Freeport LNG liquefaction train at Texas export plant shuts
Freeport LNG reported to state regulators on Thursday that one of the three liquefaction train at its export plant in Texas was shut down on Wednesday. Freeport stated that Train 3 was tripped during operation due to a problem with a lube-oil pump. This caused an emissions event which lasted for more than 11 hour from Wednesday evening until early Thursday morning. The state report did not include any details about the company's plans to restart. U.S. Natural Gas Futures fell after the news. They lost half of the 8% increase that had taken prices to an all-time high earlier in the morning. Freeport is closely monitored around the globe.
Freeport LNG plant nearing full power again on Friday according to LSEG data
LSEG data revealed that the U.S. liquefied gas (LNG), company Freeport LNG, was on course to resume near-full power on Friday following an unexpected shutdown on Wednesday. Freeport is one the most watched U.S. export LNG plants in the World because of its history of changing global gas prices every time it restarts or shuts down. The Freeport outage was caused by a glitch that many thought would be temporary. Freeport announced on Wednesday that it was forced to close the plant because a fire suppression system, located in the control room for the pre-treatment facility, unexpectedly activated while performing routine maintenance.
Freeport LNG plant to resume service in Texas on Thursday, LSEG data indicates
LSEG data indicated that the U.S. liquefied gas (LNG), company Freeport LNG, was on schedule to resume service at its Texas export plant on Thursday. The facility had been shut down on Wednesday. Freeport is one the most watched U.S. export LNG plants in the World because of its history of changing global gas prices every time it restarts or shuts down. However, energy traders noted that the gas prices in other parts of the world did not change much on Wednesday, because Freeport had stated it was "actively reestablishing its operations." Traders said that this convinced the market that the outage would only last a short time.
U.S. Natgas Demand, Price Nosedive Continues
U.S. natural gas futures held near a 21-month low on Tuesday, keeping the contract on track for its second-biggest monthly drop in history, as a decline in output from this week's extreme cold offset forecasts for warmer weather and less heating demand next week than previously expected.Gas prices have been depressed for weeks due to a growing belief that the country has more than enough gas in storage for the rest of the winter and expectations that Freeport LNG's liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plant in Texas…
US Regulator to Allow Freeport LNG to Resume Partial Operations in October
The second-largest U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter on Wednesday said it reached an agreement with a federal regulator that will allow it to resume some operations at its Quintana, Texas, plant in October.Freeport LNG shut the plant, which supplies about 20% of U.S. LNG exports, following an explosion and fire on June 8. Its closure helped to push up LNG prices in Europe and Asia, and dampening U.S. natural gas prices.The operator reached a consent agreement with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) that included corrective measures the company must take to allow it to resume partial operations…
U.S. LNG Exports to Europe on Track to Surpass Biden Promise
When U.S. President Joe Biden promised European leaders in March that he would help secure new supplies of liquefied natural gas to offset shortages from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, his pledge was greeted with skepticism.After all, the U.S. LNG industry was already hitting its export limits and the global market is dominated by long-term contracts that can dictate where exported gas would go for 20years at a time.It turns out, however, that Biden's promise may have been far too modest.The United States is on track to blow past Biden’s March commitment of an additional 15 billion cubic meters of LNG for Europe this year…
US Becomes Top LNG Exporter in First Half of 2022 -EIA
The United States became the top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in the first half of 2022, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said, citing data from CEDIGAZ, as the country increased supply to Europe amid the Ukraine crisis.U.S. LNG exports rose 12% to average 11.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in the first half of the year compared with the second half of 2021, the EIA said. Increased LNG export capacity, higher prices, and demand, particularly from Europe, helped boost exports.LNG exports have been growing dramatically over the last several years as countries worldwide seek to diversify away from dirtier coal plants.
Freeport LNG Targets Year End for Full Operations After Fire
Freeport LNG, one of the largest operators of liquefied natural gas export plants in the United States,on Tuesday said last week's fire damage to its Texas plant would keep it fully offline until September with only partial operation through to the year end.Natural gas prices slumped in the United States and soared in Europe on the lengthier shutdown as the Quintana, Texas, facility produces roughly 20% of U.S. LNG exports and has been a major supplier to Europe, which has sought to move away from Russia since its…
Freeport LNG Plant Suffers Explosion
A explosion occurred on Wednesday at the Freeport LNG liquefied natural gas plant on the Texas Gulf Coast, according to police, and prompting an evacuation of nearby residents in Quintana, Texas.The plant can process up to 2.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day into a supercooled liquid for export.Freeport LNG acknowledged an incident occurred around 11:40 a.m. local time with providing further details. There were no injuries and all employees had been accounted for, a company spokesperson said. There currently is no risk to the surrounding community, she added.(Reuters - Reporting by Liz Hampton and Sabrina Valle)
US LNG Exports at 20-month Low
Natural gas flows to U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants plunged this month after falling to a 20-month low in June as coronavirus lockdowns cut global demand for the fuel.Before the pandemic slashed energy demand, U.S. producers counted on LNG exports to keep growing fast as an outlet for their record gas output. But after soaring 68% in 2019 and 53% in 2018, U.S. LNG exports were only expected to rise about 7% in 2020.Gas pipeline flows to U.S. LNG export plants dropped to an average of 3.1 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) so far in July from a 20-month low of 4.1 bcfd in June and a record high of 8.7 bcfd in February…
KBR to Move Away from LNG, Energy Business
Engineering and construction firm KBR Inc will exit most of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) construction and other energy projects, it told investors and employees, as customers pull back on energy investments.The company will refocus on government contracts and technology businesses, Chief Executive Stuart Bradie wrote to employees on Monday. It will "no longer engage in lump sum, blue collar construction services," saying the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the decision to leave fixed-contract energy projects.KBR held contracts for engineering and construction services for several LNG projects…
Virus Lockdowns Pummel Global Gas Demand, Force LNG Output Cuts
Lockdowns to slow the coronavirus pandemic are pummelling gas demand in the world's biggest buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), pushing Asia's spot prices to record lows and forcing some suppliers to start cutting output. Economies worldwide have ground to a halt as virus containment measures have taken their toll, slashing gas demand for power generation, heating, cooking, vehicles and chemical manufacture. The world's biggest LNG markets - Japan, China, South Korea, and India - are all seeing a drop in demand.
