Japan returns to long term LNG deals on AI boom and national energy plan
The liquefied gas industry in Japan is once again in the spotlight, as artificial intelligence booms and rising costs of cleaner energy drive the appetite for long-term LNG contracts. Japan, which is the second largest LNG importer in the world, has secured long-term deals with Qatar, and other buyers are also securing such agreements. Japan's LNG exports have been falling for over a decade, as the nuclear power plants that were idled following the Fukushima catastrophe began to operate again and renewable energy sources increased. The AI boom will require enormous power consumption from data centres.
Baker Hughes sells sensor unit to Crane at $1.15 billion
Baker Hughes announced on Monday that it would sell its Precision Sensors and Instrumentation (PSI), product line to aerospace parts and defense parts manufacturer Crane, for $1.15 Billion. The oilfield services provider is looking to optimize its portfolio. Lorenzo Simonelli, the CEO of Baker Hughes, has been reshaping the company to adapt to global energy transformation. He has shed non-core assets and invested in cleaner energy solutions. Oil industry struggles with low spending on oilfield activities. The company relies on portfolio refinement to increase earnings and cash flow.
Haddad, Brazil's Haddad, supports research on oil deposits near the mouth of Amazon
Fernando Haddad, the Finance Minister of Brazil, said that while the search for oil near the mouth the Amazon River must continue in Brazil, any discoveries made should not slow down the country's transition towards cleaner energy. The mouth of the Amazon, a vast area stretching between Rio Grande do Norte (Northern Brazil) and Amapa (Southern Brazil), is the area that has the most potential for oil discovery in Brazil's Equatorial Margin. "I'm in favor of doing research. I think it is important to find out what there is. Haddad told local media outlet GloboNews that the oil, if it exists, cannot be used as an excuse to delay energy transition.
Tauron's net profit for the full year fell 48% due to a drop in revenues
The Polish utility Tauron reported a 48% drop in its net profit for the full year, due mainly to lower revenue from electricity sales. The preliminary figures for March were a little lower than the results of the company. Tauron is Poland's second largest power utility based on market value. Its coal-fired fleet has been losing money, and the company faces pressure from a shift towards renewable energy. According to the energy think tank Forum Energii the coal use in the country has decreased as it works to reduce its dependency. Coal will account for about 57.1% (or 57.1%) of the nation's electric generation by 2024.
Colombia considers long-term contracts for gas imports to cover the deficit and lower prices
Edwin Palma, Minister of Mines and Energy in Colombia, said that the government may sign long-term contracts for gas imports to help cover its energy shortage and reduce prices. According to the Colombian Natural Gas Association, (Naturgas), Colombia is facing a shortage of gas of 7.6%. This is partly due to a lower production as part of President Gustavo Petro’s push towards cleaner energy policies. The minister stated that "we've worked with Naturgas and Energy and Gas Regulation Commission to weigh different alternatives and regulatory stipulations", in order to allow natural gas sales over a period of 3-5 years.
Indonesia Minister says other countries will not follow U.S. withdrawal from JETP Energy Transition Funding
A senior Indonesian Minister said that the United States' decision not to continue with the Just Energy Transition Partnership (a commitment of developed countries to fund energy transition) will have no impact on the commitments made by the other partners. JETP, a global financing initiative that brings together rich nations with lenders from around the world to assist poorer countries adopt cleaner energy sources, has allocated $20 billion for Indonesia to reduce its emissions. Earlier this week, the U.S. announced that it was withdrawing from its JETP agreements with Indonesia and South Africa. The U.S. commitment to Indonesia is over $2 billion.
German energy transition could cost 300 billion euros less with greater efficiency, according to a study
According to a report released by the Boston Consulting Group on Thursday, Germany could save over 300 billion euros (326.49 billion dollars) by 2035 if it implements the energy transition in a more efficient manner. Germany will spend hundreds of millions of euros in the next few years to transition towards cleaner energy sources, with a goal of being carbon neutral by 2045. Berlin is also under pressure from the industry to reduce energy costs that are stubbornly high. The BDI report calculated the savings based upon current plans.
Exxon Mobil to receive LNG from ARC Resources
ARC Resources announced on Tuesday that it had signed a long-term liquefied gas supply contract with a division of Exxon Mobil. In recent years, global LNG demand has increased amid a move towards cleaner energy. The U.S. is now a major supplier of both Europe and Asia. ExxonMobil LNG Asia Pacific has announced that it will buy all of ARC’s LNG from the Cedar LNG Project, which is approximately 1.5 million tonnes per year (mtpa), ARC said. Cedar LNG, a project in partnership with the Haisla Nation, located on Canada's West Coast and Pembina Pipeline, will begin commercial operations by 2028. Its capacity is 3.3 million tonnes annually (mtpa).
GE Vernova signs deal to support Amazon's data center expansion
The renewable energy company GE Vernova announced on Tuesday that it had signed an agreement with Amazon’s cloud services to support its data center expansion plans. GE Vernova stated that the agreement with Amazon Web Services would help address global energy demand and improve grid security, reliability, and carbon emissions. Big Tech has spent billions on developing AI technology, infrastructure and cleaner energy sources. The company will supply AWS a range of solutions to electrify data centers in North America, Europe and Asia and to reduce carbon emissions. Pablo Koziner is the chief commercial officer of GE Vernova.
