Saturday, July 27, 2024

Energy Ministry News

ADNOC, AG&P Agree FSU Lease for Philippines First LNG Terminal Launch in July

©ADNOC

The logistics arm of state oil firm Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) will supply a floating storage unit to LNG logistics company AG&P to launch the Philippines' first LNG import terminal in July, the companies said on Wednesday.Singapore-based Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific International Holdings (AG&P) signed an 11-year charter agreement, extendable by four years, to convert ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S) liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier ISH into a floating storage…

UK and Norway Sign Deal On New Power Interconnector

Credit: OED

Britain and Norway on Thursday signed a bilateral treaty on electricity interconnection to help formalize power trading between the two countries, Britain's ministry for business and energy (BEIS) said.The agreement comes ahead of the start of commercial testing operations in October of the North Sea Link, the first electricity interconnector between the two countries."Today's agreement ensures that the full benefits of the North Sea Link interconnector are realized by ensuring…

Renewable Energy: Wave Power Projects Takes a Big Step

Jaffa Port floaters illustration. Image: ECO Wave Power

Eco Wave Power has secured the engineering coordination permit from the Municipality of Tel-Aviv Jaffa (permit number 2020-3249) needed for the cement works and installation of 10floaters for the EWP-EDF One wave energy project in the Port of Jaffa, Israel.This permit allows Eco Wave Power to proceed with the actual installation of the project in the seaside of the breakwater, which shall include cement works for the breakwater’s reinforcement and the installation of 10 floaters, on 30 linear meters of a pre-existing breakwater within the port, having an installed capacity of 100 KW.

EU Energy Watchdog Sanctions Bosnia over Non-compliance with Rules

View of the Sarajevo city center and the parliament building -  Image by MuamerO/AdobeStock

The European Union's energy watchdog has extended sanctions against Bosnia for another two years over the Balkan country's failure to comply with the body's gas and electricity sector regulations.Bosnia has been sanctioned for much of the period since 2015 due to its persistent failure to amend legislation in accordance with the Second Energy Package in the gas sector, the Sulphur in Fuels Directive, and the Third Energy Package in both electricity and gas."Bosnia and Herzegovina will not participate in the decision-making on matters of budget and enforcement for a period of two years…

Norwegian Businesses See Rise in Wind Industry Orders

© pedrosala / Adobe Stock

Onshore wind companies provided the largest revenue stream for the Norwegian renewables industry from sales of equipment, construction and consultancy services in 2019, overtaking hydropower, according to a report published on Friday.Onshore wind is a new source of energy for the Nordic country which has, for decades, relied on hydropower to produce nearly all of its electricity.Total Norwegian renewable industry turnover, excluding the production and sale of power and heat, reached a record-high 45.1 billion crowns ($4.89 billion) last year…

Lundin Energy Chief Schneiter: Output Trending Upward at Sverdrup

(Photo: Ole Jørgen Bratland / Equinor)

Norway's Johan Sverdrup oilfield, the largest in western Europe, is ramping up production in the fourth quarter after the government increased its production permit, Lundin Energy, a partner in the field, said on Friday.Equinor-operated Sverdrup increased its production capacity to 470,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) in March from an original 440,000 boed, but output was soon after capped by government-imposed limits.Norway in May joined OPEC and other producers in voluntary output curbs to help prop up oil prices as the novel coronavirus pandemic undermined demand.Maintenance wor

Oil Prices Up as Faith in Supply Cuts Grows

© Pavel Ignatov / Adobe Stock

Oil prices rose on Tuesday, supported by growing confidence that producers are following through on commitments to cut supplies and as fuel demand picks up as coronavirus lockdowns ease.Brent crude futures were up 1.4%, or 48 cents, at $36.01 a barrel by 1210 GMT.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 2.3%, or 75 cents, to $34. There was no WTI settlement on Monday because of the U.S. Memorial Day holiday."The current recovery in oil prices has primarily been driven by supply considerations.

Gas Output to Resume at Israel's Leviathan After Brief Halt

File photo: Noble Energy

Production at Israel's offshore Leviathan natural gas field will resume in the coming hours after an emergency shutdown on Saturday, the project's operator Noble Energy said [on Saturday].The platform's flare system had been activated to burn off excess gas, generating a flame visible from shore, in what Israel's Energy Ministry called an "emergency closure."Noble initially referred to it as an "operational event" but updated later it had been a false alarm caused by a gas detector…

Azerbaijan's Jan-April Oil Output Flat

A night view of BP's Shah Deniz Platform located in the Caspian sea, off the coast of Azerbaijan / Credit: BP

