MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Mon, Nov 17, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]

OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Shell ordered to pay Venture Global legal tab in LNG arbitration; NATIONAL: U.S. natgas inventories enter winter at similar level to 2024, most since 2016; U.S. LNG export build-out to boost natural gas demand; Cheniere sees US LNG plants using 40 bcf of natural gas per day in coming years; The remarkable rise of natural gas; The latest political scam — “affordability” — is really taking off; INTERNATIONAL: Oil rises as geopolitics heat up; UN tells Australia (but not China) that drilling for gas might be a breach of “international law”; COP30 flounders on the rising tide of climate and energy reality; Ten years after the Paris climate agreement, climatism is crumbling; Saudi Aramco to sign US LNG agreements during crown prince’s visit to Washington; Protesters in Pikachu costumes demand Japan end fossil fuel financing at U.N. conference; Ukraine secures US LNG imports from Greece to cover winter needs.

OTHER U.S. REGIONS

Shell ordered to pay Venture Global legal tab in LNG arbitration
Bloomberg/Ruth Liao
Shell Plc has been ordered by the International Court of Arbitration, a body within the International Chamber of Commerce, to pay the legal fees of Venture Global Inc. in a dispute concerning the sale of liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes. The court sided with Venture Global in August, which had been selling cargoes from its Louisiana plant directly into the spot market instead of to long-term contract customers like Shell after the facility began production in 2022. Venture Global argued this was permitted during the plant’s commissioning phase. The exporter, which prevailed in the case and was awarded an undisclosed amount, plans to dedicate the funds to coastal restoration efforts in Louisiana. Shell is appealing the ruling and did not immediately comment, while Venture Global lost a similar dispute with BP Plc. [MDN: Talk about adding insult to injury! Venture Global screwed Shell FOR YEARS by not fulfilling its contracted deliveries, pretending the facility was not yet “commercially ready.” And now Shell has to pay VG for exorbitant legal fees?! Give us a break!]

NATIONAL

U.S. natgas inventories enter winter at similar level to 2024, most since 2016
U.S. Energy Information Administration – Today in Energy
Natural gas inventories in the Lower 48 states ended the 2025 refill season (April 1–October 31) with over 3,900 billion cubic feet (Bcf), starting the 2025–26 winter at near the highest level since 2016 and 4% above the five-year average. This high volume resulted from significant injections, totaling 2,105 Bcf, which was 11% above average, driven by robust summer production following a relatively depleted inventory of 1,811 Bcf at the end of March 2025. Storage capacity was 92% full across the Lower 48, with all regions at least 86% full and most regions above their five-year averages. Forecasts anticipate withdrawals exceeding 1,900 Bcf during the heating season, leaving end-of-March 2026 inventories 9% above the average. [MDN: More in storage typically means lower prices. However, a cold winter, like the one predicted, can turn the surplus into a deficit. Keep an eye on the temps.]

U.S. LNG export build-out to boost natural gas demand
Seeking Alpha/ING Economic and Financial Analysis
US natural gas demand, which has grown significantly due to the shale revolution, is projected to increase by as much as 20 bcf/d by 2030, predominantly driven by the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export sector as new capacity comes online. LNG is already the third-largest source of US gas demand, and its growth, though potentially constrained by a future global supply surplus, is a key pillar. The power sector is the next strongest growth area, fueled by surging electricity needs from data centers and onshored manufacturing. However, this growth is hindered by production bottlenecks and high costs for utility-scale gas turbines (CCGTs), prompting some developers to pivot to less efficient but more readily available single-cycle gas turbines (SCGTs). Industrial demand is expected to remain largely stable, while residential and commercial use faces pressure from electrification, though the potential repeal of a heat pump tax credit introduces uncertainty. [MDN: As this analysis points out, LNG and powergen (from data centers) are the two fastest-growing customers for natural gas in the U.S.]

Cheniere sees US LNG plants using 40 bcf of natural gas per day in coming years
Reuters/Curtis Williams
Cheniere Energy’s Chief Commercial Officer Anatol Feygin projects that U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants could eventually consume up to 40 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, a significant increase from the current record of 18 bcfd. This increased demand, which is crucial as the world needs 30 million metric tons of new LNG annually, could make natural gas prices more expensive toward the end of the decade, despite expectations of increased output from drillers. Feygin noted that many recent final investment decisions (FID) were rushed to secure expiring fixed-price construction contracts due to rising costs. While the U.S. LNG sector could reach 300 mtpa, he warned that only 17% of this year’s new capacity is sold under long-term contracts, posing a challenge for unprepared producers. [MDN: Considering today the U.S. uses around 90 Bcf/d, the Cheniere prediction is startling. It’s a good time to be in the natgas business!]

