Asia/Pacific

Osaka Gas to Secure More LNG Than Usual in FY23/24 Amid Tight Global Supply

Japan's Osaka Gas Co. Ltd. plans to secure more LNG than usual in the financial year starting in April to ensure a stable supply of the fuel as global supply is expected to stay tight, its president said on Wednesday.

Mongolia to Decide on Gas Pipeline Route After Russia-China Cost Agreement

Mongolia will make a decision on which part of its territory will be used to construct the Russia-China gas pipeline once its neighbors reach an agreement on costs, the country's prime minister said.

Turkey's Ruling Party Presents Gas Reform in Step Towards Trading Hub

Turkey's ruling AK Party presented a draft law to parliament on Wednesday aimed at establishing a competitive natural gas market as the country attempts to become a gas trading hub bringing together suppliers and consumers.

Alaska's Qilak LNG Targets Asia with $5 Billion Project to Compete with Russia

Qilak LNG plans to invest $5 billion in a proposed LNG facility in Alaska's North Slope to compete with Russia's Yamal project for Asian customers towards the end of this decade, its chief executive said.

Petronas Aims to Complete Malaysia LNG Investigation by Mid-Year

Malaysia's state energy company Petroliam Nasional Berhad, or Petronas, aims to complete an investigation into disruption of Malaysia LNG gas supply by the middle of the year, CEO Tengku Taufik told reporters on Friday.

Global News - March 2023

Latest industry news and developments

China’s Yulong Petrochemical in Preliminary Oil Deals with BP, Chevron

China's Yulong Petrochemical on Monday said it had signed a memorandum of understanding agreements with BP and Chevron to supply its 400,000 barrel per day greenfield refinery in northern China.

China Gas Holdings Secures LNG Supply Deals with Venture Global for 40-Year Term

China Gas Holdings has agreed to two 20-year LNG supply contracts with U.S. exporter Venture Global, adding to a flurry of deals signed between China and the U.S. since 2021. It would buy a total of two million tonnes per year of LNG from Venture Global under the two contracts with supply set to kick off in 2027.

Kazakh Oil Decouples from Russian Crude But Risk Weighs on Price

Kazakhstan has separated its oil exports from those of Russian crude by launching its own KEBCO brand, but sanctions against Moscow are still putting pressure on the price of Kazakh oil pumped through Russian pipelines, data shows.

Putin Lauds Gas Giant Gazprom, Says Asian Demand Will Soar

"Despite unfair — to put it bluntly — competition, direct attempts from the outside to hinder and restrain its development, Gazprom is moving forward, launching new projects," Putin told Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller.

IEA's Birol Warns of Tighter Energy Supply Next Winter

International Energy Agency (IEA) head Fatih Birol has warned of possible energy shortages next winter as relatively little new LNG is coming to the market while China's consumption is set to rise this year.

Oil Prices Fall After Additional US Crude Reserve Release Announced

Oil prices fell in early Asian trade on Tuesday after the U.S. government said it will release 26 million barrels of crude from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Last year, U.S. President Joe Biden's administration sold a record 180 million barrels from the reserve.

China's CNPC Set to Seal Mega Qatari LNG Deal

China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) is close to finalizing a deal to buy LNG from QatarEnergy over nearly 30 years from the Middle Eastern exporter's massive North Field expansion project, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

Indonesia Approves Revised Development Plan for Kasuri Gas Project

Indonesia has approved a revised development plan by Malaysia's Genting Oil & Gas for the first phase of its gas project in West Papua following changes in production estimates, the energy ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Oman LNG Agrees to Supply China's Unipec with 1 Million Tonnes of LNG Per Year

Oman LNG has agreed to supply China's Unipec with around 1 million metric tonnes of LNG per year for four years starting in 2025, state news agency ONA said on Tuesday. Unipec is the trading arm of Asia's largest refiner, Sinopec.

