North America

US Crude Oil Exports to Gain Tail Winds from Saudi July Output Cut

U.S. crude oil exports, already running close to a record level hit in March, should get a further boost next month from deep production cuts in Saudi Arabia, analysts said on Monday, noting that this will also further deplete U.S. crude inventories, which have been hovering near historic lows.

Exxon Mobil Signs Carbon Capture and Storage Deal with Nucor

(P&GJ) — Exxon Mobil will capture up to 800,000 metric tons per year of CO2 from the DRI plant and store the CO2 at an Exxon Mobil-owned facility in Louisiana.

Debt Ceiling Bill Passage Clears Mountain Valley Pipeline to Proceed with Construction, Operation

(P&GJ) — The legislation requires the Secretary of the Army to issue all permits or verifications necessary to complete project construction and allow for MVP's operation and maintenance. The legislation also divests courts of jurisdiction to review agency actions on approvals necessary for MVP construction and initial operation.

Black Bear Transmission Sells 120 Miles of Gas Pipeline in Mississippi

(P&GJ) — Black Bear Transmission LLC has announced the divestiture completion of gas gathering assets owned by BBT Mississippi LLC to Skye MS, LLC of Columbia, Mississippi.

Commonwealth LNG Expects First US Export Permit in June

Commonwealth LNG expects the U.S. Department of Energy to approve a license as early as next month that would allow it to export LNG, according to Executive Chairman Paul Varello.

Canada Commits to Backing $2.2 Billion in New Trans Mountain Oil Pipeline Loans

The Canadian government is backing up to $2.24 billion in loans for Trans Mountain Corp., the crown corporation building an over-budget, long-delayed oil pipeline expansion to Canada's Pacific Coast.

Enterprise Expands Acadian Haynesville Gas Pipeline, Boosts Takeaway Capacity by 400 MMcf/d

(P&GJ) — The expansion increases the Acadian Haynesville Extension's natural gas takeaway capacity by approximately 400 million cubic feet per day, raising the total transportation capacity from 2.1 Bcf/d to 2.5 Bcf/d.

Pipeline Operator Kinder Morgan to Increase Texas Gas Storage Capacity by 6 Bcf

U.S. pipeline operator Kinder Morgan Inc. said on Wednesday it plans to expand the working gas storage capacity at its Markham facility in Matagorda County, Texas, by 6 billion cubic feet (Bcf).

Analysis: US Debt Deal's Energy Permitting Reforms Leave Thorniest Issues for Later

The bipartisan U.S. debt deal's provisions to speed up energy infrastructure permitting will make it easier to build fossil fuel and clean energy projects but failed to tackle the mammoth issue of building transmission and pipelines needed to get their production to consumers.

Mexico Energy Regulator Gives Natural Gas 'Clean' Label, Drawing Criticism

A move by Mexico's energy regulator to declare some natural gas-fired power as "clean" drew criticism from environmental groups that say the change will not help the country reach its clean energy targets.

FERC Approves TC Energy's US-Mexico North Baja Natural Gas Pipeline Expansion

Canadian pipeline operator TC Energy Corp.'s North Baja Pipeline LLC unit has received permission from U.S. energy regulators to put the North Baja natural gas pipeline expansion in Arizona and California into service.

Pembina Pipeline, Marubeni to Partner on Low-Carbon Ammonia Export Project

(P&GJ) — Initial feasibility studies have been completed and the facility has an anticipated design capacity of up to 185 kilotonnes per annum of low-carbon hydrogen production, which will be converted into approximately one million tonnes per year of low-carbon ammonia.

ConocoPhillips to Buy Rest of Canada's Surmont Oil Site, Bumping Suncor

ConocoPhillips said on Friday it was buying the 50% stake in the Surmont oil facility held by TotalEnergies' Canadian subsidiary for about $3 billion, giving it full ownership and elbowing away rival Suncor Energy.

Biden, McCarthy Debt Deal Could Speed Up Mountain Valley Gas Pipeline Project

Streamlined federal approval for the 303-mile (488-km) project was placed into the text of the budget deal between U.S. President Joe Biden and House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy that may end the debt limit crisis.

US Court Questions Another Permit for Equitrans’ Mountain Valley Natural Gas Pipeline

U.S. energy company Equitrans Midstream Corp.'s long-delayed $6.6 billion Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to Virginia received another negative court ruling on Friday.

