Infrastructure

Trans Mountain Pipeline Route Change Request Approved by Canadian Regulator

The Canada Energy Regulator (CER) approved a route change request for the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion on Monday, clearing a major hurdle and avoiding months of delay for the Canadian government-owned project.

PLIDCO Introduces Hydrogen-Compatible Fittings for Pipeline Maintenance and Repairs

(P&GJ) — The Pipe Line Development Company (PLIDCO) has launched a new range of products for use with hydrogen pipelines in response to the emerging transition toward hydrogen and other alternative energy sources.

Climeworks Explores Large-Scale Carbon Capture Project in Kenya

Climeworks is exploring the development of a large-scale direct air capture (DAC) project in Kenya to remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with Great Carbon Valley, the first of its kind in East Africa, the two companies said on Thursday.

Mexico's First LNG Plant to Receive Final Piece in Days

The last major piece of infrastructure needed to start production at Mexico's first floating LNG plant is set to depart from a Texas shipyard next week, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a notice to shippers.

Peru Pipeline Workers Unearth Ancient Children's Cemetery

Peruvian workers unearthed eight bundles of funeral belongings believed to be around 1,000 years old while installing a gas pipeline in capital Lima, archaeologists said on Friday, saying the site likely marked a children's cemetery.

FERC Approves Sempra's Port Arthur LNG Phase 2 Expansion Project

(P&GJ) — Sempra Infrastructure has announced that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has approved the permit authorizing the Port Arthur LNG Phase 2 expansion project under development at Port Arthur LNG in Jefferson County, Texas.

TC Energy's Coastal GasLink Pipeline Fined for Environmental Non-Compliance

British Columbia has fined Coastal GasLink, the natural gas pipeline being built by TC Energy, $256,810 for non-compliance with environmental regulations, the Canadian province said on Thursday.

FACTBOX: Deals on the Rise in US Oil and Gas Pipeline Sector

The oil and gas pipeline business has seen increased consolidation this year as U.S. production grows and new pipeline permitting problems have made existing operators more valuable.

Sources: Sinopec Buys Over 30 LNG Cargoes for Winter Demand, Trading

China's Sinopec Corp has bought more than 30 cargoes of LNG via a tender for October 2023 to the end of 2024 to cover Chinese winter demand and boost the supply pool for trading, traders said.

Magellan Midstream Approves $18.8 Billion Sale to ONEOK, Creating Major U.S. Pipeline Player

Magellan Midstream Partners' unitholders on Thursday voted in favor of its sale to larger rival ONEOK Inc. for $18.8 billion, creating one of the largest U.S. energy pipeline companies.

Germany Expands LNG Regasification Capacity with New Terminals

A new LNG terminal at Mukran on Ruegen Island in the German Baltic Sea should be operational from the first quarter of 2024, Gascade, the pipeline firm building its onshore connection, said.

NextDecade Secures $356 Million Loan for Rio Grande LNG Phase 1

NextDecade said on Wednesday it had received a loan worth $356 million from a group of lenders to finance a portion of Phase 1 of its Rio Grande LNG export facility in Texas.

Latest Pipeline Security Initiatives Inside, Outside of NATO

(P&GJ) — Following the attack on the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline a year ago, NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed the protection of critical infrastructure with NATO’s members. He made a special point of reaching out to German leaders and to Denmark’s defense minister, since this is the country closest to the damage.

US Pipeline Regulator Awards $15 Million Grants to Improve Safety

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) on Wednesday awarded $14.8 million in grants for pipeline safety training and technological research.

Berkshire Hathaway Maryland Cove Point LNG Export Plant Shut

The amount of natural gas flowing to U.S. energy firm Berkshire Hathaway Energy's Cove Point LNG export plant in Maryland fell to near zero on Wednesday, a sign that the plant likely shut for work expected to start on Sept. 21.

