Australia's Santos signs LNG deal with QatarEnergy unit
Santos, an Australian oil and natural gas producer, announced on Friday that it had signed a long-term contract for the supply of liquefied gas with QatarEnergy Trading. This is a unit owned by QatarEnergy which is the largest LNG exporter in the world. Santos has agreed to supply 0.5million tonnes of LNG annually over a two-year period starting in 2026. In a statement, the company said that it would supply the commodity from its wide portfolio of LNG assets. Qatar is the third largest liquefied gas exporter in the world after the U.S.A. and Australia.
Pakistan Explores Selling Excess LNG
Pakistan is exploring ways to sell excess liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes amid a gas supply glut that could cost domestic producers $378 million in annual losses, according to a presentation and a government official familiar with the matter.The country has at least three LNG cargoes in excess that it imported from top supplier Qatar and has no immediate use for, and is currently selling natural gas at steep discounts to local users, a second government official said.Power generation from gas-fired power plants…
US energy company EQT settles lawsuit for $167.5 Million
According to a filing made by plaintiffs in federal court on Thursday, U.S. Energy Company EQT has agreed to pay $167.5 Million to settle a lawsuit brought by investors who alleged that EQT had overstated its benefits from its $6.7 Billion merger with Rice Energy. Officials from EQT did not respond to a request for comment immediately. The case includes the Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Annuity Fund (the plaintiff), the Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Pension Fund (the defendant) and the Cambridge Retirement System.
Strathcona backs MEG's alternative strategic process after C$6 billion rejected bid
Strathcona, a Canadian oil and natural gas producer, said it supported MEG Energy’s decision on Friday to explore strategic alternatives and initiate a strategic alternative process after MEG Energy urged its shareholders to reject Strathcona’s hostile takeover offer of C$6 billion (US$4.38 billion). MEG Energy told shareholders on Monday to reject the proposal, calling it inadequate and against their interests. The board launched a review of strategic alternatives to MEG's current plans to remain an independent company.
Qatari Output at Gas Field Shared With Iran Is Steady
Qatar's gas production at the South Pars field is steady and supply is proceeding normally, it said on Tuesday, after the world's largest gas field was hit by an Israeli airstrike on Saturday, prompting Iran to partially suspend its production.Qatar, the world's third-biggest liquefied natural gas exporter after the U.S. and Australia, shares the South Pars gas field with Iran."So far, gas supplies are proceeding normally. However, the ill-advised targeting raises concerns for everyone regarding gas supplies," Qatar foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said."This is a reckless move ...
Analysts say that 'deep pockets' may help Abu Dhabi gain regulatory approval for Santos' bid.
Analysts say that the Australian regulators who are concerned about gas supplies in Australia will be closely monitoring Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's bid of $18,7 billion for Santos. However, they could be won over by promises to accelerate new projects. Analysts say that Santos' shares closed Tuesday at A$7.73, a far cry from the $5.76 per share (A$8.89), which was the proposed takeover bid for Australia's 2nd largest gas producer, announced on Monday. This indicates investors believe that the deal will be rejected by regulators.
ADNOC consortium targets Australia's Santos
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's (ADNOC) is looking to expand its global gas business and has proposed a $18,7 billion takeover bid of Australia's Santos, the second largest independent gas producer. Santos has supported the plan. Here are some key details about Santos, including its production and reserves (measured in millions of barrels of oil-equivalent (mmboe)), its domestic and foreign oil and gas assets and its long-term LNG deals. 2024 Production (mmboe). Santos is the operator of Darwin LNG, Gladstone LNG and PNG LNG in Australia. It also holds stakes in the undeveloped Papua LNG Project in Papua New Guinea.
Sources say that Macquarie's $3.6 Billion S. Korean Gas firm attracts interest from KKR and other industry players, including Brookfield,
Two sources familiar with the deal said that KKR & Co., Brookfield Asset Management and Air Liquide are all potential bidders. The deal could be worth up to $3.6 Billion. Sources said Macquarie hired Goldman Sachs to handle the sale, and they expect non-binding offers this month. They declined to name them as the information was not public. Sources said that DIG Airgas, South Korea’s third largest industrial gas producer has attracted interest not only from infrastructure funds such as I Squared Capital, but also Stonepeak and Air Products based in the United States.
Encino oil and gas deal worth $5.6 billion by EOG expands Utica footprint
EOG Resources, a U.S. oil-and-gas producer, announced on Friday that it will acquire Encino Acquisition Partners, a U.S. oil-and gas company, for $5.6 billion including debt to strengthen its Utica assets. The agreement signed between Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Encino Energy gives EOG access to an additional 675,000 acres of core land and will expand its multi-basin resource portfolio to over 12 billion barrels. Encino Acquisition of Houston, Texas, is owned by CPP and operates in Ohio's Utica Shale Basin. It is one of the biggest privately-owned oil and gas exploration companies in the United States.
NextDecade, JERA Sign 20-Year LNG Supply Deal
U.S. liquefied natural gas producer NextDecade said on Thursday it had signed a 20-year deal to supply Japan's biggest power generator JERA with 2 million tonnes per annum of LNG from its Rio Grande project's fifth liquefaction facility.Shares of NextDecade were up 5.5% at $8.11 in early trading.The United States is the world's largest exporter of LNG, shipping 11.9 billion cubic feet per day of the supercooled fuel in 2024, and has gained further momentum following President Donald Trump's lifting in January of a moratorium on new export permits.NextDecade's deal with JERA…
Australia approves Woodside's North West Shelf LNG Plant to operate until 2070
Australia approved Woodside Energy’s request on Wednesday to extend the lifespan of its North West Shelf Gas Plant until 2070. This follows a six-year process that was plagued by delays, complaints and criticism from environmental groups. North West Shelf, located in Western Australia on the Burrup Peninsula, is Australia's largest and oldest liquefied gas plant. It also serves as a major supplier of LNG to Asian markets. In a press release, Environment Minister Murray Watt stated that the decision to approve an extension of the project was subject to strict conditions.
