operator Gasgrid Finland said on Monday.
SLB Profit Rises 14% on Strong International Drilling Demand Amid North American Weakness
Top oilfield services firm SLB reported a 14% rise in first-quarter profit on Friday, in line with analysts' estimates, as higher oil and gas drilling demand in the Middle East and Africa helped offset weakness in North America.
Balticconnector Gas Pipeline Set to Resume Commercial Operations on April 22
The Balticconnector subsea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia, which was damaged in Oct. 2023, will resume commercial operations on April 22. The damage had previously affected energy security and raised concerns in the wider region.
Dutch Senate Approves Law to Permanently Close Shell, Exxon-Operated Groningen Gas Field
The Dutch Senate on Tuesday approved a law to permanently close the Groningen gas field, following the government's promise that production will never be resumed to limit seismic risks in the region.
Croatia Secures $566 Million to Construct Four New Gas Pipelines
(P&GJ) — Croatia's energy infrastructure is set for a significant upgrade with the signing of a contract worth $566.4 million to construct four gas pipelines by mid-2026. The pipelines will facilitate gas transportation from the Krk LNG terminal to Slovenia, Hungary, and other Southeast European countries.
IEA Trims Oil Demand Forecast on Weakness in Wealthier Countries
The International Energy Agency (IEA) trimmed its forecast for 2024 oil demand growth on Friday, citing lower than expected consumption in OECD countries and a slump in factory activity.
ADNOC Explored Potential Takeover of BP, Sources Say
The United Arab Emirates' state-owned oil company recently considered buying Britain's BP but the deliberations did not progress beyond preliminary discussions, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Trafigura Consortium in Talks to Buy Exxon Oil Refinery in France
Rhone Energies, a consortium of commodity trader Trafigura and Entara LLC, is in exclusive negotiations with Exxon Mobil's ESSO SAF to acquire the Fos-sur-Mer refinery in southern France and the Toulouse and Villette de Vienne terminals.
EU Parliament Approves Legal Option to Block Russian LNG Imports
The European Parliament voted on Thursday to pass rules allowing European governments to ban Russian LNG imports, by preventing Russian firms from booking gas infrastructure capacity.
Germany's Mukran LNG Terminal Receives Operating Permit
Germany's Baltic Sea import terminal for LNG at Mukran on Ruegen island has received its operating permit under federal and state laws, private operating company Deutsche ReGas said on Wednesday.
GRTgaz Invests $43.4 Million in First French-German Cross-Border Hydrogen Pipeline
French gas grid operator GRTgaz will invest 40 million euros ($43.4 million) in a 110-million-euro planned hydrogen pipeline due to link France and Germany, its Chief Executive Sandrine Meunier said on Wednesday.
VTTI to Control Italy's Largest LNG Terminal, Snam Acquires 30%
Energy storage group VTTI will get a 70% stake in Italy's biggest LNG terminal, with grid operator Snam owning the rest, the Milan-listed group said late on Wednesday, announcing a deal to be finalized by year-end.
Baker Hughes, Snam Partner to Decarbonize Italian Gas Network with Hydrogen-Ready Technology
Baker Hughes has secured a contract with Snam, Europe’s primary operator in natural gas infrastructure, to provide advanced technology aimed at decarbonizing the Italian gas network.
Moldova Diversifies Gas Supply, Purchases U.S.-Origin LNG from Greece for Consumers
Moldova's domestic gas supplier Energocom said it will supply its consumers with test volumes of U.S.-origin LNG for the first time on Monday and Tuesday.
Eni Receives UK Government Approval for CO2 Pipeline Crossing England-Wales Border
The pipeline will facilitate the transportation of carbon dioxide from capture plants across the North West of England and North Wales to Eni's depleted natural gas reservoirs beneath the seabed in Liverpool Bay.
Chevron Begins Pipeline Transport of Leviathan Natural Gas to Ashdod Refinery
NewMed Energy LP, a partner in the Leviathan natural gas field offshore Israel alongside Chevron Mediterranean and other stakeholders, announced the commencement of condensate transportation from the field to the Ashdod oil refinery located in western Israel.
TotalEnergies Restarts Gas Production at Tyra Offshore Hub
The revamped hub is expected to produce 5.7 million cubic meters of gas and 22,000 barrels of condensate per day, reaffirming Denmark's self-sufficiency and status as a net exporter of natural gas.
SEFE Acquires Full Stake in WIGA from Wintershall Dea
WIGA holds sole ownership of German regulated gas transmission system operators GASCADE Gastransport GmbH and NEL Gastransport GmbH.
Exxon Sells Majority Stake in Italy's Largest LNG Terminal to IKAV and VTTI
Under the deal, Exxon Mobil will sell its 70.7% stake in the Adriatic LNG terminal, the U.S. oil and gas group said, as part of a broader strategy to divest non-strategic assets and focus efforts on doubling its LNG production by 2030 globally.
Iraq, Oil Firms Trade Blame Over Shut Turkey Pipeline
Foreign oil firms operating in Iraq's Kurdistan region are partly to blame for the delay in resuming crude exports after failing to submit contracts for revision, Iraq's oil ministry said.
Enagas Raises Stake in Hanseatic Energy Hub to 15% for Germany's LNG Security
Spanish gas grid operator Enagas said on Thursday it had raised to 15% from 10% its stake in the Hanseatic Energy Hub consortium, which is developing a land-based terminal to secure Germany's supply of LNG.
CEO: Other Nations Will Fill LNG Gap if U.S. Retreats, Baker Hughes Affirms
If the U.S. pulls back from permitting new LNG export plants, demand for the fuel will still be met from projects in Qatar, Argentina and Africa, the CEO of Baker Hughes, the world's largest provider of equipment for the LNG sector, said on Thursday.
Canada Signs Hydrogen Deal with Germany to Counter Russian Energy Dependency
Canada, citing the need to shun Russian energy, on Monday signed an agreement with Germany that it said would accelerate work towards the commercial-scale trade of clean hydrogen fuel.
Mitsubishi and Partners to Establish Coalition for Advancing Electric Natural Gas
Mitsubishi Corp. said on Tuesday it will form an international coalition with seven other firms including TotalEnergies and Tokyo Gas to support development and production of electric natural gas (e-NG).
CERAWeek: Hydrogen Adoption to Cost Europe, U.S. More Than $1 Trillion
Europe and the U.S. will have to spend in excess of $1 trillion for building infrastructure to enable widespread use of hydrogen fuel, an executive at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said on Monday.
- Keystone Oil Pipeline Resumes Operations After Temporary Shutdown
- Freeport LNG Plant Runs Near Zero Consumption for Fifth Day
- Biden Administration Buys Oil for Emergency Reserve Above Target Price
- Mexico Seizes Air Liquide's Hydrogen Plant at Pemex Refinery
- Enbridge to Invest $500 Million in Pipeline Assets, Including Expansion of 850-Mile Gray Oak Pipeline
- Enbridge Receives Approval to Begin Service on Louisiana Venice Gas Pipeline Project
- U.S. to Acquire 3 Million Barrels of Oil for Emergency Reserve in September
- AG&P LNG Acquires 49% Stake in Vietnam's Cai Mep LNG Terminal
- BP's Carbon Emissions Increase in 2023, Ending Decline Since 2019
- Texas Sues EPA Over Methane Emission Rules for Oil and Gas Sector
