Yamal LNG Reaches Full Capacity
The Yamal liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Arctic Russia officially commissioned the third and last production line Tuesday.Russia's independent natural gas producer PAO Novatek announced that its joint venture Yamal LNG has reached full capacity at the plant’s three LNG trains.The Yamal LNG project was implemented in record time and on budget with the launches of the second and third trains made ahead of schedule by six months and more than a year, respectively. Russian Federation Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev participated…
Trafigura Boosts LNG Volumes by 22%
Geneva based commodity trading company Trafigura increased its liquefied natural gas (LNG) traded volumes by 22% to 9.9 million mt in its financial year ending September 30 2018, driven by sales to China and South Korea, with the Asian share of our LNG business jumping to 30 percent.According to the annual report from the multinational commodity trading company, which is legally registered in Singapore, the big story in the LNG market in 2018 was a surge in demand in Asia. In China, efforts to clean-up the energy mix led to a 45 percent increase in LNG imports year-on-year…
Petronet Seeks Long-term Deal to Buy US LNG
Top Indian gas importer Petronet LNG is looking to sign a deal in a year's time to buy at least 1 million tonnes of U.S. natural gas annually for a period of up to 10 years, as it pushes to diversify its supply sources beyond the Middle East.As part of any deal, the firm could potentially take a stake in a U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, said Petronet's managing director, Prabhat Singh."The U.S. market is open compared to other markets where the state is (often) the controller of minerals," Singh told Reuters late last week."The U.S.
Shell to Go Ahead with Shearwater Gas Expansion
Royal Dutch Shell said on Monday it would expand the Shearwater gas hub in the British North Sea, its seventh project to get the green light in the ageing basin this year.The project, a joint venture with Exxon Mobil and BP, will include a modification of the Shearwater platform to allow production and processing of wet gas as well as the construction of a 23 mile (37 kilometer) pipeline from the Fulmar Gas Line (FGL) to Shearwater, Shell said in a statement.The pipeline installation, which will enable wet gas to flow into the Shell Esso Gas and Associated Liquids (SEGAL) pipeline, is scheduled for 2019, while the platform expansion is scheduled f
Australia Becomes No.1 LNG Exporter
Australia has overtaken Qatar as the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the first time in November, Reuters reported quoting data from Refinitiv Eikon.According to the data provided, Australia shipped out 6.7936 million tonnes of LNG in Novemebr, while Qatar exported 6.2025 million tonnes.The report said that Australia's LNG exports jumped by over 15 percent from the previous month, while Qatar's exports slipped by 3 percent, falling for the first time at this time of the year since 2014.Earlier…
Tellurian in LNG Supply Deal with Vitol
Tellurian announced that its subsidiary, Tellurian Trading, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Vitol to supply 1.5 million tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Tellurian Trading’s LNG offtake capacity at the proposed Driftwood LNG export terminal.According to a press release, the transaction price is based on the Platts Japan Korea Marker (JKM) and is for a minimum term of 15 years.Under the MOU, Tellurian and Vitol have agreed to negotiate a LNG Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) under which Vitol will purchase LNG free on board (FOB).
Höegh LNG Takes Delivery of Ninth FSRU
Bermuda-based floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) company Höegh LNG Holdings took delivery of Höegh Gannet, its ninth floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU).Höegh Gannet has regasification capacity of 1 Bcf per day and storage capacity of 170 000 cbm of LNG, combined making it the largest FSRU built by capacity, said a release from the company.The unit has been constructed by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea and is equipped with a reinforced GTT Mark III membrane containment system and dual-fuel diesel…
ADNOC, Inpex in LNG Bunkering Pact
ADNOC Logistics & Services (ADNOC L&S), a wholly-owned subsidiary of UAE's ADNOC, has signed an agreement with Japan's Inpex Corp to collaborate on LNG bunkering activities.Under the agreement, ADNOC L&S and Inpex will explore opportunities for LNG bunkering in the UAE as well as the potential to jointly expand LNG bunkering activities to cover other regions, including Southeast Asia, said a press release from the Abu Dhabi-based integrated shipping and logistics company.The use of LNG as a fuel on non-LNG carriers is expected to grow significantly as ship owners seek new compliance solutions to meet the 2020 IMO’s global sulfur cap.
