TotalEnergies begins early production of Fenix gas in Argentina
TotalEnergies, a French oil company, said that natural gas production had begun earlier than expected at Argentina's Fenix off-shore field. The $700-million project was originally scheduled to start operating in November. It has a daily production capacity of 10,000,000 cubic meters of gas, which represents 8% of Argentina’s total production. Gas from the Fenix Field off Argentina's southern coast will be used for domestic consumption. Argentina is trying to reduce imports and deregulate prices locally, encourage energy investment, and become a LNG exporter.
OPEC+ to Weigh Modest Output Boost, Sources Say
OPEC+ oil producers will discuss a modest easing of oil supply curbs from April given a recovery in prices, OPEC+ sources said, although some suggest holding steady for now given the risk of new setbacks in the battle against the pandemic.The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+, cut output by a record 9.7 million bpd last year as demand collapsed due to the pandemic. As of February, it is still withholding 7.125 million bpd, about 7% of world demand.In January OPEC+ slowed the pace of a planned output increase to match weaker-than-expected demand due to continued coronavirus lockdowns.
EU Hydrogen Plan Splits Supporters Down Color-coded Lines
Energy industry lobbyists and advocates of renewable hydrogen are divided over whether the bloc should support low-carbon hydrogen produced by fossil fuels ahead of a new EU strategy next month.The EU's executive Commission plans to publish its hydrogen strategy on July 8, which will form the basis for EU regulation and funding to scale up production of the fuel to replace fossil fuels in sectors including chemicals and transport.More than 30 industry groups and energy firms including ExxonMobil, Equinor and Uniper wrote to EU leaders…
Trafigura Takes a Bet with North Sea Oil
Commodities trader Trafigura has seized the moment and taken a rare dominant position in the North Sea crude market over the past two weeks as oil demand jumped, trading sources said.A combination of OPEC-led global production cuts, cheap freight rates, and oil stuck in floating storage sent crude markets into overdrive starting at the end of April as fuel demand looked set to pick up with easing lockdown.Differentials to benchmark dated Brent for grades around the world have shot up $6 a barrel in many cases, returning to trade at levels not seen since March before the peak lockdown period in April.In the last two weeks…
Price Drop Triggers Haggling Over Oil and Gas Deals
The collapse in oil prices to 21-year lows has led potential buyers of oil and gas fields to try and renegotiate deals already agreed at higher prices, with the first examples emerging of sellers having their hand forced.At a time when most oil companies are slashing budgets, dividends, and headcounts to preserve cash, sellers are facing a difficult choice between sweetening the deal or risking losing it altogether.Premier Oil's CEO said he is seeking a cheaper price for North Sea assets it agreed to buy from BP for $625 million and…
Russian Oil Majors Examine Assets for Cuts
Russian oil companies are examining which wells they will cork, looking mainly at mature fields where production was falling anyway and as Moscow needs to deliver its biggest output cut ever to comply with the new global supply deal, sources said.The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil nations including Russia, the group known as OPEC+, agreed to their deepest oil cut ever - 10 million barrels per day (bpd) - from May in the face of collapsing demand.Russia currently pumps 11.24 million bpd and needs to cut it down to 8.5 million bpd - its lowest since 2003 - from May 1, according to the deal's terms.
OPEC+ Debates Biggest Ever Oil Output Cut as Virus Destroys Demand
OPEC and allies are working on a deal for an unprecedented production cut equivalent to around 10% of global supply, an OPEC source said after U.S. President Donald Trump called on oil nations to stop the oil rout caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting of OPEC and allies such as Russia has been scheduled for Monday, April 6, Azeri's energy ministry said, but details were still thin on the exact distribution of production cuts. Oil prices have fallen to around $20 per barrel from $65 at the start of the year as more than 3 billion people went into lockdown because of the virus…
U.S. Crude Hits 18-year Low as Lockdowns Spread
Oil prices fell for a third session on Wednesday, with U.S. crude futures tumbling to an 18-year low and Brent hitting a more than 16-year low as travel and social lockdowns to counter the coronavirus raised prospect of the steepest ever annual fall in oil demand.U.S.
Norway PM to Name Tina Bru as New Oil Minister -DN
Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg will appoint Conservative lawmaker Tina Bru as oil and energy minister, business daily Dagens Naeringsliv and public broadcaster NRK reported on Thursday, citing unnamed sources. The office of the prime minister declined to comment. Bru was not available for immediate comment.If confirmed, 33-year-old Bru will oversee western Europe's largest petroleum industry, which is expected to see sharp growth in crude oil output in the next several years.The right-wing Progress Party resigned from the government on Monday over a cabinet decision to help bring a woman suspected of Islamic State affiliation back to Norway…
Russia Expecting Oil Output Bump
Russia still expects an increase in 2019 oil output to a record 556-560 million tonnes from 555.8 million tonnes produced in 2018, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told the ministry's magazine, in comments published on Thursday.That would mean production would reach between 11.17-11.25 million barrels per day, up from 11.16 million in 2018.Novak also said that Russian natural gas production is expected to edge up by 2% to 740 billion cubic meters, while coal output and exports are seen unchanged from 2018 levels, at 440 million tonnes and 210 million tonnes respectively.(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Iran Finds New 53 Bln Barrel Oilfield
Iran has discovered a new oilfield in the southwest of the country that has the potential to boost its reserves by about a third, President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday."Workers and the exploration arm of the National Iranian Oil Company ...have found an oilfield with 53 billion barrels of reserves," Rouhani said in a televised speech in the central city of Yazd.The field stretches over 2,400 sq km (927 sq miles) in the oil-rich Khuzestan province, Rouhani said.Iran ranks as the world’s fourth–largest reserve holder of oil, and the second-largest holder of gas reserves, according to the U.S.