Pipeline Operator TC Energy Seeks US Approval to Put US-Mexico Gas Pipeline in Service

Canadian pipeline operator TC Energy Corp.'s North Baja Pipeline LLC unit asked U.S. energy regulators on Thursday for permission to put parts of the North Baja natural gas pipeline expansion in Arizona and California into service.

CorEnergy to Sell MoGas, Omega Pipeline Systems to Spire for $175 Million

(P&GJ) — CorEnergy Infrastructure Trust, Inc. has entered a deal to sell its MoGas and Omega pipeline systems to Spire Inc. for approximately $175 million in cash, the company said on May 25. The MoGas System is an interstate natural gas transmission and distribution system providing service to markets in Missouri and Illinois.

U.S. State Department Warns China Could Hack Infrastructure, Including Pipelines

The U.S. State Department warned that China could launch cyber attacks against critical infrastructure, including oil and gas pipelines after researchers discovered a Chinese hacking group had been spying on such networks.

Illegal Pipeline Tap Injures 13 at Pemex Refinery in Mexico

A fire at a refinery controlled by Mexican state-run oil firm Pemex and an explosion caused by an illegal pipeline tap injured a total of 13 people, the company said in separate statements Wednesday.

Shale R&D Cuts Cast Shadow on Future of US Oil Production

Shale technology advances that propelled the U.S. to the top global oil producer spot with world-beating growth rates are falling fewer and farther between as drilling budgets shrink and with them, the research and development that might deliver the next great leap.

Canada Natural Gas Exports to US Back at Levels Seen Before Alberta Wildfires

Canadian natural gas exports to the U.S. this week returned to levels seen before wildfires in Alberta and other western provinces over the past three weeks forced producers to shut oil and gas wells and cut the amount of fuel flowing in pipelines.

Oil Rises as US Gasoline Supplies Tighten, Saudi Says: 'Watch Out'

Oil prices rose on Tuesday on forecasts for a tighter gasoline market and a warning from the Saudi energy minister to speculators that raised the prospect of further OPEC+ output cuts.

Higher LNG Exports to Drive Up US Natural Gas Prices, EIA Projects

Increasing exports of U.S. LNG through 2050 will raise domestic prices for natural gas, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday.

US Offers Oil, Gas Drilling Rights in First Auction Since Biden's IRA

Biden's Interior Department had attempted to suspend federal oil and gas leasing to study its environmental and climate impacts, but the Inflation Reduction Act that passed last year requires some oil and gas auctions if federal rights of way are offered for renewable energy projects.

Pipeline Operator Energy Transfer Slams US Denial of LNG Extension, Seeks Rehearing

Pipeline operator Energy Transfer slammed the U.S. Department of Energy's denial of an export-permit extension to its Louisiana LNG export project in a DOE filing, seeking a rehearing.

EIA: Texas, New Mexico Led US Crude Oil Production Last Year

(P&GJ) — U.S. crude oil production grew 5.6%, or 0.6 million bpd, in 2022 compared with 2021, averaging 11.9 million bpd, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The two states the Permian Basin spans—Texas and New Mexico—contributed the most growth to U.S. crude oil production in 2022.

US Permian Natural Gas Flaring Could Rise in 2024, Report Shows

Natural gas flaring in the top U.S. shale basin is poised to increase next year, a report released on Tuesday projected, as the region's output exceeds available pipeline capacity.

Caliche Launches Open Season for Expansion Project, Firm Natural Gas Storage in Beaumont

(P&GJ) — Caliche Development Partners II has launched a non-binding open season to solicit natural gas firm storage service to support the development of two additional natural gas storage caverns at Golden Triangle Storage facility in Beaumont, TX.

Rare Shipment of US Oil Heads to South Africa for Glencore Refinery

A shipment of U.S. oil is headed to South Africa for the first time in two years and destined for a Glencore-owned refinery in Cape Town that has restarted operations after an explosion shuttered it in 2020, according to ship tracking data and a source.

Biden Administration Supports Mountain Valley Pipeline for Second Time in Week

The Biden administration has supported for the second time in a week the Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline, a project a key Democratic senator has pushed in legislation to speed permitting of fossil fuel and power transmission projects.