Nordea to Boost Finance for LNG Shipping
Nordea Bank aims to increase shipping finance activities to the growing liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry, executives at one of the world's biggest shipping financiers said.China's crackdown on pollution and its growing demand for more environmentally friendly sources of power, such as LNG, are boosting demand for ships to transport the fuel."We would like to expand the portfolio and there are certain segments that we would like to expand in. One of them is on the LNG side," Geir Atle Lerkerod, Nordea's head of shipping for the Nordic region…
Yamal LNG Fills-up 100th Tanker
Novatek’s Yamal LNG plant in the Russian Arctic has shipped its 100th tanker-load – bringing the total volumes shipped by the plant to 7.4 mt since it entered operations in December 2017.The ice-class Arc7 LNG carrier Fedor Litke was the 100th tanker to be loaded with LNG, the company reported. Total amount of LNG shipped under Yamal LNG project – 7.4 million tonnes.Yamal LNG, one of the largest and most complex LNG projects in the world, is constructing a 17.4 mtpa natural gas liquefaction plant comprised of three LNG trains of 5.5 mtpa each and one LNG train of 900 thousand tons per annum…
Guangzhou Launches World's First Icebreaking LNG Tanker
The world's first liquid natural gas (LNG) carrier tanker was named 'Boris Sokolov' and delivered by Guangzhou Shipyard International in Guangzhou City.According to Chinese state media, the Arctic condensate tanker carrier designed to traverse the world's icy northern polar region.With a load capacity of 44,550 tons, the vessel, which is built for for Dynacom of Greece, can sail in the Arctic region without icebreaker-piloting, it said. The vessel is mainly used for transporting condensate oil for the Yamal LNG project in northwest Siberia…
LNG Bunkering Booming in Rotterdam Port
Port of Rotterdam to grant nine licenced liquified natural gas (LNG) bunkering licences by 2020, a port official has said.Six of the licenses are already for regular use in port LNG bunker operations to refuel LNG-powered cruise, cargo, tanker and container vessels, said Cees Boon, Senior Policy Advisor at the Harbourmaster Policy Department of the Port of Rotterdam. Three licenses will be for bunker vessels that will operate on the spot market.“By using best practice guidelines in the IAPH audit tool developed by ports for port authorities…
Gazprom Starts Operations at Final Yamal Unit
Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Wednesday it had begun operations at a third and final unit at its Bovanenkovo gas field on the Arctic Yamal peninsula, allowing it to boost natural gas production.Gazprom also said it had increased the capacity of the Ukhta-Torzhok gas pipeline, aimed at facilitating Russian gas exports to northern Europe, including via the Nord Stream pipeline.Gazprom plans to export record-high natural gas volumes of 200 bcm to Europe this year.The company said that with the launch of the final unit, Bovanenkovo will reach a projected capacity of 115 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year.The gas field with reserves of just
LNG Import Terminal Proposed for Australian port
A South Korea-based company has proposed building a terminal on Australia's east coast to import liquefied natural gas, the fifth proposal for such a project in the world's No.2 LNG exporter.The proposals have come after three new LNG export plants on the east coast have sucked gas out of the southeastern market and nearly tripled wholesale gas prices in places such as Sydney over the past two years.EPIK, a newly-formed LNG floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) project development company, on Wednesday said it…
LNG Booster for Canada
Canada could increase revenues from exports to Asia by $6.366 billion with the two new major liquified natural gas (LNG) projects in British Columbiaprojects, said a new research report.A new paper by Macdonald-Laurier Institute Munk Senior Fellow Philip Cross, titled BC’s LNG Projects: A Turning Point for Canada’s Energy Industry, makes the case that these two projects will hold considerable benefits.The most important impact could be that greenlighting these projects sends a broader message to investors around the world that Canada is able to undertake these kinds of large projects…
Prelude FLNG to Start Producing at End-2018
Royal Dutch Shell expects production at its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) unit to start at the end of the year, a spokeswoman told Reuters on Tuesday."We continue to progress Prelude towards operations, with safety and quality being our main focus ... We expect to see production around the end of the year," she told Reuters in an emailed statement.Prelude - which will process natural gas produced offshore northern Australia and export it as LNG - is expected to have an annual LNG production capacity of 3.6 million tonnes.
Equinor to Start Talks With Tanzania Over LNG project
Norway's Equinor is ready to start talks with Tanzania on developing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) project based on a deepwater offshore discovery, the company said on Tuesday.Tanzanian President John Magufuli has asked his government to proceed with negotiations to set out the commercial and fiscal framework for the LNG project, Equinor, a majority state-owned energy company formerly known as Statoil, said."Equinor will now proceed with our partner ExxonMobil with negotiations for a host government agreement," an Equinor spokesman said in an email to Reuters.He said it was too early to say how long talks with the government could take and how muc
Avic Dingheng Shipyard Delivers LNG Vessel to Sirius Shipping
Swedish shipping company Sirius Shipping Sirius Shipping has taken delivery of its first 7999-dwt LNG-ready oil/chemical tanker Saturnus from the Avic Dingheng Shipyard in China.The Backman family- founded company said in a press release that the work to develop the Evolution concept started six years ago with the purpose to develop a vessel design where the entire underwater body, hull, rudder and propeller would be designed and chosen to obtain the best possible hydrodynamic shipdesign.In combination with a slow speed…
Qatar Quits OPEC to Focus on LNG
