Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Shale Gas News

Data shows that Russia exported more LNG to Europe in the first quarter.

The first quarter of 2026 saw Russia export more liquefied gas than it had a year earlier. Shipments to Europe increased despite Moscow's efforts to "redirect" supply away from the region. LSEG preliminary data on Wednesday showed that LNG exports grew by 8.9% in the past year to 8,6 million metric tonnes. U.S. sanctions on Moscow for the Ukraine conflict has restricted Russian LNG exports. This is especially true at the Arctic LNG 2, where operations are being hindered due to a lack of buyers. The Arctic LNG 2 plant supplied around 800,000 tons of LNG during the first quarter of this year. This helped to increase overall Russian LNG deliveries.

Shell is in advanced talks with Venezuela about more gas fields, sources claim

Shell has advanced discussions with Venezuelan government about developing four large areas in the vicinity of Trinidad and Tobago in two of South America's largest offshore gas fields. Two people familiar with these discussions confirmed this. The London-based ?energy major has been trying for years to advance ?the 4.2-trillion-cubic-feet Dragon gas field in Venezuelan waters and could make ?a ?final investment decision on the flagship project by the end of this year. Shell wants to expand its operations in OPEC country under interim president Delcy Rodriquez, according to sources.

Staff note: New BP CEO pledges consistency

BP's 'CEO' Meg O'Neill said on Wednesday that she would provide consistency and accelerate the performance of the group, a full year after BP refocused its strategy firmly to oil and natural gas. This was according to a note to staff seen by. O'Neill began her new job as BP's 4th CEO?since 2020, and the first external hire in the role for more than a hundred years. She is the first female to head a major oil company. O'Neill, formerly of Australia's Exxon Mobil and Woodside Energy?, joins BP as it seeks to get away from its ill-fated venture into renewables. 'CLEAR CONSISTENCY AND?DIRECTION' She said, in a staff note that was seen by the.

Gas prices in Europe fall amid hopes that the Iran war will end soon

The benchmark Dutch and British wholesale gasoline prices dropped on Wednesday morning, based on the hope that the Middle East conflict would soon be resolved following the comments of U.S. president Donald?Trump. ICE data shows that the benchmark Dutch front-month 'contract' at the TTF hub was 3.466 euros lower at 48.32 Euros per megawatt hour (MWh), which is around $16.40/mmBtu at 0755 GMT. ICE data shows that the British April contract is down 6.7 pence to 121.4 pence per therm. Trump and Marco Rubio, his Secretary of State, said that the end of 'the war in Iran' could be close.

China, well-positioned in a tight global market sells record LNG volumes

Chinese firms are reselling record amounts of LNG to cash in on the soaring spot prices. China has plenty of 'domestic gas and pipeline gas' to meet its weakened demand, unlike other Asian buyers who scramble to replace supplies that were cut off due to the Iran War. China, the world's largest importer of LNG, reloaded between 8 and 10 cargoes during March, a record monthly total, according to analysts ICIS, Kpler, and Vortexa. Kpler data showed that China reloaded 1,31 million metric tonnes of LNG so far this year. Of these, 10 were delivered to South Korea and five to Thailand, while the rest went to Japan, India, and the Philippines.

India increases jet fuel and commercial LPG prices in response to the Mideast crisis driving global surge

Indian fuel retailers increased jet fuel - and commercial liquefied petrol gas (LPG), prices on Wednesday. This was in response to a sharp rise in global prices caused by the U.S./Israeli war on Iran. India, the world's second largest LPG importer is battling the worst gas crisis it has seen in decades. The government is cutting gas supplies to industries so that households are not affected by shortages. The Indian Oil Corporation website shows that domestic fuel retailers in New Delhi have increased the price of aviation turbine fuel to 104.927 rupees a kiloliter by 8.6% and commercial LPG to?2,078.50 per 19-kilogram container by 10.4%.

Russell: The war between Iran and the ROI is both a boon and a danger to Australia's LNG.

The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran changed the global market of liquefied gas (LNG), giving a boost to producers outside the Middle East. This boost will likely last for many years after the conflict is over. Australia is one of the biggest beneficiaries, having slipped last year to third place in the world's exports of super-chilled gasoline behind the United States of America and Qatar. The Strait of 'Hormuz is effectively closed, and Qatar has no LNG exports. This means that Qatar will likely fall to second place behind Australia in this year even if it reopens the 'narrow waterway. Asian spot prices are a short-term boost for Australia's LNG producers.

