Gulf Of Mexico News

Commonwealth LNG has received commitments from European buyers to take almost half of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its planned 8.4-million-tonnes-per-year export terminal in Louisiana, Chief Executive Officer Paul Varello said on Wednesday.The Commonwealth project is one of more than 10 LNG export terminals under development or construction in the United States along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico to take advantage of soaring demand for the supercooled fuel amid booming…

The Port of Indiana Burns-Harbor has extended its partnership with its longtime stevedore and marine terminal operating company, Federal Marine Terminals.A press note from the Ports of Indiana, a statewide port authority operating three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan, said that the deal will run through at least 2023."FMT has been a vital collaborator with the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor since 1999," said Port Director Ian Hirt, "and this consolidated operating agreement…

A flotilla loaded with about 7 million barrels of Venezuelan oil has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, some holding cargoes bought ahead of the latest U.S. sanctions on Venezuela and others whose buyers are weighing who to pay, according to traders, shippers and Refinitiv Eikon data.The Trump administration's move to impose sanctions last week was meant to undercut support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by targeting the Latin American nation's oil exports to the United States, the source of most of its foreign revenue.The sanctions aim to block U.S.

Global deepwater oil production was expected to grow 700,000 barrels  per day (b/d) this year to hit a record high of more than 10 million b/d.Norwegian research group Rystad Energy said that it "expects global deepwater production to reach record high level and surpass 10 million bb/d.""With new fields starting up in Brazil and Gulf of Mexico, we expect the total deepwater liquid production to reach 10.3 million bbl/d in 2019. This is an increase of 700 kbbl/d compared to 2018…

All American Marine (AAM), together with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TWPD), has announced the signing of a contract for the construction of an 80’x 27’ aluminum catamaran for operation in Texas State waters as well as offshore capabilities in the Gulf of Mexico. This vessel will be constructed at All American Marine’s new state-of-the-art 57,000 square foot facility on Bellingham Bay. TPWD selected industry leaders AAM and Teknicraft Design, widely acknowledged for designing and building high quality and fuel-efficient aluminum vessel designs at a great value.

Liquids terminaling and logistics provider Moda Midstream announced it has successfully commissioned upgrades to Berth 2A at the Moda Ingleside Energy Center (MIEC) in Ingleside, Texas, to enable loading of very large crude carriers (VLCCs).Moda developed these upgrades to provide existing and potential customers the ability to safely and cost-effectively load VLCCs at rates of up to 80,000 barrels per hour.“Today we are loading our fourth VLCC at MIEC since late December,” said Moda President and CEO Bo McCall. “With today’s commissioning of our upgrades to Berth 2A, we now have the U.S.

The world’s largest operational agreement between shipping companies Ocean Alliance -CMA CGM, COSCO SHIPPING, Evergreen and OOCL - has announced the launch of their Ocean Alliance Day 3 Product starting April 2019."Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and CEO of the CMA CGM Group, signs with his partners the launch of Ocean Alliance Day 3 Product, which will start in April 2019," said a press release from the shipping group.On the occasion of this announcement, Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group…

U.S. offshore vessel owner Seacor Marine  has acquired of three fast support vessels (FSVs) in exchange for the private placement of 603,872 shares of its common stock to domestic U.S. holders affiliated with the McCall family of Louisiana.The provider of global marine and support transportation services to offshore oil and natural gas and windfarm facilities worldwide has operated the acquired vessels for the past ten years under a revenue sharing pooling agreement along with four of its owned FSVs of similar specification.As part of the transaction, this pooling agreement was terminated.

US-based construction company McCarthy Building Companies began construction in Oct. on a new container yard within Port Houston, located in Pasadena, Texas.According to a press release from the 150 years old company, the project with Port Houston, will be a 45-acre expansion on the existing Bayport Container Terminal in continued efforts to grow and modernize the port.The development will aid in the port’s ability to serve the continued growth of Houston’s container exports of finished petrochemical…

While the late 2018 oil price swoon has put a damper on an otherwise positive year for offshore energy markets, Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) ends the year on a positive, signing a construction management contract, as well as a five-year drilling contract with Chevron USA, Inc. for one of its two dynamically positioned (DP) ultra-deepwater drillships currently under construction at the Jurong shipyard in Singapore.The drilling contract has an estimated backlog of $830 million, excluding mobilization and reimbursables.The rig will be the first ultra-deepwater floater rated for 20,000 psi operations and is expected to commence operations in the Gulf of Mexico in the second half of 2021.In the event of termination for convenience by the customer…

As commercial shipping and energy activities picks up in the Arctic region, the prospect of accidental oil spills in this pristine environment remain a concern. In response, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking the lead – through the U.S. Coast Guard – to develop a subsea robotic system to map and report on spills.“Because of ice coverage and the tyranny of distance, it is difficult to get resources and assets up in the Arctic in a quick manner,” said Kirsten Trego, Executive Director of the Coast Guard’s Interagency Coordinating Committee on Oil Pollution Research.