Australia Becomes World's Largest LNG Exporter
Australia has become the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in the world. The record figure knocked Qatar out of the top spot."Australia is set to become the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter this year, overtaking Qatar, with its supplies expected to reach 81 million tonnes (MT) as Ichthys LNG and Prelude FLNG increase production," Rystad Energy said.Meanwhile, Qatari exports will remain at current levels, around 77 MT. The US will increase LNG exports from about 36 MT in 2019 to 56 MT in 2020, dominating new LNG supply contributions.
Osaka Gas Looks to Sell Spare LNG in Europe
Japan's Osaka Gas has offered two liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes from the newly-commissioned Freeport LNG project in the United States for delivery into Europe, industry sources said.Mild weather in Japan and a weaker Chinese economy have helped to drag the global LNG market to multi-year lows and forced Asian sellers to seek alternative markets.Osaka Gas has offered the cargoes for delivery into Europe between July 5 and 13 and Nov. 9 and 17, said three of the sources, who asked not to be named because they are not authorized to speak to the press.Bids, which are linked to Dutch TTF prices, are due by Jan.
Freeport LNG Kicks Off Train 2
US-based Freeport LNG has started commercial operations at its second of three planned liquefaction trains.Freeport LNG Train 3 remains on track to meet its previously announced schedule, with initial production of LNG scheduled for Q1 of 2020, said McDermott International, Inc. with its partners, Chiyoda International Corporation and Zachry Group."We continue to advance the Freeport LNG Project with another significant accomplishment, the commercial operation of Train 2," said Mark Coscio, McDermott's Senior Vice President for North…
Flooding Disrupts U.S. Gulf Coast Energy Operations
Energy infrastructure on the U.S. Gulf Coast was hit hard by Tropical Storm Imelda on Thursday, as flooding forced a major refinery, a key oil pipeline, terminals and a ship channel in Texas to shut, according to sources familiar with operations.Torrential rain has inundated the Gulf Coast from Houston to western Louisiana for a second straight day. The National Hurricane Center forecast the storm could drop up to 40 inches (102 cm) of rain along the southeastern coast of Texas through Thursday night.Ship pilots stopped boarding vessels on the Beaumont…
Freeport Ships First LNG Commissioning Cargo
Texas-based LNG terminal operator Freeport LNG Development announced that it has shipped the first LNG commissioning cargo for Train 1 from its liquefaction facility located on Quintana Island in Freeport, Texas.Approximately 150,000 cubic meters of LNG were loaded aboard the LNG Jurojin, which departed from the Freeport LNG terminal on September 3."This first cargo loading is another significant step that gets us one step closer towards our start of commercial operations which is anticipated later this month," said Michael Smith…
First Production for Freeport LNG
Freeport LNG has reached a new milestone - it has become the sixth major US liquefaction facility to start up, with the operator confirming that production had begun at the Texas facility."McDermott International along with its partners, Chiyoda International Corporation and Zachry Group, announced that Train 1 of the Freeport LNG project on Quintana Island in Freeport, Texas, has begun producing liquefied natural gas (LNG)," said a press release.The American multinational engineering, procurement, construction and installation company said that while production is in the initial phases…
Freeport LNG Reaches Milestone
Freeport LNG has reached final commissioning on Train 1 of its liquefaction project on Quintana Island in Freeport, Texas, following months of construction delays.American multinational engineering firm McDermott International along with its partners, Chiyoda International Corporation and Zachry Group, announced that crews have introduced feed gas into Train 1 of the liquefied natural gas export terminal.When fully operational, Train 1 will produce more than 5M metric tons/year of LNG, said a joint press release."We…
Total Takes Over Toshiba's U.S. LNG Biz
French energy giant Total takes over the liquefied natural gas business of Japanese outfit Toshiba's Freeport LNG train tolling agreement and gains $800 million.The French oil and gas company will is paying $15 million for the shares in the Texan assets, the firms said. Toshiba will also pay Total $815 million to take over all the contracts linked to the business, Total added."It includes a 20-year tolling agreement for 2.2 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of LNG from Freeport LNG train 3 in Texas and the corresponding gas transportation agreements on the pipelines feeding the terminal.
