International
The IEA has published a regulatory roadmap to help governments tackle methane emissions from the oil and gas industry amid concerns methane emissions could rise again once the world economy starts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
US services firm Baker Hughes expects up to four liquefaction projects to achieve FID this year, with the firm suggesting that by 2030 liquefaction capacity will need to hit 650-700 mtpa to help meet rising demand.
Asia Pacific
Japan / South Korea – The LNG supply crunch in northeast Asia is seeing utilities look to procure fuel oil to meet robust power demand driven by a prolonged cold snap, with Japanese and South Korean firms reportedly vying for fuel oil supplies.
Australasia
Australia – Woodside’s integrated Scarborough field and Pluto Train 2 LNG project has received a boost after the firm amended a supply deal with Uniper, which agreed to take ~2 mtpa from 2026, contingent on FID. Separately, Chinese LNG buyers have reportedly returned to discuss offtake from the integrated project.
US-based global infrastructure fund ISQ and Clean Energy Fuels Australia have announced plans to spent USD 500 million to bring LNG to remote mining sites in Western Australia in order to replace diesel in power generation.
Shell-owned ERM Power and Macquarie Group have agreed a virtual storage electricity swap contract with hydro producer Hydro Tasmania in Australia in what market innovator Renewable Energy Hub called a “game-changing moment for energy storage”.
Europe
EU – MEPs adopted a non-binding resolution last week to strengthen sanctions against Russia and stop construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline following the arrest of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Germany – Washington has informed Germany that it plans to impose new sanctions on Russian pipelaying vessel Fortuna in a bid to halt construction of the 55 Bcm/year Nord Stream 2, but experts told Gas Matters Today they expect work to continue.
Norway – The government has awarded 61 production licences with Equinor, Wintershall, Aker BP and Lundin picking up most offered blocks, as Oslo moves to avoid Norwegian hydrocarbon production heading into rapid decline from 2030.
Poland – The planned 750 MW Ostroleka CCGT plant in northeast Poland will partly run on LNG imported via Lithuania's Klaipeda LNG terminal, Lithuania’s energy minister was quoted as saying last week.
UK – NEO Energy and private equity backer HitechVision have entered negotiations to purchase ExxonMobil’s upstream assets in the central and northern areas of the UK North Sea and become a leading producer in the UKCS, the firm has announced.
A coalition of British gas pipeline operators today set out plans to achieve the aims of the UK’s hydrogen strategy, with a view to laying the groundwork for construction of a hydrogen powered town by 2030.
Mediterranean
Egypt / Israel – Delek Drilling confirmed on behalf of its partners in the Leviathan and Tamar fields a firm agreement with Israel Natural Gas Lines covering the cost of pipelines to the East Mediterranean Gas terminal in order to boost Israeli volumes to Egypt.
North America
US – Commonwealth LNG, together with trading house Gunvor, has launched an “innovative” tender for LNG supply in what market observers suggest could be a “last roll of the dice” for an 8.4 mpta plant project in Louisiana aiming for FID in 2022.
The future of the 7.8 mpta Jordan Cove LNG project in Oregon hangs in the balance after Federal Energy Regulatory Commission upheld the state’s denial of a clean water permit for the plant and Pacific Connector feed gas pipeline.
A US federal court has overturned a Trump administration policy blocking the Obama-era Clean Power Plan that aimed to cut power sector emissions by 32% by 2030, paving the way for new President Joe Biden to create a net-zero electricity grid by 2035.
Biden has named long-time Democrat advisor and clean energy advocate Richard Glick as FERC chairman in a move welcomed by environmental groups as a signal that the new administration will honour campaign promises and transform the US energy system.
South Asia
India – Total has acquired a 20% stake in Adani Green Energy for USD 2.5 billion, with the move accelerating the French major’s efforts to reach its 2025 target of having 35 GW of installed renewable power generation.
Shell is set to start transporting LNG to customers in India via trucks following the inauguration of a truck loading unit at the Anglo-Dutch major’s Hazira LNG terminal this week.
Pakistan – An LNG player, believed to be Emirates National Oil Company, has defaulted on its agreement to supply a cargo to the country in February, state-owned Pakistan LNG has confirmed, while suggesting that the soaring spot LNG price in Asia is to blame.
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