U.S. Senate Panel Backs Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Sanctions Bill
A U.S. Senate committee passed a bill on Wednesday to slap sanctions on companies and individuals involved in building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany that the Trump administration says would strengthen Moscow's economic grip on Europe.The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act by 20 to 2. The bill reflects some lawmakers' concerns over Russian influence in Europe, but would need to pass the full Senate and House of Representatives and be signed by President Donald Trump to become law. (Reuters, Reporting by Timothy Gardner and Patricia Zengerle Editing by Susan Thomas)
Petrobras to Sell Natural Gas Assets
Brazilian state-owned oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA has reached an agreement with anti-trust regulator Cade to sell off a series of natural gas transportation and distribution assets, the company said in an exchange filing on Monday.Petrobras, as the company is commonly known, said it had pledged to sell stakes in pipeline networks including a 10% stake in Nova Transportadora do Sudeste (NTS) SA, 10% in Transportadora Associada de Gas (TAG) SA and 51% in Transportadora Brasileira Gasoduto Bolivia-Brasil (TBG) SA.It would also sell its indirect ownership in distribution companies, possibly by selling its 51% ownership in subsidiary Gaspetro or th
US Drillers Add Rigs
U.S. energy firms this week increased the number of oil rigs operating for a second week in a row with oil futures up about 12% over the past couple of weeks despite plans by most producers to cut spending on new drilling this year.The rig count, however, was still down 92, or 10%, since the start of the year.Companies added four oil rigs in the week to June 28, bringing the total count to 793, General Electric Co's Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Friday.That compares with 858 rigs operating during the same week a year ago.For the month, drillers cut seven rigs, their seventh consecutive cut.
Icahn Sues Oxy Over 'Misguided' Anadarko Deal
Occidental Petroleum Corp 's activist investor Carl Icahn has filed a lawsuit against the company over what it called its "misguided" pact to buy Anadarko Petroleum Corp, and may seek a special meeting to remove and replace board members.The lawsuit, filed on Thursday in Delaware by a group of Icahn companies, calls Occidental's recent agreement to purchase Anadarko for $38 billion "fundamentally misguided and hugely overpriced," and says "management wanted to avoid a vote at almost all costs."Icahn, who has built a $1.6 billion position in the company…
Husky Cuts Long-term Spend to Boost Cash Flow
Husky Energy Inc on Tuesday nearly doubled its free cash flow target over five years as it cut its planned capital spending at a time when investors have been calling on oil and gas companies to shore up capital for buybacks and dividends.Oil production curtailments imposed this year by the government of Canada's energy-rich province Alberta, as well as rising global oil prices, have allowed Canadian producers to rake in the highest revenues in five years. Many favor paying down debt or returning cash to shareholders as uncertainty remains about construction of new Canadian pipeline capacity."Oil and gas and energy is pretty unloved…
Chevron Profit Falls 27%
Chevron Corp's first-quarter profit fell 27 percent from a year earlier due to lower crude oil prices and weaker margins in its refining and chemicals businesses, but topped forecasts and signaled it is committed to buying smaller rival Anadarko Petroleum Corp.The No. 2 U.S. oil and natural gas producer this week found itself in a takeover duel for Anadarko, a smaller oil and gas producer, when Occidental Petroleum Corp made a $38 billion offer that topped Chevron's $33 billion bid.Chevron's oil and gas production rose during the quarter, and profits in its U.S. exploration business jumped 15 percent from a year earlier.
ExxonMobil Misses Q1 Profit Estimates
Exxon Mobil Corp on Friday reported a 49 percent fall in first-quarter profit that missed forecasts due to weakness across its major businesses that showed the turnaround at the company remains a work in progress.The largest U.S. oil producer posted its first loss in its refining business since 2009 on higher maintenance costs and reported lower profits in chemicals and oil and gas."It was a tough market environment for us this quarter," Exxon Senior Vice President Jack Williams said on a call with analysts.First-quarter profit fell to $2.35 billion…
Oil Hits 2019 High
Oil prices jumped more than 2 percent on Monday to a near six-month high, on growing concern about tight global supplies after the United States announced a further clampdown on Iranian oil exports.Washington said it will eliminate in May all waivers allowing eight economies to buy Iranian oil without facing U.S. sanctions."The geopolitical risk premium is back in the oil market, in a big way," said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC in New York. "Most, if not all, legitimate commercial interests will avoid Iran oil purchases.
