North America
U.S. Claims Top Spot in LNG Exports for 2023, Achieving Record Levels
U.S. liquefied natural gas exports hit monthly and annual record highs in December, tanker tracking data showed, with analysts saying it positioned the United States to leapfrog Qatar and Australia to become the largest exporter of LNG in 2023.
U.S. Oil Output Records First Monthly Drop Since April, Easing Oversupply Concerns
U.S. crude oil output fell slightly in October to 13.248 million barrels per day, the first monthly decline since April, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Dec. 29.
Global News January 2024
Latest industry developments from around the world!
Editor’s Notebook: In Canada, A Tale of Two Pipelines
Well, well, well. It looks as if Canada is likely to be in the market for some new pipelines if word that the nation’s oil and gas producers plan to drill 8% more wells in 2024 comes to pass.
RNG Outlook Offers Mixed Message for Midstream
(P&GJ) – In mid-2023, the international management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group (BCG) issued an assessment of renewable natural gas (RNG) that offered a mixed message.
Mexico Orders Pemex to Occupy Privately-Operated Hydrogen Plant
Mexico's government on Friday ordered state energy company Pemex to immediately take temporary control of a privately-operated hydrogen plant located inside one of its largest refineries.
Canadian Regulators Reject FortisBC's Okanagan Gas Pipeline Expansion Plan
(P&GJ) — The British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) has denied FortisBC Energy Inc.’s application for its Okanagan Capacity Upgrade project, which includes the construction, installation, and operation of approximately 30 km (19 miles) of new natural gas pipeline.
Kinder Morgan Successfully Acquires NextEra’s 462-Mile Texas Pipeline System for $1.8 Billion
Kinder Morgan Inc. has successfully closed on its $1.815 billion acquisition of NextEra Energy Partners’ South Texas assets, which includes a set of integrated, large diameter high pressure natural gas pipeline systems that connect the Eagle Ford basin to key growing Mexico and Gulf Coast demand markets.
Projects December 2023
Western Midstream Partners closed its previously announced acquisition of Meritage Midstream Services II. The sale was funded with cash on hand and WES’s recent $600 million investment grade senior notes issuance.
LNG Developer Tellurian Hires Financial Adviser Amid Leadership Changes, Debt Restructuring
Struggling liquefied natural gas (LNG) developer Tellurian on Thursday said it has hired a financial adviser to assist in balance sheet management.
Engie Brasil Sells 15% Stake in Gas Pipeline Firm TAG to Canada's CDPQ for $641 Million
Engie Brasil said on Thursday it had reached a deal to sell a 15% stake in natural gas pipeline firm TAG to Canadian investment fund Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ) for $641 million.
Real-Time Monitoring Helps Trans Mountain Expansion Stay on Track
(P&GJ) — Navigating diverse terrains for the $31 billion Trans Mountain Expansion Project posed challenges. Learn how obstacles like roads, rivers, and railroads impacted this major oil pipeline installation.
Russian Oil Output to Hold Steady or Increase in 2024, Defying Earlier Sanctions Impact
Oil output in Russia, the third largest producer in the world after the United States and Saudi Arabia, is expected to be steady or even to increase next year as Moscow has largely overcome Western sanctions, analysts said.
Oil Producers Canadian Natural, MEG Urge Regulator to Back Trans Mountain Request
Canadian oil producers Canadian Natural Resources and MEG Energy are urging the country's energy regulator to approve Trans Mountain Corp.'s latest request for a change to building its pipeline expansion, saying timely completion is critical.
Chatterjee Fund Management Boosts Stake in LNG Developer Tellurian to 7.3%
Chatterjee Fund Management has increased its stake in U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) developer Tellurian Inc. to 7.3%, a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission showed on Wednesday, up from 5.2% previously.
TotalEnergies to Sell 17.5% Stake in LNG Developer NextDecade
NextDecade said TotalEnergies has offered to sell a 17.5% stake in the U.S. liquified natural gas company.
Williams to Acquire 230 Miles of Gas Pipeline, 115 Bcf Storage for $1.95 Billion
Pipeline operator Williams said on Wednesday it would buy a portfolio of natural gas storage assets from an affiliate of Hartree Partners LP for $1.95 billion to cater to rising demand from liquefied natural gas projects.