Qatar said Monday that it will leave the oil cartel OPEC on January 1 after nearly 60 years. The announcement was made in a series of tweets.Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, announced Qatar’s withdrawal from OPEC and said the organization was informed.Qatar is one of the cartel’s smallest oil producers, but is the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas.The abrupt annoucement from the small, gas-rich state that it would sever ties with the influential oil cartel of 15 oil-producing countries after almost six decades has surprised the oil and gas industry around the world.However…
Global LNG to be Major Part of Bunker Fuel Market
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships is expected to be the major application segment in the global LNG as a bunker fuel market.According to a market research report, LNG fueled ships emit zero sulphur oxide emissions along with decline in carbon dioxide gas release by 25%, these are primary factors promoting the use of LNG as fuel in marine transport.LNG is used as a marine fuel and it offers various advantages for the ships. LNG as ship fuel will reduce sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions by 90% - 95%, said marketresearch.Lower carbon content of LNG compared to conventional ship fuels enables a 20-25% reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Hoegh LNG Partners Appoints New CFO
The floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) company Höegh LNG Holdings announced that Håvard Furu is appointed as new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Höegh LNG AS effective 1 March 2019.The interim CFO, Steffen Føreid, will step down effective 1 March 2019 and will from then continue in his role as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Höegh LNG Partners LP.Håvard Furu comes from the position as CFO of law firm Wikborg Rein. Before that he was CFO in Western Bulk in the period 2009 to 2017 and was formerly…
Trinidad Signs Pact with BP, Shell
The government of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) has entered into an agreement with energy giantsShell and BP over gas pricing and LNG activities.According to local media reports, the agreement involves new pricing arrangements, the extension of the Atlantic LNG Train 1 by a further five years, and the ability of the National Gas Company (NGC) to export liquified natural gas (LNG) on behalf of T&T.The government sources quoted minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young said the agreement will lead to “significant” financial benefits to the twin island republic.The gas pricing formula agreed to by Shell…
Royal Vopak Rraises Stake in Pakistan LNG Terminal
Dutch petroleum storage company Royal Vopak announced that it will acquire in total 44% in Elengy Terminal Pakistan Ltd (ETPL) in separate transactions with International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Engro Corporation Ltd (Engro Corporation). This includes the acquisition of a 29% share announced in July.ETPL's wholly owned subsidiary, Engro Elengy Terminal (Pvt) Ltd (EETPL) owns an LNG facility which is located in Port Qasim in Pakistan, adjacent to the Engro Vopak chemical terminal on the mainland side of the channel…
Poland and Denmark to Build Baltic Gas Pipeline
Poland's gas grid operator Gaz-System and its Danish counterpart have given the final go-ahead to invest in building a gas pipeline linking Poland with Norway's deposits via the Baltic Sea and Denmark, Gaz-System said on Friday.The 900-kilometres (560-mile) pipeline, known as the Baltic Pipe, is a Polish project designed to reduce its reliance on Russian gas. The Baltic Pipe is expected to be ready in 2022 when Poland's long-term deal with Russia's Gazprom expires.(Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko; Editing by Adrian Croft)
Petronas, Vitol Asia Pact for LNG Supply Deal
Malaysian oil and gas company Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) through its subsidiary, Petronas LNG Ltd (PLL) and Vitol Asia Pte Ltd (Vitol) announced the signing of binding Heads of Agreement (HOA) for long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) sale and purchase (SPA) agreement.Under the terms of the agreement signed on 1 October 2018, the LNG supply to Vitol commencing in 2024 will be approximately up to 0.8 million tonnes per annum for a period of up to 15 years on both Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) and Free on Board (FOB) basis…
Global LNG Trade Jumps by 7.1%, Says Höegh LNG
The global floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade reached 236 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2018, up by 7.1% from the same period of 2017 on a combination of robust Asian demand and new supplies of LNG from Australia and the USA, said Höegh LNG.The provider of LNG transportation and services said that for the full year, LNG trade is expected to reach around 320 million tonnes, up by more than 7% from 2017.Increasing Chinese demand continues to be a key driver for expanding LNG volumes. LNG imports by China were 37.7 million tonnes during the first nine months of 2018…
Gasum to Create Finland's Second Largest Biogas Plant by Late 2019
Finnish state-owned gas firm Gasum plans to expand the processing capacity of its biogas plant in the city of Turku, making it the second largest such facility in the country, the firm said on Wednesday.As a result of the expansion, which is scheduled to be completed by September 2019, the plant will be able to produce some 60 Gigawatt hours (GWh) of biogas annually, Gasum said, around double its current levels.Increasing the production of biogas for use in business and transport is one of Finland's energy and climate policy goals as it seeks to gradually phase out the use of coal.Ari Suomilammi…
LNG Shipping Market in Recovery Stage: Flex LNG
Norwegian-born billionaire John Fredriksen-owned LNG shipper Flex LNG believes that the LNG market is in the early stages of a multi-year recovery.According to a report by Flex LNG, the market for seaborne transportation of LNG has improved significantly during the third quarter with the primary driver being the nearly 50 per cent year on year growth in imports to China.Additionally there is high demand growth in other more mature markets such as South Korea and Taiwan.Flex LNG pointed out that Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimate demand growth of approximately 8.5% in 2018…
Swedegas Renewable Gas Bunkering at Gothenburg Port
Swedegas, the owner of the gas grid in Sweden, conducted the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operation at its new facility at the Port of Gothenburg.Gothenburg-based shipping company Terntank was the very first operator to take on LNG at a new bunkering facility, said the Swedish owner and operator of the high-pressure gas grid.Not only liquefied natural gas, LNG, but also liquefied biogas, LBG, it added.“Being able to offer this unique opportunity represents a major breakthrough, not only in facilitating the transition to LNG…