The remarkable rise of natural gas
OilPrice.com/Robert Rapier
Natural gas is emerging as a standout and resilient fuel in the global energy mix, even as oil prices struggle. Strong production, record domestic consumption, and expanding LNG export capacity are driving a significant price rebound. The fuel is indispensable due to its multiple use cases, providing flexible power for surging AI data centers and acting as the cleanest major fossil fuel. Strategically, natural gas is the “crucial bridge” to a low-carbon future, partnering with intermittent renewables and adapting infrastructure with technologies like carbon capture. With solid fundamentals and growing global demand, natural gas is moving from a transitional fuel to an indispensable foundation for the digital economy and the broader energy transition. [MDN: The point of the article is to point out that natgas is no longer a “transitional” fuel but a “foundational” (long-term) fuel. Gee, where have you heard that before?]

The latest political scam — “affordability” — is really taking off
Manhattan Contrarian/Francis Menton
The article argues that “affordability” has become the central, successful theme for Democratic candidates in recent major elections, citing victories like Zohran Mamdani in New York City, Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, and two Public Service Commissioners in Georgia. The author questions the viability of the proposed policies, suggesting the “affordability” promise might be a scam. While the theme covers housing, healthcare, and transportation, the main campaign focus was energy. Democrats propose solutions like rate freezes and a massive expansion of wind and solar power, with critics claiming these renewable sources require costly backups, while housing affordability solutions involve rent freezes and subsidies. The author is skeptical that these policies will actually deliver lower costs, citing the example of Jack Schlossberg, JFK’s grandson, running for the wealthy NY 12th Congressional District on the “cost of living crisis.” [MDN: Another great column from Menton, noting the sleazy tactics of the socialist left in promising “affordability” with failed solutions. Watch for it.]

INTERNATIONAL

Oil rises as geopolitics heat up
Bloomberg/A. Longley, R.W. Neo, M. Gindis
Oil prices, including West Texas Intermediate, surged after a fresh geopolitical premium was injected by twin crises. Ukraine conducted a major drone attack on Russia’s vital Novorossiysk oil port in the Black Sea, which handles millions of barrels of Russian and Kazakh oil, and also struck Rosneft’s Saratov refinery for the third time this month. Simultaneously, Iranian forces seized a tanker near the crucial Strait of Hormuz chokepoint, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil flows, raising concerns about maritime security. These events, combined with tightening US sanctions on Russian energy companies, helped stem a year-long 16% drop in crude futures, which had been pressured by global oversupply concerns. [MDN: WTI for December delivery gained 2.39% to settle at $60.09 a barrel. Brent for January settlement rose 2.19% to settle at $64.39 a barrel. [MDN: Both firmly back in the $60s.]

UN tells Australia (but not China) that drilling for gas might be a breach of “international law”
Jo Nova
A UN Special Rapporteur, Astrid Puentes Riano, has intervened as amicus curiae in Australian Federal Court cases challenging the Woodside gas project extension to 2070, arguing the approval breaches international climate law based on a recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion. The article’s author is highly critical of this action, labeling the UN’s involvement a “shake-down” intended to set a precedent for climate reparations against Australia. The author contends that major historical emitters like the US and China ignore such international rulings, suggesting this “legislative theatre” is aimed only at nations like Australia, Europe, and the UK. The piece concludes by urging the defunding of the UN. [MDN: Jo Nova is 100% correct. It’s time to (a) ignore the UN, and (b) pull ALL funding of that profoundly corrupt organization.]

