Central & South America

Venezuela Expects to Sign Gas Licenses by Year-End, Oil Minister Says

Venezuelan expects to sign licenses by year-end for developing the nation's vast natural gas reserves, oil minister Pedro Tellechea said on Friday, even amid U.S. sanctions.

Argentina Turns Away Gunvor-Chartered LNG Tanker, Citing Sanctions

A tanker containing LNG that originated from a Russia supplier and was loaded onto a Gunvor Group-chartered vessel off the coast of France was turned away this week by Argentine energy firm Enarsa, according to officials.

Global News July 2023

Latest industry developments from around the world!

Global Construction Update: LNG Markets, Resurgent China Kindle Pipeline Projects

(PGJ) — Global midstream markets continue to face near-term headwinds and economic uncertainties, but Europe’s rapid transition from Russian energy and projected higher demand in Asia continue to drive midstream expansion in those regions and others that supply them.

EU Considers Gas Imports from Argentina, Document Shows

The European Union is considering possible gas imports from Argentina, a net gas importer that plans to expand domestic production, a draft document showed.

Brent Oil Hovers Above $81 After Supply Disruptions

Global benchmark Brent crude hovered above $81 a barrel on Friday, with bullish sentiment over U.S. demand bolstered by supply disruption in Libya and Nigeria.

Argentina Inaugurates Key Gas Pipeline to Reverse Energy Deficit

The completion of the first stage of the gas pipeline, which starts in Neuquen province and reaches Buenos Aires province, adds 11 million cubic meters of gas per day.

Trinidad and Tobago Signs Preliminary Energy Agreement with Suriname

Trinidad and Tobago has been searching for ways to expand its natural gas supplies. The Caribbean nation can process some 4.2 Bcf/d of gas into LNG and petrochemicals, but its current output is less than 2.7 Bcf/d of gas, according to government statistics.

Russian Firm Asks Venezuela to Match Chevron Oil-for-Debt Deal

A Russian oil firm is asking Venezuela's state-run company PDVSA for permission to take control of exports from their joint ventures to revive cash flow from the five companies, which have been hard-hit by U.S. sanctions, two people involved in the talks said.

Trinidad to Restart Idled LNG Unit by Early 2027 Amid Restructuring

Trinidad and Tobago aims to restart an idled LNG unit by the first quarter of 2027 after agreeing to restructure the facility's ownership and negotiate new gas supplies, according to three people with knowledge of the plans.

Russia's Novatek Offered Argentina Know-How to Liquefy Gas from Vaca Muerta

Last year, Russia's largest producer of LNG Novatek offered technology to build a plant to produce the gas from Argentina's Vaca Muerta field, a highly-placed source familiar with the proposal said. However, the talks have since broken off.

IDB Approves $400 Million Loan to Develop Chile's Green Hydrogen Industry

The green hydrogen industry is an opportunity for Chile, the development bank said, due to Chile's ability to produce renewable energy at low cost.

Colombia Cano Limon-Covenas Oil Pipeline Bombed

Colombia's Cano Limon-Covenas pipeline was bombed by unknown actors, operator Cenit said in a statement on Tuesday, prolonging the suspension of pumping crude between oil fields in the country's northeast and the Caribbean coast, where the oil is exported.

Venezuela, Trinidad to Meet Again in June to Discuss Dragon Gas Project

Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago will continue negotiations on jointly developing a dormant offshore natural gas field, with a meeting scheduled for mid-June in Caracas, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

Spotlight on Argentina: Projects to Strengthen Gas Service in Northern Region

(P&GJ) — The government of Argentina decided to accelerate the reversal works of the Northern Gas Pipeline, which will guarantee supply to the entire north of Argentina, as well as allowing for exportation to Chile from the Vaca Muerta.

Argentina Seeking New Vaca Muerta Pipeline Work to Move Local Gas Supply

Argentina's government will next week call for bids to reverse the flow of natural gas on a major pipeline designed to transport Vaca Muerta production to the north and center of the country, Economy Minister Sergio Massa said on Friday.

Chile, Argentina’s YPF Ink Deal to Import Oil via Trasandino Pipeline

The contract, which is valid for 45 days, would enable the Chilean firm to buy 41,000 barrels of oil per day between May and June.

Equinor, Partners to Invest $9 Billion in New Gas Field Off Brazil

Gas from the offshore field will be directly injected into the national gas grid via a 200-km (124-mile) pipeline landing at the city of Macae in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

US LNG Exports Go Full Steam Ahead, Sales to Latin America Rise

U.S. producers of LNG exported at top capacity in April for a second consecutive month, with over two-thirds of shipments bound for Europe and rising volumes to Latin America, data showed on Monday.

Global News May 2023

Latest industry developments.

Hess, Exxon Make New Oil Discovery in Guyana’s Stabroek Block

The discovery on the group's Stabroek Block is the latest of more than 30 in the South American country's offshore waters since 2015. Hess holds a 30% stake in the consortium and said the discovery may help justify a new oil project.

Unable to Process Venezuela's Heavy Oil, Cuba Turns to Russia, Mexico

Cuba increasingly is turning to Russia and Mexico for oil to ease an acute shortage of diesel and gasoline and supplement dwindling supplies of Venezuelan crude and fuel, according to shipping data and sources.

Cenit: Colombia's Transandino Oil Pipeline Bombed

The Transandino Pipeline runs along Colombia's border with Ecuador, taking up to 85,000 barrels of crude per day to an export terminal in Tumaco, a Pacific port in the country's Narino province.

Colombia's Cano Limon-Covenas Pipeline Attacked for Ninth Time in 2023

The suspension of pumping operations at Colombia's Cano Limon-Covenas oil pipeline will be prolonged after a new bombing attack damaged its infrastructure in the country's Arauca province, oil transportation company Cenit said.

Tech Notes: Unpiggable In-Line Inspection Completed in South America

(P&GJ) — A team of Dexon pipeline engineers recently completed the inspection of a 20-mile (32-km), 3-inch diameter unpiggable or “challenging” underground petrochemical distribution pipeline, running from an onshore processing facility to a port on the South American coast.

G7 Climate Ministers Drop Language on Growing LNG Demand in Draft

Climate ministers of the Group of Seven countries have backtracked for now on earlier language touting growing future demand for LNG, instead noting there may be "considerable uncertainty" for consumption.

Global News April 2023

US LNG exports hit record as Freeport production returns, Granholm says refilling US strategic petroleum reserve could take years, EU Nations seek legal option to stop Russian LNG imports, Oil firms halt or cut output in Iraqi Kurdistan, and more!

Uganda Approves Construction of 898-Mile Crude Pipeline

Uganda approves construction of 898-mile crude pipeline, Biden backs scaled-back ConocoPhillips Alaska oil project, construction of 106-mile gas pipeline to Serbia underway, Coastal GasLink pipeline costs expected to top $10 billion and more.

Colombia Cano Limon-Covenas Oil Pipeline Pumping Suspended for 12 Days

Oil transportation company Cenit, a wholly owned subsidiary of Colombia's majority state-owned energy company Ecopetrol, has suspended pumping operations along the Cano Limon-Covenas pipeline for 12 days as of Tuesday due to attacks on the infrastructure, it said.

Spotlight on Brazil: Government Promotes Five New Gas Pipelines

(P&GJ) — A division of Brazil's Ministry of Energy recently published a document outlining a plan for $4 billion in investments to finance the construction of five gas pipelines focusing on gas flow from the Sergipe-Alagoas basin and gas from the pre-salt field.