Petronas Q3 Profit Jumps 43%
Malaysian state-owned energy firm Petroliam Nasional Berhad, or Petronas, on Tuesday said it will increase its dividend payout to the government after its third-quarter net profit jumped on higher revenue and oil prices.The new administration led by Mahathir Mohamad is relying more on Petronas - a significant contributor to government revenue and the country's largest employer - to offset a revenue shortfall from the government's plan to scrap a consumption tax.Higher and more stable oil prices have helped boost profit…
Yamal LNG Vessels to Make 150 Transfers in Norwegian Waters by Mid-2019
Northern Norway's small port of Honningsvag will host between 150 and 160 ship-to-ship transfers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargos from Russia's Yamal by mid-2019, the local council that owns the port told Reuters on Tuesday.The first transfer in Norwegian waters took place last week as part of Yamal operator Novatek's plan to free up its specialised ice-breaker LNG vessels, allowing them to return sooner to the plant to pick up more cargos.From Honningsvag, shipments to global markets are made by regular LNG ships.The port expects to earn some 10 million crowns ($1.16 million) for the service it provides…
Sonatrach Awards Gas Contract to Petrofac
Algerian state energy firm Sonatrach awarded a contract worth 60 billion dinars ($506 million) on Tuesday to Britain's Petrofac to boost gas output at the Tinhert field by 4.7 million cubic metre per day, Sonatrach's CEO said.The value was about $100 million less than originally announced. Sonatrach CEO Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour said the difference in value was because part of the work, worth 10 billion dinars, had been awarded to Algeria's GCB.The project in the Illizi region was expected to come online in 36 months, he told reporters.($1 = 118.5060 Algerian dinars)(Reporting by Lamine Chikhi Editing by Ulf Laessing and Edmund Blair)
Novatek Kicks-off Yamal LNG's Train 3
Russia's Novatek has begun production of the commissioning LNG from its third 5.5 million mt/year train at the Yamal LNG project, bringing the plant's total capacity to 16.5 mln tonnes of LNG per year.“We have successfully launched all three LNG trains at our flagship Yamal LNG project according to our revised early launch schedule,” Novatek’s head Leonid Mikhelson said.Russia’s largest independent natural gas producer said in a press release that the third LNG train was launched more than one year ahead of the planned original schedule.
Gazprom to Review Shale Gas and LNG Sectors
Russian energy giant Gazprom revealed that there is still a high level of uncertainty in the long-term forecasts for U.S. shale gas production. It also said that the number of LNG-consuming countries would grow in the long term.Gazprom's Board of Directors took note of the information about the prospects of the shale gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) sectors around the world, as well as the opportunities and threats facing the Company.The oil and gas company focused on the business of extraction, production, transport…
Argentina to Export First LNG in 2019
Argentina is due to begin exports of liquefied natural gas from a part of its vast Vaca Muerta shale gas resource next year through a floating LNG liquefaction (FLNG) vessel provided by Exmar, the Belgian shipping company said on Wednesday.The operations, due to start in the second quarter of 2019, will introduce Argentina into the small club of around 20 countries exporting LNG while the FLNG will be only the world's fourth and the smallest.The country's state-controlled oil company YPF signed a 10-year agreement with Exmar to deploy the barge-based FLNG…
South Korea Dominates LNG Shipbuilding
The liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier orders received by South Korean shipbuilders have more than tripled from last year.According to Reuters, the three South Korean yards - Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries - have won the more than 50 orders for ships carrying LNG, with a total value of $9 billion.According to Clarkson, a shipbuilding research company in the U.K. on Nov. 20, LNG carrier orders from January to October this year totaled 43 units or 6.8 million cubic meters…
Eagle LNG Receives Draft EIS
Eagle LNG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ferus Natural Gas Fuels, informed that the United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted the company their draft environmental impact statement (DEIS).The draft EIS puts Eagle LNG on a clear path to FID on the Jacksonville Export Project and continues Eagle LNG’s success in using small-scale LNG to supply bunkering to the marine industry and to provide small scale LNG cargoes to markets in the Caribbean.“Our customers, and potential clients, join us in being encouraged that FERC has released the DEIS ahead of schedule.
Woodside Inks 20-year Gas Supply Deal
Woodside Petroleum Ltd, Australia's biggest listed oil and gas explorer, said on Tuesday it had signed a 20-year gas supply deal with Perdaman Chemicals and Fertilisers Pty Ltd.The agreement is to supply about 125 TJ of gas per day for use in Perdaman's proposed urea plant, and gas will be primarily sourced from Woodside's proposed Scarborough development, the company said in a statement.The agreement follows a memorandum of understanding between the companies signed in April."This is a significant domestic gas sale and represents another step towards the delivery of the proposed Burrup Hub," said Woodside Chief Executive Officer Peter Coleman.Pet
China CNOOC receives first LNG shipment from Russia's Yamal project
China National Offshore Oil Co, or CNOOC, offloaded a liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo on Nov. 11 shipped from Yamal, first of its kind the Chinese firm received from the Russian Arctic gas project, CNOOC said on its website on Tuesday.The cargo, purchased from Russian firm Novatek, was delivered into CNOOC's receiving terminal in Putian of southeastern province of Fujian.Novatek controls Yamal LNG, which is co-invested by France's Total, China's CNPC and the Silk Road Fund. Yamal launched its second LNG train in August with an annual capacity of 5.5 million tonnes.
