Exxon to build large-scale gas projects in Guyana, a country dominated by oil
Exxon Mobil, the U.S. oil giant, announced a massive project on Wednesday to increase natural-gas production and supply in Guyana. This follows the government's request for more gas as fuel to power onshore projects and petrochemical ones. Alistair Routledge of Exxon Guyana, the head of Exxon in Guyana, outlined a "Wales Gas Vision" that will provide gas to produce fertilizers via a pipeline worth $1 billion completed last year. Through its Gas-to-Energy Project, the government will use a portion (of the gas) supplied by Exxon to generate electricity and produce natural gas liquids.
Cyprus and Chevron led group agree on updated offshore field plan
Cyprus and the Chevron-led group have reached an agreement on a new development plan for an offshore gas field near Cyprus. The two parties released a joint press release on Friday. Chevron tried to change a field development plan for 2019 and this led to protracted discussions on the future of the Aphrodite field, south-east from Cyprus. This plan was agreed upon between Cyprus and Noble, a former license holder and independent energy operator Chevron purchased in 2020. The Development and Production Plan announced on Friday included a floating production facility, also called a gas-processing facility, and pipelines for the export of gas to Egypt.
Woodside and Trinidad have agreed to initial commercial terms for deepwater natural gas, an executive says
According to three sources with knowledge of the discussions, a Woodside executive and a Trinidad and Tobago government official have agreed on an initial commercial agreement for the development of Woodside's Calypso gas deepwater discoveries. This brings the project closer to the final investment decision. In order to fully utilize its gas processing capability, the Caribbean country is Latin America's biggest LNG exporter. It has pushed producers, particularly those offshore, into accelerating natural gas production. Lack of gas has hampered LNG production and exports in recent years.
Russians warned not to panic about a 'gas cloud" in a city near a plant that was struck by Ukraine
The Governor of Russia's Astrakhan Region told its residents to not panic after the main city was covered in a natural gas cloud on Wednesday. Its main city is located near a large gas chemical complex which was attacked this week by Ukrainian drones. The gas smelled by the public was caused by the restart of production at a plant in the south of the city of Astrakhan. Astrakhan has about 475,000 residents. "Dear Citizens, this morning, the city was covered with a cloud that smelled like natural gas. It is produced after processing, and it has a distinct smell," he wrote in Telegram.
Baker Hughes exceeds its quarterly profit expectations on natgas demand
Baker Hughes, a U.S. oilfield equipment company, beat Wall Street's fourth-quarter profit estimates on Thursday as strong demand for natural gas products and services offset the weak sales of its drill gear in North America. Oilfield services companies are struggling with lower demand, as extraction technology becomes more efficient and increased supplies discourage more drilling from energy companies. Baker Hughes reported that revenue for its oilfield service segment in North America fell by 5%, while international markets saw a 1% drop.
Trinidad and Tobago auctions 26 deepwater oil and natural gas blocks at the largest ever auction
Official notices state that Trinidad and Tobago offered 26 offshore oil and natural gas blocks on Tuesday in its largest ever auction of deepwater exploration and production areas. In order to fully utilize its gas processing capability, the twin-island Caribbean nation, Latin America's biggest exporter of LNG, is pressing producers, particularly those offshore, to increase natural gas production. Trinidad and Tobago is trying to secure sufficient gas supplies for its LNG and Petrochemical sectors by offering new blocks bordering Venezuela and Guyana.
Beware of Egypt's smokestack reshoring as Cement Exports Soar: Maguire
North Africa's second largest natural gas producer and its largest economy have increased the production and exports of several energy-intensive commodities in an effort to boost the growth of their industrial sector. Egypt's exports of chemicals, fertilizers, and cement doubled from 2022 to 2024. They have also grown by 350% in the last year thanks to government initiatives aimed at promoting rapid industrial growth. The increased output in Egypt coincides with a decrease in production in Europe of the same commodities. This trend highlights the growing trend of re-shoring smokestack industries away from areas of high energy costs and pollution control.
Beware of Egypt's smokestack reshoring as Cement Exports Soar: Maguire
North Africa's second largest natural gas producer and its largest economy have increased the production and exports of several energy-intensive commodities in an effort to boost the growth of their industrial sector. Egypt's exports of chemicals, fertilizers, and cement doubled from 2022 to 2024. They have also grown by 350% in the last year thanks to government initiatives aimed at promoting rapid industrial growth. The increased output in Egypt coincides with a decrease in production in Europe of the same commodities. This trend highlights the growing re-shoring away from areas of high energy costs and pollution control.
Norway's Troll field produced record volumes in 2024
Equinor, a Norwegian company, announced on Monday that the Troll field in the North Sea produced a record amount of natural gas in 2020. This is an increase of nearly 10% over the previous high in 2022. Equinor released a statement that stated the Troll field would deliver 42.5 billion standard cube metres (bcm), up from 38.8 in 2022. Equinor reports that Norway is Europe's biggest natural gas supplier after a sharp decline in Russian supplies since the beginning of the Ukraine war in 2022. The Troll field, alone, can meet around 11% the European Union's demand, Equinor says. Equinor owns Troll which started production in 1996.
Abu Dhabi's ADNOC Gas names Fatema Al-Nuaimi as its new CEO
ADNOC Gas in Abu Dhabi announced on Tuesday the appointment of Fatema al Nuaimi to its CEO position, with effect from January 1, after Ahmed Alebri decided to step down following nearly two years as the leader. In a press release, the company stated that Al Nuaimi would lead the delivery ADNOC Gas’ ambitious business strategy, which is focused on decarbonization and future-proofing. Alebri, meanwhile, will be the CEO of ADNOC Sour Gas as of next month. Al Nuaimi is the executive vice president of downstream business management at ADNOC. He was previously ADNOC LNG CEO from 2022 to now and worked on ADNOC’s gas masterplan.
