Natural Gas

Congress Provides Opportunity to Bring More Natural Gas

EnerSea Transport L.L.C., innovators of a new compressed natural gas (CNG) transport technology, applauded House Members for today's passage of H.R. 3983, the 'Maritime Transportation Antiterrorism Act of 2002.' The bill will expand the existing 'Deepwater Ports Act' to create a regulatory infrastructure for the transport and delivery of natural gas to offshore offloading terminals in the United States. "In addition to reducing port vulnerability and protecting coastal communities, it is equally important to improve upon our energy security by increasing access to sources of clean burning natural gas in the Western Hemisphere and meet our growing demand for energy," said Paul Britton, EnerSea's Managing Director. "This bill provides a mechanism to develop and bring to US consumers natural gas that currently is stranded. Up to 80 percent of the natural gas fields worldwide have yet to be developed -- potentially a tremendous resource." Traditionally, energy experts have planned on development of the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, unconventional onshore gas resources, gas from Alaska's North Slope and imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) to help meet growing demand for natural gas.

Brazil Reconsiders Shelved LNG Plan

Brazil’s state oil company Petrobras may revive a shelved liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports project for the northeast due to disappointment with soaring costs of its planned Gasene natural gas pipeline, according to a Reuters report. A regasification plant could be an alternative to Gasene, or be used jointly with the pipeline as natural gas demand in Latin America’s largest country is soaring. Gasene is designed to connect Brazil’s southeastern and northeastern gas networks

El Paso Finalizes Agreement

El Paso Global LNG, a subsidiary of El Paso Corporation, announced today that the definitive liquefied natural gas (LNG) purchase and sale agreement signed in October 2001 with a consortium of natural gas production companies led by Statoil ASA received final Norwegian and United States government approvals on May 31, 2002. The consortium will develop the Snohvit Project in northern Norway and provide El Paso with an annual delivery of approximately 1

Gas Leak Closes Visund Platform

A major natural gas leak shut down the Norwegian Visund offshore oil and natural gas platform, AP reported. No one was injured in the incident, but 17 of 91 crew members aboard were flown to a nearby North Sea platform by helicopter as a precaution when gas and fire alarms sounded. It was a major leak, but that strong winds kept the gas away from the platform itself. Gas leaks on offshore platforms can cause catastrophic explosions and fires, often far from shore

New Deepwater Port Application Received

Woodside Natural Gas, Inc. (Woodside) filed its application with the United States Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration on August 18, 2006 for a license under the Deepwater Port Act, to build, own and operate a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility in California. Woodside’s proposed OceanWay facility will be located approximately 22 miles southwest of Los Angeles, California and will convert the liquefied gas to natural gas utilizing a ship to ship (STS) transfer for

Feds OK LNG Terminal off La.

Petroleum producer McMoRan Exploration Co. has received final approval for a $1 b liquefied natural gas project off Louisiana's coast, including storage caverns in an offshore salt dome, the company announced Thursday. The go-ahead from MarAd was the last needed for the Main Pass Energy Hub, sources said. The record accompanying the decision was 46 pages long and outlines requirements that will be put into the license.

Kitimat, EOG Resources Canada Sign MOU

Kitimat LNG Inc. announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with EOG Resources Canada (EOG) to supply natural gas to Kitimat LNG’s proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal in Kitimat, B.C.    Pursuant to the MOU, Kitimat LNG and EOG are proceeding to negotiate a definitive agreement under which EOG would supply specific quantities of the LNG facility’s 700 million cubic feet per day of natural gas feedstock.   

Export of US LNG: Company to be Formed

Shell US Gas & Power & Kinder Morgen subsidiary Southern Liquefaction Company to exploit LNG export opportunities. The two companies have announced their intent to form a limited liability company to develop a natural gas liquefaction plant in two phases at Southern LNG's existing Elba Island LNG Terminal, near Savannah, Ga. Subject to various corporate and regulatory approvals, Shell and Kinder Morgan affiliates have agreed to modify EPB’s Elba Express Pipeline and Elba

Governor Schwarzenegger Disapproves BHP Deepwater Port License

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued his formal disapproval to United States Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton for the licensing of the BHP “Cabrillo Port” LNG deepwater port planned for construction off the coast of Ventura County, California. The Governor did however make it clear that he supports the state’s need for an increased LNG supply. Excerpts from the Governor’s letter follow: While I believe strongly that California needs to expand its access to natural

Spanish Shipbuilder Gets Tanker Contract

Oil and gas group Repsol-YPF had awarded the construction of three liquid natural gas tankers to Spanish state shipbuilder Astilleros Espanoles. The order is reportedly worth $579.4 million. The boats each have a capacity of 138,000 cu. m and would be used to ship liquid natural gas from Trinidad and Tobago, Repsol's gas unit Gas Natural said.