Equinor Eyes More Russian Gas to Europe
Russian gas deliveries to northwest Europe will likely continue to grow in the time ahead, Norwegian oil and gas producer Equinor told an investor conference on Tuesday.In the third quarter, Russian deliveries to the region expanded to 59 billion cubic meters from 50 bcm in the same period of 2017, the company added.(Reporting by Lefteris Karagiannopoulos, editing by Terje Solsvik)
Total Signs MoU on LNG Project
Total and its partners ExxonMobil and Oil Search have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Independent State of Papua New Guinea defining the key terms of the Gas Agreement for the Papua LNG Project.According to a press release from Total the MoU was signed in Port Moresby, in presence of Peter O’Neill, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, and Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of Total. The proposed Gas Agreement is expected to be finalized by Q1 2019.Total is the operator of the Elk and Antelope onshore fields and is the largest shareholder in PRL-15 with a 31.1% interest…
Posti to Use LNG Vehicles
Finland's leading postal and logistics service company Posti has taken into service two full trailer combinations powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).Posti will be using the LNG vehicles for demanding transport operations. Posti's target is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in proportion to net sales by 30% by 2020.Posti will be using the LNG-powered vehicle combinations for demanding transport operations on routes including Vantaa–Oulu, Vantaa–Lappeenranta and Vantaa–Turku.The vehicles will cover a daily distance of around 900 km, which is long enough to measure fuel consumption and savings compared with diesel.
BIMCO Eyes Asia with New Gas Contracts
Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) will begin work on two gas-related contracts in early 2019, an LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) Bunker Purchase Contract and a LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) voyage charter party.A press release from the largest of the international shipping associations representing shipowners said that it is planning to develop the new contracts in Asia in an effort to further increase the involvement of its Asian members. Both projects will be developed mainly by experts from the region and managed by BIMCO’s Shanghai office…
MOL Tabletop Drill Focuses on LNG Carrier Safety
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines announced that it conducted a tabletop drill based on an incident simulation involving an LNG carrier managed by an MOL Group ship management company.MOL holds these drills periodically to confirm its emergency response system in preparation for serious marine incidents.The drill was held on Friday, November 16, with the goal of raising company-wide safety awareness through the simulation of a serious marine incident. The drill was designed to demonstrate that the company can respond swiftly and appropriately…
Turkey Warns Against Energy Exploration with Greek Cypriot Govt
Turkey warned energy companies on Sunday against working with the Greek Cypriot government in carrying out exploratory drilling in the eastern Mediterranean, saying such activities could damage regional stability.The eastern Mediterranean is believed to be rich in natural gas, and attempts to tap resources there have revived tensions between Turkey and Greece, which has a defense pact with the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government.Turkey and Cyprus have overlapping claims of marine jurisdiction and both plan to carry out exploratory drilling this year.
Bangladesh Resolves FSRU Issues
Bangladesh will resume liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports this week after resolving issues with its sole floating storage and regasification (FSRU) unit, a senior official said on Monday.Two cargoes, meant to be delivered on Nov. 7 and Nov. 15, had been cancelled as the FSRU was closed due to problems with a hydraulic line that operates an emergency shutdown valve."The problem with the hydraulic line has been resolved now," said Mohammad Quamruzzaman, managing director of Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Co, the unit in-charge of LNG imports at state-owned oil firm Petrobangla.The next cargo with 140,000 cubic-meter LNG will arrive on Nov.
Offshore Part of TurkStream Complete
The construction of the offshore part of the TurkStream pipeline that will pump Russian gas to Turkey had been completed, a senior official at Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Monday.Gazprom's Oleg Aksyutin made the announcement on television after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan met in Istanbul to mark the completion of the offshore leg of the pipeline.(Reporting by Olesya Astakhova; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Adrian Croft)
Inpex Officially Opens Ichthys LNG Site
A landmark celebration has officially opened the onshore LNG processing facilities of INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG – one of the largest and most complex resource developments in the world.Japanese, Australian and Northern Territory government representatives unveiled a plaque to commemorate four decades of future benefits Ichthys LNG will bring to the Northern Territory, Australia, Japan and the region.Symbolising the collaboration inherent in global enterprises on the scale of Ichthys LNG, Mr Hiroshige Sekō, Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Senator the Hon.
Largest Chinese-built FSRU Delivered
PaxOcean’s Zhoushan Shipyard has delivered a 26,000m3 floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Karunia Dewata to Indonesia-based Jaya Samudra Karunia (JSK). The FSRU is the largest to be built in China and will be capable of regasifying around 50 million standard cubic feet per day.The project marks a milestone for China's growing gas shipping industry and will help increase the development of Indonesia’s gas supply chain, where the unit will be based. The unit is also the first FSRU that PaxOcean has built. Classification society Lloyd's Register said its teams in Singapore…
Papua New Guinea Paves Way for LNG Expansion
A long-awaited project led by France's Total SA that will help double liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from Papua New Guinea has come another step closer, with the government agreeing to set financial terms early next year.The LNG expansion, which analysts estimate will cost $13 billion, is crucial to the Pacific island nation's economy as LNG is its biggest export earner, while demand for the fuel is surging in international energy markets.Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in the country's capital of Port Moresby on Friday that "physical terms" had been agreed.