Alberta wildfire disrupts oil production and forces evacuations
Wildfires in Alberta, Canada forced the temporary shut-down of oil and gas production. Residents of a small community were also forced to evacuate. Alberta Wildfire estimates that the blaze is 1,600 hectares and is burning uncontrollably about 7 km north-northeast of Swan Hills, in the northern part. Oil-and-gas producer Aspenleaf Energy, which has wells in the area, evacuated its local field staff and temporarily halted operations, shutting in approximately 4,000 barrels-of-oil-equivalent per day of production.
Gas producer Energean wants to copy the East Med model for West Africa
Energean, a gas producer, is interested in buying discovered gas fields that are not on the radar of larger rivals in West Africa, CEO Mathios Riga said Thursday. This would be a replica of its business model for the Eastern Mediterranean. Energean developed gas fields near the coast of Israel over the past few years. These fields are primarily used to supply the domestic market through long-term contracts worth $20 billion in the next 20 years. Everyone is focused on the FLNG (floating, liquefied gas) mega-projects that will export natural gas. As we've seen in Israel, this isn't the only way to get gas.
Woodside Australia and Saudi Aramco Sign Deal for Potential Louisiana LNG Share Buy
Woodside Energy, a company based in Australia, announced on Wednesday that it had signed a non-binding deal with Aramco for the exploration of opportunities. This included the possibility of the Saudi Arabian firm acquiring a stake in the Louisiana LNG Project. Woodside, Australia’s largest gas producer, has given the final approval to build the $17.5-billion liquefied gas project in Louisiana. The company was confident that a fossil fuel-friendly U.S. government and strong demand from Europe and Asia will give it competitive returns. Woodside had agreed to sell 40% of the project to Stonepeak, a U.S.
Aramco signs MoUs for 6.2 Million Tons of LNG with NextDecade and Sempra
Saudi Aramco, the oil giant, will sign memorandums of understanding on Tuesday with NextDecade, a U.S. natural gas producer, and Sempra, a utility firm, according to Aramco’s CEO. The move comes as Aramco expands its LNG market. Amin Nasser, CEO of Aramco, told the U.S. Saudi Investment Forum that "the U.S. He added that the U.S. was a great place to invest, pointing out that Sempra would be supplying around 6.2 millions tons of LNG to Aramco under the MoUs. In the coming years, producers plan to double their capacity. NextDecade signed a contract with Aramco's subsidiary, which is looking to be a major player on the LNG market.
Woodside, Australia's largest coal company, faces protests and investor anger at its annual meeting
On Thursday, climate change activists shouted and blew whistles as they disrupted the annual general meeting of Australian gas producer Woodside Energy. They also heckled Chief Executive Meg O'Neill. Investors were also involved in the protests against Woodside's sustainability and gas projects, as they had been in previous years. The Australian pension funds HESTA, and Aware, both lodged protest votes, and voted against its director who was charged with overseeing climate risk. O'Neill said to protesters who interrupted the opening of her speech: "I'd like to ask that you be respectful to the other shareholders who are in the room.
Harbour Energy will cut its UK workforce by 25 percent, the company claims
In a Wednesday statement, Harbour Energy announced that it would be cutting 250 jobs at its UK-based unit in Aberdeen. This represents approximately 25% of their workforce. Harbour, Britain's largest North Sea oil and natural gas producer, stated that the cuts were needed due to lower investment in the North Sea fossil fuel sector as a result the UK government policies. The review was necessary due to the Government’s continued punitive fiscal policy and the challenging regulatory environment. Scott Barr, the managing director of the UK business…
Woodside Energy, Australia signs LNG deal with BP to supply Louisiana project
Woodside Energy, a major Australian oil and natural gas company, announced on Wednesday that it had signed a deal with BP under which the British energy company would supply natural gases to its Louisiana liquefied gas project (LNG). Woodside, in a press release, said that the Louisiana project will buy a maximum of 640 billion cubic foot of gas over a long term basis from the integrated energy giant. However, it did not reveal any financial details. Woodside acquired Tellurian last year for $1.2 billion to develop in four phases the 27,6 million metric ton a year Louisiana LNG Project, formerly known as Driftwood.
Austrian OMV expects the gas production at Neptun Deep to begin in 2027
Austrian oil-and-gas group OMV announced on Wednesday that gas production is expected to begin in the Black Sea in 2027 as part of their Neptun Deep Project. The company stated that drilling for the first ten wells began in March. It is expected to take between two and three months. Neptun Deep is a project that OMV Romania's Romanian subsidiary OMV Petrom, and the state-owned gas company Romgaz invested 4 billion euros (4.55 billion dollars) in. It should yield 8 billion cubic meters per year. Neptun Deep is estimated to hold 100 billion cubic meters of recoverable natural gas. This makes it one of Europe's largest gas reserves.
Woodside targets a further 20%-30% saledown of the $17.5 billion Louisiana LNG Project
Woodside Energy is Australia's largest natural gas producer. It said Tuesday that it will seek to sell an additional 20%-30% stake of Louisiana LNG. Interest in the $17.5billion project has grown since its approval last week. Liz Westcott said that the sale of Woodside’s wholly-owned holding company would enable it to reach its goal of 50% ownership. She told the Macquarie Australia Conference that "our goal is to sell Hold Co down by 20%-30%. Woodside gave its final approval for Louisiana LNG in the last week. They were confident that a fossil fuel-friendly U.S.