Philippine Malampaya Gas Field Operator Seeks 15-Year Contract Extension

Prime Infra Holdings Inc., the new operator of the Philippines' Malampaya natural gas field, is seeking a 15-year extension of the project contract to be able to explore for additional supply around the reservoir, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

India's Petronet Seeks More LNG Under Long-Term Qatar Deal

Petronet LNG, India's top gas importer, will seek up to 1 MTPA in additional LNG supplies when it renews its long-term deal with Qatar, the company's CEO said on Tuesday. Petronet, which is currently purchasing LNG from Qatar at $16 per million British thermal unit, has until the end of this year to renew its deal.

IEA: China's Oil Demand Bounce May Push Producers to Reconsider Output

Oil producers may have to reconsider their output policies following a demand recovery in China, the world's second-largest oil consumer, the International Energy Agency's Executive Director Fatih Birol said on Sunday.

Russia's Novatek, India's GAIL Poised to Seal Gas Sales Deal

Russia's largest LNG producer, Novatek, is close to a deal to supply gas to GAIL (India) Ltd. as it seeks alternative markets to Europe, three industry sources said. The companies are negotiating the terms of a contract and could seal an agreement within a week, the sources said, adding volumes would depend on logistics, such as shipping and insurance.

Russian Gas Supply Hit Pushes India's GAIL to Scout for Long-Term LNG

GAIL (India) Ltd. is scouting for long-term gas import deals and hopes to sign one contract shortly to make up for disrupted supplies from a former unit of Russian energy giant Gazprom, its head of finance said on Monday.

Philippines Greenlights Seventh LNG Project, Gears Up for Gas Imports

The Philippines' Department of Energy said on Friday it has approved a $67-million LNG import terminal project, the country's seventh such facility, as it gears up for the launch of its liquefied natural gas industry this year.

Chinese Oil Major CNOOC Wins Ruling Against Canada's Pembina Pipeline

Canada's Pembina Pipeline Corp. unjustly discriminated against Chinese oil major CNOOC Ltd. by refusing access to storage facilities in Edmonton, Alberta, the Canada Energy Regulator has ruled. The Edmonton terminal is part of the TransMountain pipeline system and is fed by 20 feeder pipelines coming from different parts of Alberta.

Indonesia Approves Revised $3.35 Billion Plan for Eni's Merakes Gas Fields

Indonesia has approved a revised plan of development for its Merakes and Merakes East gas fields with a total investment of $3.35 billion, its upstream oil and gas regulator said on Tuesday.

China's CNOOC Targets Record Oil, Gas Output in 2023

China's CNOOC Ltd. has raised its 2023 production target by around 8% to a record 650 million to 660 million barrels of oil equivalent, it said on Wednesday.

Global Pipeline Construction Outlook 2023

(P&GJ) — Seldom has a new year arrived with the degree of supply and demand uncertainty facing global energy markets at the start of 2023. Pipeline & Gas Journal's annual survey of global construction activity reflects a renewed emphasis on energy security after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Japan Insurers to Maintain Cover for LNG Vessels in Russian Waters

Japanese insurers are expected to maintain marine war insurance, which covers the sinking and requisition of ships due to war in Russian waters for at least three months for LNG vessels, industry sources said on Friday.

Putin Says Russia Now One of China's Leading Oil and Gas Suppliers

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia had become one of China's leading suppliers of oil and gas, with 13.8 billion cubic meters of gas shipped to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline in the first 11 months of 2022.

China Starts Up Crude Oil Pipeline Linked to Mega Private Refiner

A major crude oil pipeline connecting a storage farm in east China's Zhoushan of Zhejiang province to mega private refiner Zhejiang Petrochemical Corp. started pumping oil for the first time on Wednesday, local state media reported.

Japanese Firms Sign Multiyear Agreements to Buy LNG from Oman, US

Japanese companies inked several deals on Tuesday to receive LNG supplies, with a preliminary agreement lasting up to 10 years with Oman LNG and a 20-year deal with U.S.-based Venture Global.

Putin Oversees Launch of Siberian Gas Field Feeding Pipeline to China

The Kovykta gas field will feed into the Power of Siberia pipeline carrying Russian gas to China. With recoverable reserves of 1.8 trillion cubic meters, it is the largest in eastern Russia.