Asia/Pacific

Qatar Signs 27-Year Deal with China as LNG Competition Heats Up

QatarEnergy has signed a 27-year deal to supply China's Sinopec with LNG, the longest such LNG agreement so far as volatile markets drive buyers to seek long-term deals.

One Killed, Two Injured in Petronas-operated Pipeline Explosion in Malaysia

Malaysian state energy company Petronas reported a fire at the Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline near Lawas on Wednesday afternoon, which the Borneo Post online said led to an explosion that killed one person and injured two others.

US Allows Transactions to Free Sanctioned Oil Tanker Stranded in Indonesia

The Indonesian navy has been trying to free the Djibouti-registered ship, Young Yong, which ran aground off Indonesia's Riau Islands on Oct. 26 near a gas pipeline.

Uganda Says First Oil in April 2025, Eyes China for Pipeline Funding

Uganda aims to start commercially pumping its oil reserves in April 2025, with China being considered as a potential source of funds to develop an export pipeline, Uganda's energy minister said on Tuesday.

Japan Asks Malaysia's Petronas to Help Customers after LNG Disruption

Japanese industry minister Yasutoshi Nishimura has asked Petronas CEO Tengku Taufik to continue efforts to mitigate the impact on Japanese customers of its LNG after a disruption at Malaysia LNG.

Indonesia Expects New Gas Supply Deal with Singapore

Indonesia expects to sign a new long-term contract next week to supply Singapore with piped natural gas via the Grissik-Batam-Singapore Pipeline, its energy minister said.

China's Oil Imports Fall as Pipeline Gas, LNG Rebound

China's crude oil imports in September were 2% below their level a year earlier as independent refiners curbed throughput amid thin margins and lackluster demand, but natural gas imports bounced back.

China Halts LNG Sales to Foreign Buyers to Ensure Own Supply

China has asked its state-owned gas importers to stop reselling LNG to buyers in Europe and Asia as it seeks to ensure its own supply for the winter season, Bloomberg News reported on Monday.

Mubadala Energy Makes Significant Gas Discovery Offshore Malaysia

(P&GJ) — Mubadala Energy, the Abu Dhabi headquartered international energy company, has confirmed the discovery of a good quality gas reservoir penetrated by the Cengkih-1 exploration well in Block SK320 offshore Malaysia.

Explainer: Does China Need More Russian Gas via the Power-of-Siberia 2 Pipeline?

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with his counterparts from China and Mongolia on Thursday, where they discussed a major new infrastructure project, Power-of-Siberia 2, to deliver gas to China via Mongolia.

Mongolian President Advocates for Russia-China Oil, Gas Pipelines via Mongolia

Russian energy giant Gazprom hopes to build the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline via Mongolia to China with a view to exporting 50 billion cubic meters of gas per year via the route by 2030.

Turkmenistan Pipe Dreams: Russia, China Both Make Overtures

(P&GJ) — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has quickly transformed the West’s relationship with Russia. It’s forged Russia’s closer alignment with China. It seems that 2022 is becoming the year when everyone is rethinking the circles of power, especially in Eurasia.

President Ramos-Horta Urges Australia to Back Gas Pipeline to East Timor

Timor President Ramos-Horta said it made no sense to him to send the gas to Darwin, which would require a 500-km (310-mile) pipeline, rather than to East Timor with a 200-km (124-mile) pipeline and added that operating costs in Timor would be much less than in Australia.

Pipeline Operator Gail Says India in Talks with Russia to Resume Gas Supply Deal

India is in talks with Russia to resume gas supplies under the long-term import deal between Gazprom and GAIL (India) Ltd., the state-run Indian company's chairman said at an annual shareholder meeting on Friday.

NextDecade Inks 20-Year LNG Supply Deal with Guangdong Energy Group

NextDecade Corp. has entered a 20-year sale and purchase agreement with Guangdong Energy Group for the supply of LNG from NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG export project in Brownsville, Texas.

China Port Group Starts Pumping Crude Oil into New 230-Mile Pipeline

China's Yantai Port Group started on Monday pumping oil into a newly expanded crude oil pipeline that connects the port of Yantai to a group of independent refineries in the country's refining hub Shandong, state media reported on Tuesday.

Russia Looks to Lure Asian Buyers with Higher Quality Crude Oil

Russia has been improving the quality of its flagship Urals crude oil export, making the heavily-discounted grade even more attractive to buyers in Asia who have been snapping it up, data obtained by Reuters showed.

India Moves to Modernize, Expand Gas Pipeline Network

Indian government says that it foresees an increase in the share of natural gas in the country’s energy mix – from 6% in 2021 to 15% by 2025. A total of $60 billion of new investment planned in the country’s natural gas infrastructure by 2024, with most of that coming from the private sector.

Qatar Advances Talks with China Over Investment in Gas Field Expansion Project

China's national oil majors are in advanced talks with Qatar to invest in the North Field East expansion of the world's largest LNG project and buy the fuel under long-term contracts, Reuters reported on Friday.

Philippines' First Gen Asks DOE for Extension on LNG Terminal Project

Philippine power producer First Gen Corp. has asked the Department of Energy to extend its permit to construct an offshore LNG terminal in the country by six months due to circumstances delaying the project.

Japan to Ban Russian Oil Imports 'In Principle,' Prime Minister Says

Japan will ban Russian crude oil imports "in principle," as part of a Group of Seven (G7) campaign to counter Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said after an online meeting of G7 leaders on Sunday.

Japan to Release 7.5 MMbbl of Oil Reserves in IEA-led Global Action

The volume makes up 12.5% of a planned coordinated release of 60 MMbbl of oil reserves that the U.S. and other members of the IEA agreed to compensate for supply disruptions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

US Supplies Give China Muscle to Become Major Force in LNG Trade

Chinese firms are set to become a major trading force in the global liquefied natural gas market in coming years, thanks to liberalizations at home and recently signed long term contracts for record amounts of LNG from U.S. suppliers.

South Korea, Iran Discuss Resuming Oil Trade

South Korea and Iran have held working-level talks on resuming imports of Iranian crude oil and unfreezing Iranian funds held in the East Asian nation, South Korea's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

India's Reliance Plans to Turn Syngas into Blue Hydrogen

India's Reliance Industries plans to produce blue hydrogen at a "competitive cost" of about $1.2-$1.5 per kg as it repurposes its $4-billion gasification assets, the conglomerate said in a presentation.

Global News February 2022

EIA Updates Oil Price Forecasts Through 2023, Indian Oil Investing $944 Million on Gas Sales in New Areas, Cruz’s Nord Stream 2 Sanctions Bill Fails to Pass in US Senate and more.

Thailand Scrambles to Contain Second Oil Leak Off East Coast

Ships were deployed in Thailand on Thursday to contain a fresh oil spill off its eastern coast, authorities said, two weeks after an undersea pipeline leak in the same area damaged coastal communities and marine life.

Japan to Divert LNG to Europe Amid Russia-Ukraine Tensions

Japan will divert some LNG cargoes to Europe after requests from the United States and the European Union, the industry minister said on Wednesday, a step that aligns the country with the West as tensions flare with Russia.

Russia May Use Field Hit by U.S. sanctions for Gas Exports to China

Russian gas giant Gazprom may tap a field hit by U.S. sanctions off the Pacific island of Sakhalin to provide China with gas under a recently signed deal, sources and analysts said on Tuesday.

Putin Hails $118B of China Deals as Russia Squares Off with West

President Vladimir Putin unveiled new Russian oil and gas deals with China worth an estimated $117.5 billion on Friday, promising to ramp up Russia's Far East exports at a time of heightened tension with European customers over Ukraine.