Bechtel, Cheniere Fires Up Corpus Christi LNG Production
The the largest construction company in the United States Bechtel has joined its customer Cheniere Energy to announce production of the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Corpus Christi Liquefaction project in Texas.The leader in project management, engineering, procurement, and construction said in a press release that this production train at the Corpus Christi project is the latest of six trains that Bechtel has delivered with Cheniere at two sites on the U.S. Gulf Coast.The Sabine Pass Liquefaction project in Louisiana produced the first LNG from that site’s fifth train last week…
DynaGas LNG Partners in the Red in Q3
Monaco-based owner and operator of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, reported a third-quarter ended September 30, 2018 loss of $654,000, after reporting a profit in the same period a year earlier.The gas shipping company said that the Q3 results included $2.3 million of scheduled class survey and dry-docking costs related to the Yenisei River, one of the three tri-fuel diesel engine (TFDE) vessels in our fleet.The company said it had a loss of 7 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were 4 cents per share.
Finland Eyes Imports of Piped Gas via Baltics, Poland
Finland could in future receive gas from Norway via a network of pipes being planned through the Baltic countries and Poland, as part of an effort to reduce its dependency on gas imports from Russia.Helsinki and Tallinn are constructing a gas pipeline under the Gulf of Finland to Estonia, called Balticconnector and with a capacity to transport 7.2 million cubic meters of gas per day."The plan is for Finland to get fully connected to the European gas network and access gas from other sources such as ... Norwegian gas," Herkko Plit…
ADNOC LNG Wins Extension of Gas Supply Contract to 2040
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), has agreed, in principle, to extend to 2040 its gas supply agreement with ADNOC LNG, in coordination with ADNOC LNG’s joint venture partners, Mitsui, BP and Total.The the state-owned oil company of the United Arab Emirates said that the new gas supply agreement is scheduled to take effect from April 1, 2019, replacing an existing agreement, due to expire on March 31, 2019.The extension announcement follows the Abu Dhabi’s Supreme Petroleum Council (SPC) approval of ADNOC’s new…
Sovcomflot Gets $149m Credit Facility for LNG Carrier
Russian maritime shipping company Sovcomflot has signed a new USD 149 million credit facility, for up to 10 years, with a consortium of three leading international banks, comprising: ING Bank, KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH, and Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank.Russian shipowner specializing in petroleum and LNG shipping said that the funds will be used towards financing the construction of a new generation 174,000-cubic metres Atlanticmax LNG carrier.The vessel will feature a slow-speed tri-fuel X-DF diesel engine and gas boil-off partial liquefaction system.
Changing Shale Field to Boost Gas Output
China's Changning shale gas field in southwestern Sichuan province will more than double its output during the winter heating season after putting new wells into operation, China's top oil and gas group CNPC said on Wednesday.Daily output at the field, which began operating in 2015, is expected to reach 12 million cubic metres during the heating season from mid-November through mid-March, CNPC said on its website.That represents an increase of 7.5 million cubic metres a day over last year, a rise of 166 percent, it said.China's Sinopec and PetroChina are speeding up drilling and exploration from major tight and shale oil and gas formations in the
Groningen Gas Production Pared
The Dutch government on Wednesday confirmed plans to gradually scale back production at the Groningen gas field, beginning with a reduction to 19.4 billion cubic meters (bcm) in the current 2018-2019 year that began in October.In a statement, the government confirmed a draft plan announced in August which will see production falling to below 12 bcm by October 2022, and to 7.5 bcm or possibly much further in the following years, ultimately falling to zero.(Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Susan Fenton)
ADNOC Extends LNG Supply Deal to 2040
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said on Wednesday it has agreed, in principle, to extend gas supplies to ADNOC LNG to 2040.The new gas supply agreement is scheduled to take effect from April 1, 2019, replacing an existing agreement, due to expire on March 31, 2019, ADNOC said in a statement.ADNOC also said that it had signed seven term agreements for the sale of over 4.2 million tonnes per year of LNG as it diversifies its LNG customer portfolio.(Reporting by Rania El Gamal; Editing by Susan Fenton)
Novatek Ships First LNG Cargo To China Via Arctic
Novatek Gas and Power Asia, wholly owned subsidiary of Russia’s largest independent natural gas producer Novatek, shipped a cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced from the Yamal LNG project to China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).The LNG cargo was delivered to Fujian LNG Terminal in China via the Northern Sea Route (NSR) by an Arc7 ice-class LNG carrier in 20 days, completing the NSR part of the journey in 7.5 days.A release from the natural gas producers quoted Leonid Mikhelson, Chairman as saying: "We expanded our customer base in China by shipping our first cargo of LNG to CNOOC.