Dr. Lorry Wagner has served as president of the Cleveland-based Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo) since May of 2010.LEEDCo is the public private partnership behind the effort to construct Icebreaker Wind, a 6 turbine 20.7 megawatt offshore wind energy demonstration project in Lake Erie, 8 miles off the shore of Cleveland. LEEDCo has received funding from the U.S. DOE under its Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects award and has partnered with Fred. Olsen Renewables of Norway. Dr.

Polish state-controlled oil and gas company Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo SA (PGNiG) is set to receive a spot cargo of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG).The Warsaw-headquartered oil and gas company said in a statement that it will receive a delivery of liquefied gas shipped to Świnoujście by Centrica LNG Company Limited. It will be the third spot delivery arriving at the President Lech Kaczyński Terminal this year.The Hoegh Gallant vessel will arrive in Poland carrying on board approximately 65 thousand tonnes of LNG, which, after regasification, will yield almost 90 mcm of gas.

Subsea 7 associate Seaway Offshore Cables has won a contract to supply and install array cables for the 12-megawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) projects in the U.S."SOC in combination with Subsea 7, has been awarded its first US offshore wind project by Ørsted Wind Power North America who are constructing the project for Dominion Energy. This turnkey cable supply and cable installation contract for CVOW Project marks the continued success of a global renewables strategy for Subsea 7 in the U.S.…

Insufficient Maintenance Program, Lack of Guidance Led to Passenger Vessel Fire. The National Transportation Safety Board determined during a public meeting held Tuesday that an insufficient preventative maintenance program and lack of guidance for responding to engine high-temperature conditions, led to the Jan. 14, 2018, fire aboard the small passenger vessel Island Lady, in the waters of the Pithlachascotee River, near Port Ritchey, Florida.The Island Lady was a 72-foot-long passenger vessel operated by Tropical Breeze Casino Cruz…

With the ongoing development of deepwater pre-salt plays and a decreased demand on local content in tankers and other vessels, Brazilian national operator Petrobras and other super-majors have been looking abroad for better rates and reliable operators of shuttle tankers. Claudio Paschoa, Maritime Reporter’s correspondent in Brazil spoke to Peter Liew, Global Director – Mid Size Tankers, Crude Shipping, about AET Tankers’ history and its operations in Brazil.AET (formerly American Eagle Tankers) was founded in Houston in 1994 primarily to conduct lightering operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Brazil's state-controlled Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) said on Monday it had sealed a joint venture with Murphy Exploration & Production Company to explore oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a securities filing.Petrobras received $795 million for the deal, and will have a 20 percent stake in the venture.Reporting by Carolina Mandl

Malaysia-based integrated oil and gas services Sapura Energy Berhad has strengthened its presence in Mexico and Malaysia with new contract wins valued at approximately RM1.75 billion (USD 410 mln).The new contracts have lifted the company’s orderbook to RM18 billion and total contract wins to-date for this financial year to RM7 billion (USD 1.68 bln).Sapura Energy has built capabilities and expertise that are critical to support its clients in their quest to meet global energy demand and as a result…

Fifteen people have been rescued from a liftboat that lost power and is listing and taking in water in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.The master of the 134-foot liftboat Ram XVIII reported on Sunday that the vessel had a 45-degree list and no power, causing the vessel to be unable to self correct the list, approximately 23 nautical miles west of Southwest Pass, La. with 15 people aboard. During the time the vessel was still taking on water, a steel tank filled with soap fell over the side…

The Coast Guard is responding to a vessel adrift in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 80 nautical miles south of Cape San Blas, Florida, Wednesday.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Mobile received a report at approximately 2 p.m. from crewmembers aboard a NOAA ship, the Gordon Gunter, that a 30-foot white sailboat named My Time appeared to be floating adrift.Members aboard the Gordon Gunter reported that the My Time appeared to have electronics operating, sails stowed, and did not respond to radio calls or the ship’s horn.

Boys are coaxed into cleanliness at bath time playing with boats. But it was never a game for Joseph Farrell, III, instinctively realizing he was ballasting and salvaging ships, unlike the typical Mr. Bubbles kid. The scion of Resolve Marine Group may have been born to lead the global emergency response company founded by his father with a single tug 38 years ago, but he’s never taken dangerous wreck removal lightly.Before turning 15, Joey had two close calls on and around ships that guide him today, at 34.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) released its newest valve standard as part of the industry’s continuous efforts to improve operational safety and environmental protection.According to a release from the agency, the “Specification 6A” governs the design and operations of the critical safety valves at wells used in the offshore and onshore oil and gas industry. The latest edition includes new automatic closure requirements, to ensure additional protection for workers and…

LOC Group’s Houston office provides perspective on decommissioning developments in the Gulf of Mexico.The Gulf of Mexico basin covers approximately 1.6 million km2 and is one of the most important petroleum production regions in the world. A significant portion of the area is shallow continental shelf waters. These areas were developed first by oil companies, with deeper water development only being undertaken once the ‘easier’ sites had been exploited. Many years on, numerous…