U.S. Adds Another 3 Million Barrels of Oil to Strategic Reserve
The United States has finalized contracts to purchase three million barrels of oil to help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) after the largest sale in history last year, the U.S. Department of Energy said on Tuesday.
Big Oil Enters 2024 Strengthened by U.S. Industry Consolidation
The oil and gas industry went on a $250 billion buying spree in 2023, taking advantage of companies' high stock prices to secure lower-cost reserves and prepare for the next upheaval in an industry likely to undergo more consolidation.
ConocoPhillips Grants Final Approval for $8 Billion Willow Oil Project in Alaska
U.S. oil giant ConocoPhillips on Friday gave the financial greenlight to its $8 billion Willow oil and gas drilling project in Alaska.
Canada Commits Additional $1.5 Billion in Loans for Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion
The Canadian government is backing up to $1.5 billion in new commercial loans for Trans Mountain Corp., the crown corporation building an over-budget and long-delayed oil pipeline expansion to the Pacific coast.
Trinidad: First Output from Venezuela's Dragon Gas Field Expected in 2 Years
A natural gas project to be developed in Venezuelan waters by Shell and Trinidad and Tobago's state firm National Gas Company could achieve first output in the next two years if a positive investment decision is made, Trinidad officials said on Friday.
China Seeks Exemption from U.S. Sanctions on Russian LNG Plant
China's state oil majors CNPC and CNOOC have both asked the U.S. government for exemptions from sanctions on a new Russian LNG export plant, a Beijing-based industry official with direct knowledge of the matter said.
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.
Energy Transfer Faces Allegations of Anti-Competitive Practices in Louisiana Pipeline Dispute
(P&GJ) — The dispute centers around Energy Transfer's denial of three projects seeking to cross its pipelines, leading to a legal battle impacting over $2 billion in energy infrastructure.
Canada Regulator Denies Trans Mountain Variance Due to Pipeline Integrity, Environmental Concerns
The Canada Energy Regulator said on Wednesday it denied a variance request from the Trans Mountain expansion project because the application did not adequately address concerns about pipeline integrity and environmental protection impacts.
Marathon Petroleum Elects Maryann Mannen as First Woman President
Refiner Marathon Petroleum on Thursday named Maryann Mannen as its new president and John Quaid as its new chief financial officer, effective Jan. 1.
FERC Approves MVP’s Southgate Gas Pipeline Extension in North Carolina, Alongside Rate Hike
(P&GJ) — The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) has received two federal approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC): one for increased rates on the transportation of natural gas through the 303-mile pipeline and the other for additional time for the construction of a North Carolina extension known as the Southgate Project.
Study: Texas Grid Over Relies on Natural Gas to Restore Power After Blackouts
The Texas electric grid is too dependent on natural gas-fired backup power generators after blackouts, U.S. regulators found on Tuesday in a study that also called for gas suppliers and electric utilities to sync their plans to recover from outages.
Mexico Shows Elevated Methane Emissions from Gas Pipeline, Scientists Report
Mexico emitted "extreme" amounts of methane from a natural gas pipeline running through its northern border state, Durango, in 2019, a research paper published on Tuesday showed, citing data collected from satellites.
- Phillips 66 to Shut LA Oil Refinery, Ending Major Gasoline Output Amid Supply Concerns
- FERC Sides with Williams in Texas-Louisiana Pipeline Dispute with Energy Transfer
- U.S. Appeals Court Blocks Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Pipeline Permits
- ConocoPhillips Eyes Sale of $1 Billion Permian Assets Amid Marathon Acquisition
- Valero Considers All Options, Including Sale, for California Refineries Amid Regulatory Pressure
- U.S. Appeals Court Blocks Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Pipeline Permits
- Malaysia’s Oil Exports to China Surge Amid Broader Import Decline
- U.S. LNG Export Growth Faces Uncertainty as Trump’s Tariff Proposal Looms, Analysts Say
- Marathon Oil to Lay Off Over 500 Texas Workers Ahead of ConocoPhillips Merger
- Valero Considers All Options, Including Sale, for California Refineries Amid Regulatory Pressure