Azerbaijan's oil and gas condensate output was flat in January-April at 12.4 million tonnes compared with 12.44 million tonnes in the same period last year, the Energy Ministry said on Thursday.Natural gas output rose to 13.4 billion cubic meters (bcm) in the first four months of 2020 from 11.6 bcm.Azerbaijan exported 10.26 million tonnes of oil in January-April, 9.8 million tonnes of which was oil produced by an international consortium led by BP while 409,000 tonnes were produced…

Indonesia Weighing Subsidy Options for Biodiesel Program

Illustration by Corona Borealis - AdobeStock

The Indonesian government is considering alternate plans to increase subsidies for the country's ambitious biodiesel program after crude oil prices tumbled, a finance ministry official said on Wednesday.A historic crash in oil prices this year has widened the cost difference between standard diesel fuel and the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), making biodiesel more expensive to be subsidized."At the moment, it is impossible to cover for incentives until the end of the year," said Febrio Kacaribu…

Saudi Arabia to Reduce Oil Production Further

Illustration only - Credit:look_67 / AdobeStock

Saudi Arabia will voluntarily deepen oil output cuts from June as low oil prices are causing huge pain to the kingdom's budget and global demand remains weak due to lockdowns to contain the coronavirus pandemic.The announcement by the kingdom to add 1 million barrels per day (bpd) - equal to 1% of global supply - to the previously announced cuts follows last week's phone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman.Trump had worked last month to persuade Saudi Arabia…

Russian Oil Majors Examine Assets for Cuts

For illustration only - A Gazprom offshore platform - Image Credit: Gazprom

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…

Ecuador Scrambles to Contain Oil Spill in Amazon Region

Ecuadorean authorities on Thursday were scrambling to limit the environmental impact of a crude oil spill in the country's Amazon region, where pipeline bursts prompted by a landslide this week caused crude to enter the Coca river.The Energy Ministry said in a Wednesday evening statement that it had placed barriers around the spill in an area home to several indigenous communities and near the source of drinking water for the city of El Coca, with some 45,000 residents.State-run Petroecuador…

Equinor's $466M Floating Wind Farm Plan Approved

Hywind Tampen Illustration - Image Credit: Equinor

Norway approved on Wednesday Equinor's 4.8 billion Norwegian crowns ($466 million) plan to build floating offshore wind turbines that will provide electricity to North Sea oil and gas platforms, the energy ministry said.The long-planned project is going ahead despite Equinor's decision to cut investment following a plunge in oil prices that has reduced the company's cash flow.Five platforms at Norway's Snorre and Gullfaks fields will be the first in the world to receive power from a floating wind park…

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…

Update: Brent Oil Rises above $32 on Hopes of Output Deal

Benchmark Brent crude oil futures rose as high as $33.05 a barrel on Friday on rising hopes of a new global deal to cut global crude supply.Brent crude futures were up 9.3%, or $2.79, at $32.73 a barrel by 1014 GMT. Brent soared as much as 47% on Thursday for its highest intraday percentage gain on record. It closed 21% up, still about half the $66 at which it was trading at the end of 2019.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude also moved back into positive territory, rising 4.8%, or $1.22, to $26.54 a barrel after advancing by 24.7% on Thursday.U.S.

Oil Rises from 18-Year Lows after U.S., Russia Agree to Talks

Image by Rawf8 - AdobeStock

Oil recovered ground on Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to talks to stabilize energy markets, with benchmarks climbing off 18-year lows hit as the coronavirus outbreak cut fuel demand worldwide. Brent crude was up by 30 cents, or 1.3%, at $23.06 a barrel by 0635 G5MT, after closing on Monday at $22.76, its lowest finish since November 2002. U.S. crude was up by $1.21, or 6.0%, at $21.30 a barrel, after settling in the earlier session at $20.09, lowest since February 2002.

Norway Offers 36 Offshore Blocks, None in Barents Sea

Illustration; Offshore rigs in Norway - Image by mariusltu - AdobeStock

Norway is offering oil firms 36 offshore exploration blocks in this year's licensing round in mature areas and for the first time in a decade did not offer any blocks in the Barents Sea.All the blocks are offered in the western part of the Norwegian Sea, with interested parties asked to send their comments by May 11, the oil and energy ministry said."In demanding times, it is important to plan for the future," Norway's Oil and Energy Minister Tina Bru said in a statement."Regular…

U.S. Crude Hits 18-year Low as Lockdowns Spread

© Kalyakan / Adobe Stock

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.

Indonesia Plans New Gas Pricing for Industrial Users

© anekoho / Adobe Stock

Indonesia plans to unveil a new gas pricing policy for industrial customers in March in a bid to lower energy costs for manufacturers, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif said on Thursday.Indonesia's President Joko Widodo earlier this week asked his cabinet to come up with a strategy to lower gas prices for manufacturers to around $6 per million British thermal units (mmbtu).Manufacturers have been complaining about gas prices running at about $8-$9 per mmbtu,…