US Lease Sale a Test for Drilling Demand
The Trump administration will hold its fourth major auction for oil and gas leases in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, in a fresh test of demand from drillers that have lately been shying away from the region.The outcome of the lease sale will provide the last big signal from the industry about their interest in U.S. waters before President Donald Trump's Interior Department releases a long-awaited proposal to expand offshore drilling, possibly to new areas of the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic.Wednesday's sale will include all available unleased areas in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico…
BW Offshore Cleared to Buy Brazil Oilfield
Norway's BW Offshore has won approval from Brazil's antitrust watchdog Cade to buy the Maromba oilfield from Petrobras and Chevron, according to a statement in the official gazette on Wednesday.Petrobras has a 70 percent stake in the field, while Chevron has a 30 percent stake."The transaction represents an opportunity for BW to enter and start its activities in the oil and natural gas exploration and production market in Brazil," Cade said in a statement, adding that the transaction "does not lead to competitive concerns."Petrobras informed Cade that the sale is part of its divestment program, while Chevron said the sale is strategic, allowing it
BW Offshore Approved to Buy Brazil Oilfield from Petrobras, Chevron
Norway's BW Offshore has won approval from Brazil's antitrust watchdog Cade to buy the Maromba oilfield from Petrobras and Chevron , according to a statement in the official gazette on Wednesday.Petrobras has a 70 percent stake in the field, while Chevron has a 30 percent stake."The transaction represents an opportunity for BW to enter and start its activities in the oil and natural gas exploration and production market in Brazil," Cade said in a statement, adding that the transaction "does not lead to competitive concerns."Petrobras informed Cade that the sale is part of its divestment program…
Woodside Raises Dividend
Australia's Woodside Petroleum Ltd surprised investors with a fat dividend on Thursday after reporting a 36-percent percent rise in annual profit, underpinned by stronger oil prices.The higher-than-expected payout came after shareholders stumped up $2.5 billion to buy new shares a year ago at a time when Australia's biggest independent oil and gas producer expected oil prices to average $65 a barrel.By the end of the year it was flush with cash as oil prices had averaged $71 and the Wheatstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project…
Mexico to Cancel February Oil and Gas Auctions
Mexico's energy secretary Rocio Nahle said on Saturday that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's newly installed administration would cancel two bidding rounds for oil and gas areas scheduled for February.They were slated to include auctions for 37 onshore blocks and 9 unconventional and conventional areas, including shale resources, Nahle told reporters at an event in the state of Chiapas.(Reporting by Marianna Parraga and Daina Beth Solomon Editing by Susan Thomas)
US Drillers Add Rigs for Fourth Week in Five
U.S. energy firms added oil rigs for a fourth time in the last five, keeping the rig count at its highest in over three years even though crude futures were on track to fall for a fifth week in a row to their lowest level since February.Drillers added 12 oil rigs in the week to Nov. 9, bringing the total count to 886, the highest level since March 2015, General Electric Co's Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Friday.The U.S. rig count, an early indicator of future output, is higher…
U.S. Pipeline Operators Reap Hefty Profits from Bottlenecks in Texas
Some of the biggest pipeline operators in the United States have supercharged earnings this year by buying deeply discounted shale in West Texas oilfields and selling it at a premium at Gulf Coast ports.These companies are taking advantage of extraordinary markdowns in West Texas where surging production and a lack of pipeline space sent the regional price for oil in late August $23 per barrel below the coastal price in Houston.Record profits illustrate the divide between the haves - those with guaranteed pipeline space - and the have nots, producers that must sell oil at the wellhead.
Petrobras Earnings Miss Forecasts
Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA on Tuesday reported a surge in third-quarter net profit that still lagged forecasts as oil prices rose but spending at the state-owned company jumped.Petrobras made a net profit of 6.644 billion reais ($1.78 billion), well above the 266 million reais it posted a year earlier, but shy of a $1.98 billion average Refinitiv IBES estimate.Analysts were particularly concerned by a 50 percent cut in free cash flow to 8.115 billion reais from the prior quarter, as Petrobras boosted capital spending and made a second payment as part of the settlement of a class action lawsuit over graft in January."We have a negative view…
US Oil Drillers Cut Rigs for First Week in Four
The U.S. oil drilling rig count declined this week for the first time in four weeks, although the rig count held close to its highest in over three years as production surges to record highs and some companies forecast even higher output this year.Drillers cut one oil rig in the week to Nov. 2, bringing the total count down to 874, General Electric Co's Baker Hughes energy services firm said in its closely followed report on Friday.The U.S. rig count, an early indicator of future output, is higher than a year ago when 729…
Peru Suspends Natural Gas Exports, Imposes Fuel Rationing
Peru has suspended exports of natural gas and will impose fuel rationing due to technical issues at Argentine energy company Pluspetrol's operations in the country, it said on Thursday.Peru, one of South America's largest producers of natural gas, declared an emergency to direct all natural gas supplies for domestic consumption, citing a drop in production at Pluspetrol's Las Malvinas plant in the Camisea gas fields in southern Peru.The Camisea consortium, which Pluspetrol controls, said it partially suspended operations…
China LNG Tariff Casts Shadow Over New US Export Terminals
China set a 10 percent tariff on U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports, extending a trade dispute into energy and casting a shadow over U.S. export terminals that would propel the United States into the world's second-largest LNG seller.Beijing on Tuesday said it would tax U.S. products worth $60 billion effective Sept. 24 in retaliation for tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump in an escalating trade war.The rate was smaller than the 25 percent tariff China had touted earlier, which offered some relief and helped shares in listed U.S. LNG companies climb.The tariffs undermine Trump's drive to use U.S.
US Gulf Oil Output Takes a Hit from Storm
Tropical Storm Gordon forced a cut of 9.36 percent of crude oil production in U.S.-regulated areas of the Gulf of Mexico, slightly more than Tuesday, the U.S.
