Oil

Court Debates Fate of Biden's Approval for Willow Oil Project in Alaska

In Juneau, Alaska, a panel of appellate judges is deliberating on whether to uphold the Biden administration's green light for ConocoPhillips' Willow oil project within Alaska's federal petroleum reserve on the North Slope.

Oil India in Talks to Resume Drilling Operations in Libya After 13-Year Hiatus

Oil India is talks with stakeholders to restart drilling in Libya, thirteen years after the company exited the country due to political instability, a top company official told Reuters.

Kazakhstan Doubles Amount of Oil Circumventing Russia

Kazakhstan almost doubled oil exports circumventing Russia's ports in 2023 to 3.73 million metric tons (74,600 barrels per day) from 1.91 million tons in 2022, according to industry sources and Reuters calculations.

Guest Perspective: Aramco’s Best of Both Worlds

Saudi Aramco’s energy strategy should teach The West a lesson: invest in hydrocarbons now. Not only is oil and gas crucial for near- and medium-term energy security and affordability, but there is also a huge amount of money to be made that can be put toward the transition.

Projects February 2024

East African Crude Pipeline delivers first shipment; Pembina acquires Enbridge’s stake in Alliance Pipeline; KM boosts Permian Highway pipeline capacity by 550 MMcf/d; and more!

Chevron Exceeds Permian Production Estimates, Signals Growth Potential

After a year marked by oil and gas production setbacks, Chevron Corp. on Friday delivered a better-than-expected 10.7% annual gain from the Permian Basin, its top shale-producing region.

Enterprise Products Records 15% Growth in Q4 Crude Pipeline Volumes

U.S. pipeline operator Enterprise Products Partners said on Thursday its crude oil volumes last quarter grew 15% to a record 2.6 million barrels per day, as more oil flowed through its lines despite lower prices.

Exxon Beats Estimates, Closes 2023 with $36 Billion Profit

Exxon Mobil on Friday posted a better-than-expected $36 billion profit for 2023, lifted by fuels trading and higher oil and gas production.

Phillips 66 Beats Profit Estimates on Strong Refining, Midstream Performance

Refiner Phillips 66 beat quarterly profit estimates on Wednesday, helped by strong refining margins and gains from its midstream unit, sending its shares up 2.6% to an all-time high of $146.11.

Canada Regulator Clears Latest Trans Mountain Pipeline Delay of Environmental or Safety Concerns

The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) said on Wednesday that it has not noted any environmental or safety concerns with the latest construction challenges to plague the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.

Woodside Urged to Abandon $57 Billion Santos Merger by Major Shareholder

Woodside should walk away from its proposed $57 billion merger with Santos rather than pay a premium for its smaller rival, a large shareholder said on Thursday, a sign of the deep divide between both sides over fair value.

Silver Hill Energy Partners to Buy Liberty Resources' Bakken Assets

Silver Hill Energy Partners said on Wednesday it would acquire Liberty Resources II's interests in oil and gas properties and all of Liberty Midstream Solutions in North Dakota for an undisclosed amount.

Business News February 2024

Association news, personnel changes and mergers and acquisitions in February 2024!

Global News February 2024

Latest industry developments from around the world!

Methane Standards Hit Pipelines More Gently Than Proposed

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final methane performance standards for natural gas controllers and compressors, which will require midstream and interstate pipelines to take a new look at their emission controls.

Marathon Petroleum Beats Profit Estimates, Plans Maintenance Slowdown in Q1 2024

Marathon Petroleum beat quarterly profit estimates on Tuesday, supported by strong refined product margins and high refinery utilization rates, but expects to cut back plant activity sharply at the start of this year for maintenance.

Permian Resources Continues Expansion in New Mexico with $175 Million Deals

The company has acquired about 11,500 net leasehold acres and 4,000 net royalty acres located in Eddy County from undisclosed third-parties.

Oil Producer Hess Tops Profit Estimates on Higher Bakken, Guyana Output

U.S. oil and gas firm Hess beat Wall Street estimates for fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday, helped by higher production in its Bakken shale and Guyana operations.

Environmental Group Unlikely to Challenge Venture Global’s CP2 Construction Permit Approval

Environmentalists are unlikely to challenge in court regulators' expected approval of Venture Global LNG's CP2 export terminal, activist Bill McKibben told Reuters on Tuesday.

Pipeline Operator Enbridge to Cut 650 Jobs Amid Cost Reduction Efforts

North American energy pipeline operator Enbridge said on Tuesday it will cut its workforce by 650 jobs in a bid to cut costs.

U.S. Awards $242 Million in SPR Contracts to Exxon, Macquarie, Phillips 66, Sunoco

The Biden administration has awarded Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) contracts for 3.1 million barrels of oil worth more than $242 million to Exxon, Macquarie, Phillips 66 and Sunoco, the U.S. Energy Department said in a statement on Monday.

Saudi Aramco's Capacity Cut and Pipeline Incident Trigger 11% Drop in Saipem Shares

Shares in Italian energy contractor Saipem plunged by 11% on Tuesday after damage caused by an incident involving one of its pipe-laying vessels and a decision by Saudi Aramco to drop its oil capacity expansion plans.

Trans Mountain Oil Pipeline Faces New Delay Due to Technical Issues

Canada's Trans Mountain said on Monday that it had run into technical issues and faces new delays as it tries to complete the final part of expanding its oil export pipeline.

Tallgrass Energy, Bridger Commence Open Season for 830-Mile Pony Express Pipeline Expansion

The open season covers the Northwest portion of the Pony Express line, connecting Bridger Pipeline's Guernsey Hub in southeast Wyoming to Pony Express' Guernsey and Sterling origin terminals in Northeast Colorado.

Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Set to Begin in April, Increasing Crude Flow

Canada's Trans Mountain Corp. will begin adding crude oil to its long-delayed pipeline expansion in February and expects it to start operating in early April and will ramp up to full capacity by the end of the year, an executive said on Wednesday.

U.S. Oil Futures Face Squeeze as Cushing Inventories Dwindle

U.S. crude oil inventories have begun to deplete, especially around the NYMEX futures delivery point at Cushing in Oklahoma and across the Midwest, creating conditions for a squeeze on nearby futures prices.

Alberta Pension Fund AIMCo Flags Interest in Buying Trans Mountain Stake

Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), a major pension fund in Canada's main oil and gas-producing province, would be interested in buying a stake in Canada's Trans Mountain pipeline if it became available, a spokesperson said on Thursday.

Nigeria Oil Enters Unclear New Era After Shell's Onshore Asset Sale

Shell's exit from Nigeria's onshore oil sector highlights risks oil majors face in Africa's biggest exporter but has raised hopes that local firms could reverse the output decline from the Niger Delta, industry officials and analysts said.

Concerns Mount Among Activist Investors as Exxon Mobil's Lawsuit Sidesteps U.S. Regulator in Shareholder Dispute

Investors that use shareholder resolutions to pressure companies on environmental and social issues said they are worried that an Exxon Mobil lawsuit bypassing the U.S. securities regulator could undermine their influence.

EnCap Eyes $5 Billion Sale of Bakken Shale Producer Grayson Mill

Private equity firm EnCap Investments is exploring a sale of Grayson Mill Energy that could value the Bakken shale-focused oil and gas producer at around $5 billion, inclusive of debt, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.