Oil

Revisiting the Biggest Midstream Stories of 2024

(P&GJ) – In this final issue of P&GJ for 2024, the staff – with more than a little help from our readers – takes a look back at the sometimes-frenzied year for pipeline construction that was 2024.

Texas Ports Suspend Operations as Winter Storm Hits Gulf Coast

Port Freeport on Tuesday said it expects limited vessel activity due to cold weather conditions in the Texas Gulf Coast area amid winter storm Enzo.

Aramco CEO Projects 1.3 Million bbl/d Oil Demand Growth in 2025

Saudi oil giant Aramco's CEO Amin Nasser said on Tuesday he sees the oil market as healthy and expects an additional 1.3 million barrels per day of demand this year.

Trump Administration Must State Its Position on Climate and Energy

In a speech to announce the U.S.’s Fifth Climate Assessment on Nov. 14, 2023—a report that was compiled by more than 700 climate scientists and thousands of contributors— President Joe Biden stated that the greatest existential threat to the U.S. and humanity is the “climate crisis.”

Report: Trump to Declare 'National Energy Emergency'

President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday he will declare a national energy emergency aimed at boosting U.S. oil and gas production and lowering costs for U.S. consumers.

Cold Weather Shuts Down 12% of North Dakota Oil Output

North Dakota's oil production was estimated to be down by between 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) and 150,000 bpd due to extreme cold weather and related operational challenges, the state's pipeline authority said on Monday.

API and States Sue to Reverse Offshore Oil, Gas Leasing Ban

The American Petroleum Institute has joined with the states of Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi in filing a challenge to the Biden administration’s ban on new oil and natural gas leasing across millions of acres of federal waters.

Trump Interior Nominee Advocates Aggressive Drilling on Federal Lands

Donald Trump's pick for secretary of the interior, Doug Burgum, said on Thursday he will vigorously pursue the president-elect's goals of maximizing energy production from U.S. public lands and waters, calling it key to national security.

EIA: U.S. Crude Stocks Hit 2-Year Low on Rising Exports, Falling Imports

U.S. crude oil stocks excluding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) fell last week to their lowest since April 2022 as exports rose and imports fell, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday.

EIA Forecasts Oil Price Declines in 2025 and 2026 Amid Global Oversupply

Oil prices will be under pressure over the next two years as global production growth outpaces demand, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Tuesday in its Short-Term Energy Outlook report.

Peru’s Bretaña Crude Gains Traction Among U.S. Refiners Amid Mexican Supply Decline

Peru's niche Bretaña crude oil is gaining popularity in the United States, with the first cargo discharging in the U.S. Gulf Coast this month as U.S. refiners seek alternatives for declining Mexican heavy crude.

Guyana Exports 225 Crude Cargoes in 2024, Boosted by Exxon’s Ramp-Up

Guyana exported 225 cargoes of crude oil in 2024, its energy minister said on Tuesday, as a consortium led by U.S. major Exxon Mobil continued ramping up production and completed an update at its facilities.

Diamondback Energy Warns of Lower Q4 Oil Prices

U.S. shale producer Diamondback Energy on Monday flagged lower prices for its oil production in the fourth quarter, compared to the preceding three months.

Pipeline Upgrade Ends Czech Republic's Reliance on Russian Oil

Upgrades to boost the capacity for oil deliveries to the Czech Republic via the TAL pipeline are complete, ending the country's need to import Russian crude, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Tuesday.

Dozens of Oil Tankers Drop Anchor After U.S. Sanctions Tighten

At least 65 oil tankers have dropped anchor at multiple locations, including off the coasts of China and Russia, since the United States announced a new sanctions package on Jan. 10, ship tracking data showed on Monday.

Plains All American Launches Year's First M&A Bond with $1 Billion Offering

U.S. integrated midstream infrastructure company Plains All American Pipeline on Monday priced a $1 billion investment-grade bond offering, the year's first to finance an acquisition.

Tougher U.S. Sanctions to Limit Russian Oil to China, India, Boost Middle East Demand

Chinese and Indian refiners will source more oil from the Middle East, Africa and the Americas, boosting prices and freight costs, as new U.S. sanctions on Russian producers and ships curb supplies to Moscow's top customers, traders and analysts said.

U.S. Oil Imports from Canada Hit Record High Amid Tariff Threat, EIA Data Shows

U.S. crude oil imports from Canada rose last week to the highest on record, data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed on Wednesday, ahead of incoming U.S. president Donald Trump's plans to levy a 25% tariff on Canadian imports.

U.S. Senate Panel to Hear Trump Energy Nominees Next Week

The U.S. Senate energy committee will hold nomination hearings for President-elect Donald Trump's picks for energy roles on Tuesday and Wednesday next week, the panel's chairman said on Thursday.

Howard Energy Acquires 120-Mile Bidirectional Ethylene Pipeline from EPIC Midstream

Howard Energy Partners (HEP) has acquired EPIC Midstream Holdings’ 120-mile ethylene pipeline, strengthening its presence in the Gulf Coast region.

U.S. Oil Inventories at Cushing Storage Hub Drop to Lowest in a Decade

U.S. crude inventories at the country's flagship storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, fell to their lowest in over a decade amid strong refining activity and a year-end tax measure, data from the government's energy statistics arm showed on Wednesday.

Caspian Pipeline Consortium Lowers 2024 Oil Export Forecast Again

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which exports Kazakhstan's oil via the Black Sea, was seen pumping 64.4 million metric tons of oil in 2024 in a latest estimate, further downgrading its exporting prospects, according to a shareholder.

Chevron Eyes $6-8 Billion Free Cash Flow Growth in 2024, CEO Says

Chevron is positioned to increase its free cash flow by $6 billion to $8 billion by next year, and reduce expenses by "a couple billion dollars," said Chevron CEO Michael Wirth on Wednesday.

EnCap Flatrock Midstream Nets $800 Million in Plains All American Transactions

EnCap Flatrock Midstream (EFM) has finalized agreements to sell Ironwood Midstream Energy Partners II and its Plains Series A Preferred Units to Plains All American for over $800 million in cash.

South Sudan Plans Crude Oil Restart Amid Regional Recovery Efforts

South Sudan aims to resume oil production at its Blocks 3 and 7 on Jan. 8 with an initial output target of 90,000 barrels per day, Petroleum Minister Puot Kang Chol said on Tuesday.

Trump Plans Immediate Reversal of Biden's Offshore Drilling Restrictions

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will move quickly to revoke an offshore oil and gas drilling ban announced by outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden.

Enbridge Should Rethink Old, Troubled Line 5 Pipeline, IEEFA Says

A new report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) questions the financial and strategic viability of Enbridge Energy’s proposed tunnel project to replace an aging section of the Line 5 pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac.

Biden Bans Offshore Drilling in Vast U.S. Waters Before Trump Term

U.S. President Joe Biden will ban new offshore oil and gas development along most U.S. coastlines, a decision President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed to boost domestic energy production, may find difficult to reverse.

Asia’s Crude Imports Fall in 2024 Amid Weak China Demand

Asia's crude oil imports dropped in 2024, the first annual decline in three years, led by weak demand from heavyweight China and other major buyers, with only India managing sparse growth.

Sudan Resumes Oil Exports to Port Sudan, Lifts Force Majeure on Pipeline

Sudan has lifted a nearly year-long force majeure on the transport of crude oil from its neighbor South Sudan to a port on the Red Sea after security conditions improved, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Monday.