Exxon Discussing Norway Asses Sale with Var Energi
Oil major ExxonMobil said on Friday it had signed an exclusivity agreement with Var Energi for negotiations regarding a possible sale of Exxon's Norwegian upstream assets.An acquisition of Exxon's production assets in Norway would cement Var Energi's position as the second largest petroleum producer in Norway after Equinor, excluding state-owned Petoro, which manages government stakes in offshore licenses.Reuters reported on Sept. 5 that Exxon had agreed to sell its stakes in around 20 partner-operated fields, two years after selling…
Nord Stream 2 Launch Facing Delays
Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project to Germany may launch in 2020, rather than the end of 2019, due to delays in obtaining permits from Denmark, Interfax news agency on Friday quoted Nord Stream 2 AG as saying.The Russian-led company has two pending route applications with Danish authorities, the first of which was submitted more than two years ago, but it was asked in March to assess a third route option in Danish waters.Nord Stream 2 was quoted by Interfax as saying that the launch date could be pushed back to 2020 if it…
UK Fracking Tsar Quits
The British government's fracking tsar Natascha Engel said on Sunday she had quit the role after just six months because government policy was preventing the industry from developing.Fracking, or hydraulically fracturing, involves extracting gas from rocks by breaking them up with water and chemicals at high pressure.It is fiercely opposed by environmentalists who have raised concerns about potential groundwater contamination and say extracting more fossil fuel is at odds with Britain's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.Engel…
Total Profits Take a Hit
French energy major Total said its net profit for the first three months of the year fell 4 percent to $2.8 billion compared with a year ago due to volatile oil prices and debt costs, despite record oil and gas output.The firm kept its investments, and cost savings target for the year unchanged, and said production growth should exceed 9 percent during the year, thanks to the ramp-up of projects started in 2018, and the start-ups of others in Angola, Brazil, Britain and Norway.It said it would take advantage of the low cost environment to launch further projects in Brazil…
Delek Nearing Deal for Chevron's North Sea Fields
Israel's Delek Group is close to clinching Chevron's oil and gas fields in the British North Sea, which have a price tag of around $2 billion, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.Delek, via its North Sea oil and gas operator Ithaca Energy, could reach an agreement within days, two of five sources said.U.S. oil major Chevron Corp kicked off the sale of its central North Sea oil and gas fields Alba, Alder, Captain, Elgin/Franklin, Erskine and Jade as well as the Britannia platform and its satellites last July, with the help of U.S.
Italy to Block Exploration Permits
The Italian government is planning to block the issuing of about 36 permits to look for oil and gas as part of plans to cut the country's carbon footprint, the industry ministry said on Wednesday.In a statement the ministry said upstream oil and gas activity in Italy was not of strategic importance for the country.Some industry experts say Italy is sitting on some of the biggest reserves in Europe, but red tape has scuppered exploration for years.Italy's domestic gas production accounts for only 7.5 percent of its needs while its oil production is around 7.3 percent of demand.The ruling coalition of populist 5-Star Movement and right-wing League want to boost th
Gazprom Completes Gas Sales on Electronic Platform
Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Wednesday it has successfully completed the first "day-ahead" gas sales deal on the Electronic Sales Platform (ESP), a new sales tool.Gas sales through the ESP, designed for sales to European consumers, started at the end of September.Over the first 3 months of operations via the ESP, the company has sold more than 1.6 billion cubic metres of gas, having signed contracts with more than 20 clients, Gazprom said. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
Oil Falls Below $60 a barrel as Inventories Stay High
North Sea Brent crude oil fell below $60 a barrel on Thursday, under pressure from high global inventories and a smaller-than-expected drawdown in U.S. crude stockpiles."The energy complex is drifting lower as sellers continue to bask in the bearish afterglow of yesterday's (U.S.) stats," PVM Oil analyst Stephen Brennock said.Brent crude was down 30 cents at $59.85 per barrel by 1425 GMT. U.S. light crude was 50 cents lower at $50.65.Global oil supply has outstripped demand over the last six months, inflating inventories and pushing crude oil to its lowest in more than a year at the end of November.U.S.
CNPC Replacing Total in South Pars Gas Project
China’s state-owned CNPC has replaced France’s Total in Iran's multibillion-dollar South Pars gas project, Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said, according to the semi-official news agency ICANA on Sunday."China's CNPC has officially replaced Total in phase 11 of South Pars but it has not started work practically. Talks need to be held with CNPC ... about when it will start operations," Zanganeh told ICANA, without giving further details.Total, which had a 50.1 percent stake in the project, and CNPC could not immediately be reached…