Microsoft, Chevron, and Engine No. Exclusive power supply agreement signed by Microsoft, Chevron and Engine No.

Microsoft, Chevron, and Engine No. The three companies announced on Tuesday that they had entered into a power supply and generation exclusivity agreement. Microsoft and other technology companies are rushing to secure the electricity they need for their data centers, which will power artificial intelligence services like ChatGPT or Copilot. Engine No. Engine No. 1 and Chevron had?already announced a partnering last year, to build natural-gas-based power plants near?data centres in the U.S. The?two planned to use GE Vernova?turbines. Bloomberg News reported on the Microsoft deal. The long-term contract is linked to a natural gas-fired plant that would be built in West Texas.

Golden Pass, a joint venture between ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy, produces the first LNG in a new Texas facility

Golden Pass 'LNG, a joint-venture between QatarEnergy and Exxon Mobil has produced its first liquefied gas at its Texas facility, the company announced on Monday. This is a significant step towards bringing online one of the biggest U.S. Export projects. The launch comes as global gas supplies are tightening after the U.S.-Israel-Iran war pushed up energy prices and caused disruptions in Qatar's production, which is one of the largest LNG suppliers. In a press release, Alex Savva said, "Today we began producing LNG at our terminal in Sabine Pass. Golden Pass, once fully operational, will be able to?produce 18 million metric tonnes per year.

Gas industry in Spain calls for better remuneration proposals

Sedigas, the Spanish gas industry's body, called on Monday for "significant" alterations to proposed remuneration regulations for gas-related businesses through 2032. They emphasized the need to ensure "a reasonable and sufficient remuneration structure". The energy and competition watchdog CNMC in the country released two sets of proposals late Thursday: one for remuneration rules of gas-related businesses through 2032, and another?for distribution operations. The first affects primarily grid operator Enagas which manages the country’s trunk gas network. The second is for companies that operate local distribution 'grids' such as Naturgy.

Shell warns Australia about taxing LNG windfall profit

Shell has warned Australia not to introduce a windfall charge on gas exporters. It said that such a tax would 'deter investment' and 'undermine energy security, as LNG prices are surging following the disruption of global supplies due to the Iran War. The conflict in the Middle East has caused the supply of LNG to drop, and Australia is now the second largest LNG supplier. Its export revenues are expected to increase due to the lower supply. Canberra is said to be weighing up options to capitalize on the higher prices. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has asked the Treasury Department to model a tax on LNG exports and to suggest reforms to Petroleum Resources Rent Tax.

Egypt and Cyprus Sign Framework Agreement for Cooperation on Gas

On Monday, Egypt and Cyprus signed a framework for?cooperation in gas during the Egypt 2026?Energy?Show. A spokesperson for the Cypriot Presidency said that the nonbinding agreement would be the basis on which the two countries could negotiate further agreements to exploit Cyprus' reserves. A Cypriot official said that the agreement would allow Egypt and Egypt's state-owned firms to purchase natural gas from Cyprus's offshore Kronos and Aphrodite fields. Cypriot officials claim that they may be able to begin extracting gas from Kronos in 2027 or 2028.

Egypt's Sisi warns that oil prices could reach $200 and says that only Trump can end war.

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Egypt's president, called on U.S. President Donald Trump to end the Iran War, saying that only he was capable of doing so. He also warned that fears about the oil price going above $200 per barrel were not exaggerated. Sisi told President Trump that he alone could stop the Gulf War in our region. "Please, Mr. President, please. Please help us end the war. "You are capable of it," he said. Egypt, which has long received military assistance from the United States and financial support from wealthy Gulf states, has also condemned Iranian attacks against Gulf Arab countries and encouraged diplomatic efforts to prevent a regional war.