Irish Government approves floating LNG emergency facility
On Tuesday, the Irish government announced that it had approved the development of an emergency temporary facility for importing liquefied gas (LNG) and storing it. Ireland is one out of five EU members without domestic storage. The government says this is a problem in the event that one or both subsea interconnectors are damaged. The emergency reserve is a floating storage unit and regassification (FSRU) with a capacity of 170,000 cubic meters of LNG. It will be able supply 200,000 domestic gas customers on average for six months. Gas Networks Ireland will own it on behalf of Ireland.
First Solar launches legal action against JinkoSolar for forecasting higher sales in 2025
First Solar, a solar panel manufacturer, forecasted higher sales for the current year and reported a rise of its fourth-quarter profits on Tuesday. It also announced that it had taken legal action against JinkoSolar over patent infringement. Extended trading saw shares up by 3.8% to $153.00. In November, the Biden administration imposed tariffs on imports of solar panels from four Southeast Asian countries after American manufacturers complained that companies were flooding markets with cheap products, which benefited U.S. firms such as First Solar, who produce locally. Solar-generated electricity has become one of the fastest growing segments in the U.S.
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.
DTE Energy's capital expenditure plan is increased, but the fourth-quarter profits are lower due to lower rates
DTE Energy increased its five-year plan for capital expenditures by $5 billion, on Thursday. The utility had posted a decline in the fourth quarter profit due to lower electricity prices. U.S. utilities are increasing their capital expenditure plans in order to upgrade the electric grid and lines to meet the needs of power-hungry industries. DTE announced that it will spend $30 billion in its five-year plan to improve grid stability and transition to cleaner energy. DTE said that the plan could also support incremental data center investments.
Report shows that global energy investment exceeded $2 trillion last year.
BloombergNEF reported on Thursday that global investment in the low-carbon energy transformation exceeded $2 trillion last year for the first. Many experts believe that the pace of development is too slow. Countries all over the world are developing and investing in cleaner energy sources and infrastructure, but they still have not met the climate targets set by the Paris Agreement. To achieve a net-zero emissions target before the mid-century, global energy investment must average $5.6 trillion per year between 2025 and 2030.
California sets clear course to close Aliso Canyon Gas Storage Facility
California's utilities regulatory agency on Thursday set out a clear path to potentially close SoCalGas Aliso Canyon's gas storage facility. The regulator prioritized energy reliability and affordability, as the state moves towards cleaner energy. In a press release, the California Public Utilities Commission said that it has set an annual peak natural gas demand of 4,121,000,000 cubic feet. This is the level at which Southern California will be able to meet its demand without Aliso Canyon. The regulator stated that the natural gas demand is on a downward trend in Southern California as a result the state's climate goals and policies.
Biden's DoE LNG Export Study Tepid on New Permits
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden released a long-awaited study on the economic and environmental impacts of liquefied natural gas exports on Tuesday, saying the results underscored the need for a cautious approach to new permits.Biden in January had paused the Department of Energy's approvals of U.S. LNG exports to big consumers in Asia and Europe so that his administration could conduct the review, triggering complaints from the oil and gas industry."The main takeaway is that a business-as-usual approach is neither sustainable nor advisable," Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told reporters ahead of the release of the study.
Colombia's Ecopetrol signs agreement with Parex Resources for oil and gas development
Ecopetrol, Colombia's largest state-owned energy firm, announced on Wednesday that it had signed five agreements to enhance the production of oil and natural gas in the Andean nation. The first four agreements will involve an investment of $350 million. These projects are planned in Colombia's Putumayo Province and Narino Province. Companies hope to increase crude oil volumes to the existing projects, as well as explore potential resources around the area. Ecopetrol announced that a $60 million investment will be made in the Cundinamarca Province to develop an exploratory well with the goal of producing light crude and gas.
A survey shows that big steelmakers are not switching to renewable energy sources.
A survey of 18 major firms revealed that the world's largest steelmakers are falling further behind in their shift to low-carbon production. Some still rely on fossil fuels as their primary source of energy. The steel industry is responsible for around 7% of the global CO2 emissions. This is about the same as India. Coal-fired blasting furnaces produce 2 tons of CO2 per ton of output. There are alternative technologies, such as electric arc-furnaces (EAFs), which can be powered by renewable sources. The climate group Action Speaks Louder…
ADNOC, the state oil company of UAE, has established an international investment arm XRG
ADNOC, the state-owned oil company of the United Arab Emirates, announced on Wednesday that it had launched XRG. This investment firm focuses on low-carbon energy sources and chemicals. It is valued at over $80 billion. When it starts operating in 2025's first quarter, the company will focus initially on "transformational global investments". This is according to a statement from its parent Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. ADNOC made a series of acquisitions, including in the gas and chemical industries. Along with LNG and renewables, it sees these as pillars to its future growth.
World Bank: Bosnia must invest $6.8 billion to combat climate change impacts
Bosnia and Herzegovina faces risks of flooding, wildfires, and severe air pollution. A World Bank report released on Wednesday said that the country needs to invest 6,8 billion dollars over the next 10 years to offset the effects of climate change. The report stated that climate-related damages, including floods, could shrink Bosnia’s economy by as much as 14% by the year 2050. It also stressed the importance of nature-based solutions, such as the restoration of floodplains and the preservation and protection peatlands, to increase resilience and boost economic growth.