China LNG Growth Not Slowing -Woodside
China's appetite for liquefied natural gas (LNG) has not slowed, but its purchases have been spread more evenly, avoiding last year's sudden spike to meet winter demand, Australia's top independent LNG producer said on Tuesday.LNG demand from North Asia's main hubs in Japan, China and South Korea has slowed in recent weeks, raising concern that forecasts for a milder than usual winter may dent consumption. There are also signs that the ongoing Sino-American trade war is starting to dent industry in China."We're not seeing a slowdown…
Sture oil export terminal operates as normal
Norway's Sture oil export terminal was operating as normal on Tuesday despite the nearby sinking of a shipwrecked navy vessel, operator Equinor said.The terminal was shut for several hours last Thursday after the Norwegian frigate collided with an oil tanker near the terminal."We are in normal operations. We do not comment on plans," an Equinor spokeswoman said in a text message to Reuters.(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis, editing by Terje Solsvik)
US warns sanctions still an option against Nord Stream 2
The United States could yet impose new sanctions to try to block construction of the Russian Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline across the Baltic Sea to the European Union, the U.S. ambassador to the EU said on Tuesday.Asked if Donald Trump could take further measures to thwart a project which the president has said would leave EU countries even more beholden to Moscow for their energy, Gordon Sondland said: "We have not deployed the full set of tools yet that could significantly undermine if not outright stop the project."Addressing an audience at the European Policy Centre think-tank in Brussels…
Saudi Aramco, ADNOC to Cooperate on LNG
The state-owned energy giants of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), signed a cooperation deal to explore potential areas for mutual collaboration in the LNG value chain aimed at bolstering gas production and revenue.The Saudi Arabian national petroleum and natural gas company based in Dhahran said in a press release that it has signed a framework agreement with ADNOC to explore opportunities for collaboration in the Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)…
Sinopec to Boost Gas Supply
Chinese state oil major Sinopec said on Monday it will supply 18.17 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas during the heating season that kicks off this week, up 17.7 percent from last year, to meet rising demand in the world's fastest-growing gas consumer.The company's natural gas supply to seven northern provinces and cities will increase by 29.1 percent during the season, it said in a statement.The comments come as China prepares to switch on residential heating systems across the north of the country on Nov.
Gazprom Says Nord Stream Payments Blocked by Swiss Injunction
Gazprom said a Swiss court has issued an injunction blocking payments from the operators of the Nord Stream gas pipeline as part of a legal dispute between the Russian gas producer and Ukraine's Naftogaz.All payments from Nord Stream AG and Nord Stream 2 AG are to be directed to the Swiss bailiffs, Gazprom said in a program for a eurobond issue dated November 9.Gazprom intends to challenge the injunction in court, TASS news agency quoted Viktor Zubkov, the head of Gazprom's board of directors, as saying.Zubkov was quoted as saying he hoped the block would not affect the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that would transport Russian gas to G
China Becomes Top Natural Gas Importer
China has overtaken Japan to become the world's top importer of natural gas, as Beijing's crackdown on pollution boosts its demand for the more environmentally friendly fuel, while the restart of nuclear reactors in Japan reduces its LNG imports.China's total natural gas imports over January to October this year via pipeline and as liquefied natural gas (LNG) were at 72.06 million tonnes, up a third from the same period last year, according to Reuters calculations based on General Administration of Customs data.Japan, on the other hand…
Golar FSRU Wins LNG Croatia Project
State-owned LNG Croatia has selected Golar Power, a joint venture between Golar LNG and Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, to deliver a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) for the nation's first liquefied natural gas import facility.Golar Power was picked from three bidders, including Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and Maran Gas Maritime Inc, LNG Croatia, the company behind the project, LNG Croatia said in a statement."After reviewing and evaluating the bids, the committee for opening, review, evaluation of the bids and…
Russian Energy Firms Discuss Cooperation Saudi Aramco Chief
The head of Russian oil giant Rosneft, Igor Sechin, and Saudi Aramco Chief Executive Amin Nasser held talks in Moscow on Friday on areas for cooperation, Rosneft said.Rosneft, the world's largest-listed oil producer by output, said in a brief statement that they "discussed a wide range of issues related to mutual interests and prospects for cooperation between Rosneft and Saudi Arabia".Nasser had said in an earlier statement during his visit that Aramco's relationship with Russia would grow with the projects in which they were cooperating.Gazprom Neft…
Novatek Secures South-Leskinskiy License
Russia's largest independent natural gas producer PAO Novatek has secured a new exploration license on the Gydan peninsula.The seventh largest publicly traded company globally by natural gas production volume said in a press release that its unit Novatek-Yurkharovneftegas won the auction for geological survey, exploration and production license for the South-Leskinskiy subsoil license area on the Gydan peninsula in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.The license area has estimated hydrocarbon resources of 3.5 billion barrels of oil…
Sempra Energy Signs New Mexican LNG Terminal
Sempra Energy, the US group that aims to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility near Ensenada, Mexico, to serve customers in Asia moved closer to becoming reality as the natural gas utilities holding company announced agreements with three international firms.The San Diego-based company announced in a press release that that its subsidiaries Infraestructura Energetica Nova (IEnova) and Sempra LNG & Midstream have signed three Heads of Agreements (HOAs) with affiliates of Total, Mitsui & Co. and Tokyo Gas Co.
Tellurian to Start Building LNG Export Plant in 2019
U.S. liquefied natural gas company Tellurian Inc said on Wednesday it expects to start construction on its Driftwood LNG export terminal in Louisiana in the first half of 2019 and begin operations in 2023.Chief Executive Meg Gentle said in the company's third-quarter earnings that Tellurian will announce partners in the $27.5 billion project by the end of 2018.Driftwood is one of dozens LNG export projects under development in the United States seeking customers so they can start construction and enter service over the next decade to meet growing global demand for the fuel.U.S.