Minister says India is boosting its renewable energy efforts amid disruptions in gas supplies

India's junior energy minister stated that the U.S. and Israel?war on Iran? has led to a "gas shortage". Gas accounts for just 2% of India’s total electricity generation. However, during heatwaves or peak demand periods the country consumes about 8 gigawatts (GW) of power from gas. The Middle East Crisis has caused a volatility in the price and availability of natural gas. The generators are looking for alternative sources, Shripad Naik, the junior power minister of India said. He said that the country also closely monitors the progress of coal and hydro plants, which are currently under construction. They are expected to be completed by June 2026.

Vucic: Serbia has signed a gas import agreement with Russia

Aleksandar Vucic, President of the Balkan nation, said that Serbia has secured three more months' worth of gas imports from Russia after talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The cheaper imports of Russian natural gas?cover?up to 90%?of Serbia's need, although Belgrade has tried to diversify its supply by importing gas from Azerbaijan as well as liquefied gas from terminals located in Greece. Vucic stated that he spoke with Putin by phone on Monday. The two discussed bilateral relations, economic cooperation and global developments. He said that the extension maintained current volume and price conditions. "We... pay between $320 to $330 (per 1000 cubic meters).

Oil rally fails to boost drilling as services firms are squeezed

Oilfield services firms around the world are bracing themselves for a 'hit to their earnings, as the Iran War disrupts energy infrastructure in the Middle East. Producers will hold off on new drilling until the higher oil prices have been proven durable. Brent benchmark prices are up 53% from February 27, the day before U.S. and Israel began their strikes against Iran. This makes oil and gas projects much more profitable and increases demand for crews and rigs. However, the Iran War has seen a drop in activity and a reduction in demand for oilfield equipment and services. Igor Isaev is the head of analytical services at European broker Mind Money.

EUROPE GAS-European Gas prices rise as supply risks offset lower demand

The benchmark Dutch and British gas prices climbed a little higher on Monday, after the Yemeni Houthis launched their first attack on Israel at the weekend. This increased the U.S. - Israel war with Iran and raised fears of supply disruptions. ICE data shows that the benchmark Dutch front-month contracts at TTF hub were up 1.183 euro at 55.36 Euros per megawatt hour or around $18.65 /mmBtu by 0810 GMT. ICE data showed that the British April?contract rose 3.61 pence to 139.76 cents per therm. Around a fifth (or more) of the world’s LNG transits the Strait?of Hormuz. However, shipping has been at a standstill through the narrow strait since?the U.S.

Prime Minister says that the economics of New Zealand’s LNG terminal must be solid to give it approval.

New Zealand's plans to build a terminal for liquefied gas imports are in doubt. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Monday that the government would only approve the project "if the business case was strong". The?government?selected contractors in February to build the facility at Taranaki on the North Island of the country. The terminal was to be ready for LNG by 2027 or 2028. The project was announced by the government in 2025 as a way to improve energy security for the country and reduce costs. Luxon said to Radio New Zealand on Monday that while the government is still at the procurement stage…

Chevron estimates repairs at Wheatstone gas plant will take weeks

The company stated on Sunday that it is likely to take several weeks for the Wheatstone Liquefied Natural Gas facility in Western Australia to fully resume production as they repair damage caused by the cyclone last week. The Australian LNG supply was disrupted by Cyclone Narelle, a disruption of more than 30,000,000 metric tons per annum. Saul Kavonic, MST Marquee analyst, said on Friday that the Middle East conflict and the cyclone Narelle have combined to disrupt more than a quarter of global LNG supply. In an email, a Chevron Australia spokesperson said that damage assessments are still ongoing at the Wheatstone onshore plant and the Wheatstone offshore platform.

PetroChina's net profit for 2025 drops 4.5% due to lower oil prices

PetroChina, Asia's biggest oil and gas producer said on Sunday that its 2025 net annual?profit fell 4.5% from the record set in 2024 as lower oil prices affected earnings. PetroChina reported in a filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange that its net income was 157.3 billion yuan (22.76 billion dollars) in 2018, compared to 164.7 billion yuan (2024), while revenue fell 2.5% to 2,864.5 billion yuan. CNOOC Ltd, a domestic peer, reported a 11.5% drop in net profits to 122.08 bn yuan on Thursday. Earnings at the refining giant Sinopec dropped 37% to $31.8 bn yuan. PetroChina produced 948 million barrels of crude last year or 2.6 millions barrels per day.