COP30 flounders on the rising tide of climate and energy reality
Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT)/Craig Rucker
The COP30 climate conference in Brazil is criticized by the author as a gathering of “Prophets of Doom” promoting climate scams and unworkable proposals. The attendees are accused of hypocrisy for enjoying lavish meat-based meals while discussing the “planet-killing” effects of meat and dairy. The article argues that dire climate predictions are not materializing, that “green” energy is neither sufficient nor sustainable for modern economies, and that countries like Britain and Germany have suffered due to following the “Green Brick Road.” Furthermore, it asserts that impoverished nations require affordable fossil fuels, not climate handouts, to escape poverty. The piece highlights a growing global realization of the climate movement’s flaws, pointing to major banks and corporations withdrawing from U.N.-aligned climate initiatives, and concludes by dismissing COP30 as a “waste of time” and a charade. [MDN: Fantastic article about the uselessness of COP30 and the climate shakedown it attempts to conduct. The author is on location and observing the hypocrisy first-hand, reporting on things lamestream media refuses to report.]

Ten years after the Paris climate agreement, climatism is crumbling
RealClearEnergy/Steve Goreham
The COP30 climate conference is taking place in Belem, Brazil, a decade after the Paris Agreement, amid a “crumbling” global consensus on climate change and rising opposition to Net Zero policies. Notably absent are key leaders from China, India, and the US, whose current administration has slashed climate funding and called climate change a “scam.” Opposition to Net Zero is growing in the UK, Germany, and Australia due to escalating energy costs. The article highlights that despite $10 trillion spent on renewables since 2000, hydrocarbons still provide 87% of world energy, and global coal consumption is rising. Even Bill Gates, a longtime climate advocate, has shifted his focus away from short-term emissions goals toward preventing suffering in the world’s poorest countries, observing that thirty years of climate conferences have yielded “no measurable climate benefit.” [MDN: It’s slow going, but we’re winning. It will take a few more years, but eventually this climate net zero nonsense will be nothing but a bad memory—like COVID19.]

Saudi Aramco to sign US LNG agreements during crown prince’s visit to Washington
Reuters/M. Rashad, S. Nasralla, E. Chow, C. Williams
Saudi Aramco is planning to sign two major liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply deals with U.S. players Woodside Energy and Commonwealth LNG when Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince visits Washington next week, according to sources. The world’s largest oil exporter is actively pursuing a significant role in the global LNG market, particularly in the United States, aiming for 20 million tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG capacity. The expected deals include Aramco securing up to 2 mtpa of supply from Commonwealth LNG’s proposed Louisiana facility and potentially buying a stake in Woodside’s $17.5 billion Louisiana LNG project, alongside an agreement for up to 2 mtpa of supply. These agreements advance both U.S. projects, bringing Commonwealth closer to its 8 mtpa sales goal for its 9.5 mtpa plant and supporting Woodside’s 16.5 mtpa project scheduled to start production in 2029. [MDN: We’re against the thug dictators of Saudi Arabia getting their claws into more of our LNG supplies. Just sayin’.]

Protesters in Pikachu costumes demand Japan end fossil fuel financing at U.N. conference
Japan Today
At the COP30 climate conference in Belem, Brazil, activists staged a high-profile protest, featuring participants in inflatable Pikachu costumes, to condemn Japan’s continued financing of fossil fuel projects in the Global South. Organizers, including Friends of the Earth Japan, highlighted that Japan has funneled billions into coal and liquefied natural gas developments, primarily across Southeast Asian nations like Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines, effectively delaying the region’s energy transition. Chanting “Only Pokemon, no fossil fuels,” the demonstrators accused Japan of exporting its “fossil agenda,” making it impossible for developing countries to achieve a just energy transition. The action was part of a broader thematic focus at COP30 on the necessity of phasing out fossil fuels, a key issue set by leaders like Brazilian President Lula da Silva. [MDN: The disease of climate leftism is a worldwide pandemic; it not only infects people here at home but even those in Japan.]

Ukraine secures US LNG imports from Greece to cover winter needs
Reuters/Angeliki Koutantou, Dan Peleschuk
Ukraine has secured imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Greece to meet its critical winter energy needs from December through March. The deal, announced during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s visit to Athens, involves Greek company DEPA and Ukraine’s Naftogaz, with deliveries via a Balkan pipeline expected to start in January. This is crucial for Ukraine to compensate for the destruction of its domestic gas production and infrastructure due to Russian attacks. The imports, which Kyiv has allocated funds for with European guarantees, are part of a $2.3 billion effort. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated the agreement establishes Greece as an energy security provider and helps reduce Russian gas reliance in Europe. [MDN: You really need a scorecard to keep track of what the heck is going on in the Russia/Ukraine war, and in Europe. Now Ukraine will get our LNG via Greece. Why the middleman?]