Nigeria signs $1.2 Billion deal to upgrade gas plant for aluminum smelter
The Nigerian Petroleum Ministry announced that the country has signed a contract worth $1.2 billion with CNCEC, a state-owned Chinese engineering firm. This project is crucial to the production of aluminium in Nigeria. The agreement between CNCEC, the main investor in Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ASCN), and BFI Group is the first step in reviving this dormant facility that has lain idle for years due to financial and legal issues. The Petroleum Ministry announced late Monday that CNCEC would resurrect the 135 million standard cubic feet per day gas-processing plant at the dormant aluminum smelter.
Gazprom subsidiary claims $880 million against Linde
Court documents revealed on Wednesday that a subsidiary of Russia’s gas giant Gazprom filed a claim against Linde, claiming 879 million dollars. The Amur Gas Processing Plant, a subsidiary of Gazprom, filed the complaint on October 29 at the Arbitration Court in Amur Region in Russia's East. Linde has left Russia, and the Power of Siberia Pipeline plant that facilitates Russian gas to China exports, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in February 2022. In June 2021, the first technological line of the plant will be operational. Next year, the plant will reach its full capacity of 42 billion cubic meters of natural gas processing.
US regulators support Venture Global LNG's claims of equipment failure
U.S. regulators said Venture Global LNG took adequate steps on Friday to correct equipment issues at a Louisiana-based gas-processing facility that have prevented the company from delivering goods to long-term customers under contract for over two years. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's findings support the U.S. liquefied gas exporter’s claim that the Calcasieu Pass plant in Louisiana has not been fully commissioned. Venture Global LNG is battling a half-dozen contract arbitration suits from customers regarding the plant's issues.
Prices of EUROPE GAS soften on stronger winds and Norwegian supply
The Dutch and British wholesale prices of gas have weakened slightly Tuesday morning due to forecasts of increased wind generation and Norwegian supply. However, colder weather could still increase prices. LSEG data revealed that the benchmark contract for the Dutch TTF hub at the front-month was down 0.26 euros at 35.95 euro per megawatt (MWh) at 0823 GMT. The contract for November also decreased by 0.06 euros to 36.70 euro/MWh. The front month in the British market was 0.95 pence less at 86.20 cents per therm. The price of some Norwegian maintenance work and the colder weather forecast for October's start have increased prices on Monday.
Shell cancels the Norway Hydrogen Project due to a lack of Demand
Shell announced on Monday that it had scrapped plans to build a low carbon hydrogen plant along Norway's westcoast due to lack of demand. This comes just days after Equinor canceled a similar project planned in Norway. Blue hydrogen is a combination of natural gas and carbon capture and storage. It has been hailed as a way to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in European industry. However, it's more expensive than other methods. Equinor announced on Friday that it had scrapped its plans to export blue hydrogen to Germany and produce it in Norway because it was too costly and insufficiently demanded.
Kiewit: Equipment shortages increase costs of LNG plants
Tom Shelby, Kiewit Energy's President, said that the boom in U.S. LNG plant construction has caused shortages of electric motors, transformers and generators. This has contributed to increased costs and construction delays. Shelby noted that equipment shortages, rising costs of wages, cement and other materials have increased the cost to build new LNG plants between 25 and 30 percent over the past five years. Wages have also increased by 20 percent in line with inflationary costs. Kiewit is one of the largest U.S. contractors and has built LNG plants, including Venture Global's 12-million-ton-per-annum (MTPA), Calcasieu Pass plant in Louisiana.
Linde UK assets frozen by Russian court for $1.2 billion
In a dispute over the ownership of a gas plant, a Russian court ordered assets of a British Linde subsidiary worth $1.15 billion to be frozen. RusChemAlliance is a joint-venture 50% owned by Russia’s Gazprom. RusChemAlliance filed other lawsuits against European banks for the construction of a German-owned gas processing plant with Russia's Linde that was halted by Western sanctions. RusChemAlliance asked the Court of Arbitration of St Petersburg & Leningrad Region for interim measures, including the freezing of assets owned by the subsidiary Linde Russia UK Limited.
Floating Power Plants: Is Nuclear the Key in the Net-zero Energy Transition?
Floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) may not immediately spring to mind as providing a solution to several of today’s key global challenges – but FNPP development is emerging as a means of decentralized stand-alone production of cost competitive hydrogen-based fuels and clean electricity and water, according to a new report by Intelatus Global Partners.The commercial case for deployment of FNPPs featuring small modular reactors is founded in the growing demand for hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels.Around 90 million tonnes of hydrogen is currently produced annually – almost exclusively produced from fossil fuels.
Williams Inks Deal for Whale Deepwater Transport Services
Williams (NYSE: WMB) reached an agreement with Shell Offshore Inc. and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. to provide offshore natural gas gathering and crude oil transportation services as well as onshore natural gas processing services for the Whale development located approximately 10 miles from the Shell-operated Perdido host facility.Williams plans to expand its existing Gulf of Mexico offshore infrastructure via a 25-mile gas lateral pipeline build from the Whale platform to the existing Perdido gas pipeline and a new 125-mile oil pipeline to the existing Williams-owned GA-A244 junction platform.
Blount Named CEO at BCCK
Midland, Texas-based engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firm BCCK, Inc. said its founder, Clark Butts and its Board of Directors have unanimously chosen Kevin Blount as the organization's next Chief Executive Officer.Blount, who currently serves as BCCK’s Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Butts, the company's founder and current CEO, who after leading the company for 40 years has chosen to step aside from some aspects of the day-to-day operations. Butts will continue to provide strategic oversight to the business but will specifically focus on technology and new product development…
