Oil

Petrobras Reports Start of Production at Sepetiba FPSO in Brazil's Santos Basin

Brazilian state-run oil company Petrobras' Sepetiba floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit started production on Sunday, the oil giant said in a securities filing.

Nigeria Aims to Raise Oil, Condensates Output to 2.6 Million bpd by 2026

Nigeria's upstream oil regulator on Monday announced an annual oil and condensates production target of 2.6 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2026, an ambitious jump from 2023 levels of around 1.6 million bpd.

Global News January 2024

Latest industry developments from around the world!

Editor’s Notebook: In Canada, A Tale of Two Pipelines

Well, well, well. It looks as if Canada is likely to be in the market for some new pipelines if word that the nation’s oil and gas producers plan to drill 8% more wells in 2024 comes to pass.

Qatar to Supply Crude Oil to Shell in Five-Year Deal

Qatar has agreed to supply Shell in Singapore with up to 18 million barrels of oil a year for five years in what the Gulf state's energy company said was its first ever five-year crude sales deal.

Real-Time Monitoring Helps Trans Mountain Expansion Stay on Track

(P&GJ) — Navigating diverse terrains for the $31 billion Trans Mountain Expansion Project posed challenges. Learn how obstacles like roads, rivers, and railroads impacted this major oil pipeline installation.

Russian Oil Output to Hold Steady or Increase in 2024, Defying Earlier Sanctions Impact

Oil output in Russia, the third largest producer in the world after the United States and Saudi Arabia, is expected to be steady or even to increase next year as Moscow has largely overcome Western sanctions, analysts said.

Oil Producers Canadian Natural, MEG Urge Regulator to Back Trans Mountain Request

Canadian oil producers Canadian Natural Resources and MEG Energy are urging the country's energy regulator to approve Trans Mountain Corp.'s latest request for a change to building its pipeline expansion, saying timely completion is critical.

U.S. Adds Another 3 Million Barrels of Oil to Strategic Reserve

The United States has finalized contracts to purchase three million barrels of oil to help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) after the largest sale in history last year, the U.S. Department of Energy said on Tuesday.

Big Oil Enters 2024 Strengthened by U.S. Industry Consolidation

The oil and gas industry went on a $250 billion buying spree in 2023, taking advantage of companies' high stock prices to secure lower-cost reserves and prepare for the next upheaval in an industry likely to undergo more consolidation.

Oil Prices Stabilize Amid Middle East Tensions and Anticipation of U.S. Rate Cut

Oil prices were little changed on Tuesday as investors focused on geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and optimism the U.S. Federal Reserve would soon start cutting interest rates, lifting global economic growth and fuel demand.

Russia Plans to Cut Seaborne Oil Exports by 100,000-200,000 bpd in January

Russia plans to cut oil exports from its sea ports in January by 100,000-200,000 barrels per day (bpd) from December levels amid increased throughput at its refineries, three industry sources familiar with export plans told Reuters.

ConocoPhillips Grants Final Approval for $8 Billion Willow Oil Project in Alaska

U.S. oil giant ConocoPhillips on Friday gave the financial greenlight to its $8 billion Willow oil and gas drilling project in Alaska.

Canada Commits Additional $1.5 Billion in Loans for Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion

The Canadian government is backing up to $1.5 billion in new commercial loans for Trans Mountain Corp., the crown corporation building an over-budget and long-delayed oil pipeline expansion to the Pacific coast.

Equinor Unloads Azerbaijan Assets, Including BTC Pipeline

Norway's Equinor said on Friday it has agreed to sell its assets in Azerbaijan to state-owned energy firm SOCAR, including interests in the ACG oilfield and the BTC pipeline for an undisclosed price.

Harbour Energy Strikes $11.2 Billion Deal for Wintershall Dea Assets

Britain's Harbour Energy on Thursday agreed to acquire Wintershall Dea's non-Russian oil and gas assets in a $11.2 billion share and cash deal with BASF and LetterOne that creates one of the world's largest independent producers.

U.S. Purchases 2.1 Million Barrels for Strategic Reserve, Below 2022 Average Price

The U.S. bought 2.1 million barrels of crude oil, the Energy Department said on Tuesday, to help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) after the largest sale in history last year.

BP Short-Lists Three Internal Candidates for CEO

BP's board has short-listed interim CEO Murray Auchincloss and two senior female executives as internal candidates to replace Bernard Looney as chief executive, three company and industry sources told Reuters.

Looking Back at the Biggest Pipeline Stories of 2023

(P&GJ) – In this final issue of P&GJ for 2023, the staff – with more than a little help from our readers – takes a look back at the sometimes chaotic year in midstream that was 2023.

China's Sinochem Buys Rare Venezuelan Oil Cargo After U.S. Suspends Sanctions

China's Sinochem Corp. has bought a million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil for arrival in December, a rare purchase as the state oil and chemicals group capitalizes on Washington's suspension of sanctions on the South American producer.

Imperial Oil Forecasts 2024 Production Surge Amidst Pipeline Expansion

The Canadian Association of Energy Contractors expects companies to drill 8% more wells in 2024 to take advantage of greater access to pipelines.

EIA: U.S. Shale Output Expected to Fall in January

U.S. oil output from top shale-producing regions is set to decline in January for the third consecutive month, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its monthly Drilling Productivity Report on Monday.

Venezuela's PDVSA, Spain's Repsol Agree to Revive Oil Joint Venture

Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA and joint venture partner Repsol on Monday signed an agreement amending the original terms of a project in the country, aiming to revive its crude and gas output.

Russia Eyes Additional Oil Export Cuts of About 50,000 bpd in December

Russia said on Sunday it would deepen oil export cuts in December by potentially 50,000 barrels per day or more, earlier than promised, as the world's biggest exporters try to support the global oil price.

Crude Stocks at Top U.S. Storage Hub Rebuild After Nearing Tank Bottoms

Oil inventories at the top U.S. storage hub rebounded last month after nearing operational lows, thanks to improved pricing at the hub that pulled in barrels from Texas' Permian basin and higher Canadian crude flows, analysts said.

BP Restarts Pipeline After Gasoline Spill in Washington State

The pipeline was restarted following repairs, integrity testing, and regulatory approval of the restart plan, the source said. The company has been cleaning up the spill since Sunday with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local officials.

Elon Musk Calls for Balanced Perspective on Oil and Gas, Urges Caution in Criticism

It is important to reduce carbon emissions to preserve the planet. Still, oil and natural gas should not be demonized in the medium term, Elon Musk, the founder of electric car maker Tesla, said on Saturday.

Trans Mountain Pipeline Warns of 2-Year Delay Over Regulatory Setback

Canadian government-owned Trans Mountain Corp. asked the country's energy regulator on Thursday to reverse a decision rejecting proposed construction changes on its oil pipeline expansion, warning of a possibly "catastrophic" two-year delay and billions of dollars in losses.

Canadian Natural Resources Projects Uptick in Production in 2024

Canadian Natural Resources said on Thursday it expects production to increase in 2024, as the energy producer bets on demand amid tight supplies.

Pembina Pipeline Acquires Enbridge's Interests in Alliance Pipeline, Aux Sable for $3.1 Billion

(P&GJ) — Enbridge Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its 50% interest in Alliance Pipeline and its 42.7% interest in Aux Sable to Pembina Pipeline Corp. for a purchase price of $3.1 billion, including non-recourse debt at Alliance of approximately $0.3 billion.