Kinder Morgan says Louisiana Natgas Pipe in Service for LNG Terminal
U.S. energy company Kinder Morgan Inc told federal regulators on Tuesday that it put part of the Louisiana natural gas pipeline in Louisiana into service:* The $122 million pipeline is designed to deliver up to 0.6 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) to Cheniere Energy Inc's Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal in Louisiana as Cheniere adds a fifth liquefaction train at the facility.* One billion cubic feet of gas is enough to fuel about 5 million U.S. homes for a day.* Cheniere said Sabine Pass 5 is undergoing commissioning and is expected to enter commercial service in the first quarter of 2019.
Nigeria senate to probe state oil firm over Nigeria LNG funds
Nigeria's Senate voted on Tuesday to probe the state oil firm's alleged withdrawal of $1.05 billion from gas company Nigeria LNG.The Premium Times newspaper reported on Monday that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had used proceeds from Nigeria LNG - a venture between the state oil firm, Royal Dutch Shell, Total and ENI - to fund purchases of, and subsidies for, fuel during a shortage in early 2018.NNPC was not available for immediate comment.(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; writing by Paul Carsten; editing by Jason Neely)
APLNG, QCLNG Strike Deal to Share Infrastructure
The Australia Pacific LNG project (APLNG) said that it has signed a deal to buy gas from neighboring Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG ) project and for both projects to share infrastructure.Under the tolling agreements, the QCLNG project will be able to transport and process gas and water from the Arrow Energy Surat Basin fields using available capacity in existing Australia Pacific LNG-QCLNG joint infrastructure. The infrastructure sharing arrangements will commence from 2020 and continue until 2035, with options to extend to the end of 2049.In addition…
Golar FSRU Golar Freeze Lined Up for Jamaican Project
Norwegian shipping company Golar LNG Partners is deploying a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) to Jamaica for up to 15 years from the fourth quarter of 2018."FSRU Golar Freeze will shortly arrive offshore Jamaica where she will service a 15-year charter for an energy and logistics company," the partner company of Golar LNG Limited said in a stock market annoucement.From commencement of commercial operations, expected during January, 2019, hire will be receivable at the full daily base rate, initially expected to deliver approximately $18 million in annual Adjusted EBITDA…
LNG Trade to Increase by 10% in 2020
Dominated by new U.S. volumes, liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade is expected to increase by 10 percent per annum from 290 million tons in 2017 to around 388 million tons in 2020, said Golar LNG.According to industry analysts, ton mile demand is expected to increase by more than 40 percent over the same time frame. Annual fleet growth of 5 percent through to 2020, will, according to industry analysts, not be sufficient to meet this demand.Leading brokers continue to expect a 30-40 vessel shortfall. As of today there are minimal prompt available vessels worldwide and it is no longer possible to order a vessel for delivery before 2021.
FLNG Hilli Episeyo Operates in Full Capacity
Golar LNG Limited confirmed that FLNG Hilli Episeyo continues to operate with 100 percent commercial availability.Currently in the process of exporting its 10th LNG cargo, the vessel's proof of concept continues to add momentum to both existing and new opportunities under discussion. Discussions also continue with field operator Perenco as to the timing of utilization of Hilli Episeyo's excess capacity.Golar and affiliates of Keppel Shipyard Limited and Black and Veatch closed the sale of 50 percent of the common units in Golar Hilli LLC to the Partnership on July 12, .
Sonatrach Awards LPG Train Contract to Tecnimont
Algeria's Sonatrach on Monday signed a contract worth $248.5 million with Italy's Maire Tecnimont Spa to build a fourth liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) train at the Hassi Messaoud gas field, Sonatrach's chief executive said.The Italian firm had announced a preliminary deal in September, a spokesperson for Maire Tecnimont said.The train will have a capacity of 8 million cubic metres per day, Sonatrach CEO Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour told reporters, adding that the project was expected to come on line in 30 months.(Reporting by Lamine Chikhi; editing by Ulf Laessing, Jason Neely and Jan Harvey)
FSU Delivered to Bahrain LNG
Teekay LNG’s first floating storage unit (FSU) has been delivered to charterer Bahrain LNG.The vessel Bahrain Spirit was delivered from the shipyard in South Korea at the end of August, before going on hire on September 19, 2018.The FSU will form part of Bahrain LNG’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving and regasification terminal within the Khalifa bin Salman Port facility, in Hidd, Bahrain. The project comprises of a FSU, an offshore LNG receiving jetty and breakwater, an adjacent regasification platform, subsea gas pipelines from the platform to shore…
Gazprom to increase gas deliveries to Austria
Russian energy producer Gazprom will deliver more gas to its Austrian partner OMV, the two companies said on Monday.Deliveries to Austria will be increased by 1 billion cubic meters per year, they added."The signing of a document on additional exports beyond the contractual amounts serves as yet another proof of the high demand for Russian gas on the part of our European consumers," Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller was quoted as saying in the statement.(Reporting by Thomas Seythal, editing by Tassilo Hummel)