P&GJ’s Europe 500 Report of Top Pipelines

(P&GJ) — Following is a listing of some of the longest transportation routes on the continent of Europe as of July 2023. This third such report will be broken down into two sections, gas and liquids (oil and products), which will be updated in each of our September issues going forward.

How Emissions Are Measured: Gas Concentration vs. Emission Rate

(P&GJ) — The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) proposed a rule in May that included significant measures to reduce emissions from pipelines and other midstream infrastructure.

Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion to Disrupt Oil Flow to US, Boost Prices

Canada's Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion (TMX), which will nearly triple the flow of crude from Alberta to Canada's Pacific Coast beginning early next year, will shake up North America's supply by diverting barrels now mainly delivered to refiners and exporters in the U.S. Midwest and Gulf Coast.

U.S. Lawmakers Urge Biden to Revive Kurdistan Pipeline for Economic Relief

A new U.S. approach is needed to facilitate the re-opening of a pipeline between Iraq's northern semi-autonomous Kurdistan region and Turkey, a trio of U.S. congressmen urged President Biden in a letter seen by Reuters.

Germany's SEFE Studying Hydrogen Production, WIGA Stake Hike

Nationalized German gas importer and trader SEFE on Tuesday said it was interested in clean hydrogen production under its remit to help spearhead the green energy transition.

Japan's Mitsui to Comply with Arctic LNG 2-Related U.S. Sanctions

Japan's Mitsui said on Saturday it is committed to complying with restrictions in the wake of fresh U.S. sanctions related to Russia's Arctic LNG 2 liquefied natural gas project in which it holds a stake.

Greenpeace Blocks Arrival of New LNG Unit at French Port

A new LNG floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) arrived in western France on Monday morning, a TotalEnergies' spokesperson said, as activist group Greenpeace tried to prevent it from entering port.

Editor's Notebook: Colorado’s Bold Initiative

(P&GJ) — The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) recently adopted rules aimed at increasing repair inspections and leak detection at oil and gas facilities throughout the state. While these new guidelines do not affect midstream directly, there are implications for the sector due to the growing emphasis on carbon-capture and related pipelines.

Irish Planning Body Rejects Major LNG Terminal, Cites Climate Plan

Ireland's top planning body has refused permission for a major new LNG terminal, citing the government's greenhouse gas reduction targets, a possibly fatal blow to a project supporters say is essential to the country's energy security.

Turkish Minister: Iraq-Turkey Oil Pipeline Ready to Resume Operations Soon

Iraq's northern oil export route through Turkey will soon be ready to resume operation after checks on pipeline maintenance and repairs to flood damage, the Turkish energy minister said.

Trans Mountain Asks Regulator to Approve Oil Pipeline Tolls Despite Shipper Complaints

Trans Mountain Corp., the oil pipeline company owned by the Canadian government, asked a regulator on Thursday to approve the proposed tolls it wants to charge shippers, who have said they are too high.

PipeChina Starts Laying Second Gas Line Linking Sichuan to East Coast

The new line will be built in phases. Under the first stage, PipeChina will lay a 1,576-km (979 miles) western section, including 12 branches, crossing the Chongqing municipality and provinces of Sichuan and Hubei.

Sources: Disagreements Delay Russian Gas Hub Plans in Turkey

Russia's push to create a "gas hub" in Turkey to replace lost sales to Europe is facing delays because of disagreements over who should be in charge of it, two sources familiar with the project told Reuters.

Marathon Galveston Bay, Texas, FCC Expected to Remain Shut Through Late This Week

The fire-damaged, gasoline-producing fluidic catalytic cracker (FCC) at Marathon Petroleum's 593,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, Texas, is expected to be shut until late this week, said people familiar with plant operations on Friday.

Sempra Completes Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 Interest Sale to KKR

(P&GJ) — Sempra Infrastructure announced that it has completed the sale of a 42% indirect, non-controlling interest in its Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 project to KKR.