MDN’s Energy Stories of Interest: Wed, Nov 19, 2025 [FREE ACCESS]
OTHER U.S. REGIONS: Greenpeace faces an unusual new legal attack from a pipeline giant; NATIONAL: Dark-money climate litigation network faces IRS scrutiny; US LNG industry breaks records; INTERNATIONAL: Oil gains on EU sanctions pressure; US energy majors among potential Lukoil bidders; COP30 is green hype and real-world rip-offs; How Germany is building up LNG import terminals.
OTHER U.S. REGIONS
Greenpeace faces an unusual new legal attack from a pipeline giant
New York (NY) Times/Karen Zraick
Energy Transfer is urging North Dakota’s Supreme Court to block a countersuit filed by Greenpeace International in the Netherlands, intensifying their high-stakes legal battle. Following a massive judgment against Greenpeace for Dakota Access Pipeline protests—which threatens to bankrupt its U.S. branch—Energy Transfer argues the Dutch anti-SLAPP lawsuit undermines American judicial sovereignty. Although a lower court previously rejected this attempt to halt foreign litigation, Energy Transfer and allied business groups are aggressively appealing. Concurrently, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe has renewed its separate legal efforts to shut down the pipeline, alleging federal violations and continuing risks to their water and treaty rights. [MDN: Godspeed to Energy Transfer in its fight for JUSTICE. Greenpeace needs to pay the $280 million judgment against it that it owes after losing the trial against it. The organization is liable for several civil charges, including conspiracy and trespass—that’s what the lawsuit found. And shame on the Indians for continuing their attempt to close the pipeline.]
NATIONAL
Dark-money climate litigation network faces IRS scrutiny
Energy in Depth – Climate & Environment/Mandi Risko
An IRS complaint has been filed against the New Venture Fund (NVF), a left-wing funding group, alleging it improperly channeled “dark money” into climate-liability lawsuits against energy companies, potentially violating its tax-exempt status. The complaint, filed by the American Accountability Foundation (AAF), focuses on millions NVF granted to the for-profit law firm Sher Edling, which stands to gain massive financial benefits if its politically charged litigation is successful. AAF argues that NVF’s funding of for-profit litigation for private gain, allegedly under the guise of “environmental programs,” contradicts its charitable purpose, effectively subsidizing these lawsuits with tax-deductible contributions. This scrutiny brings renewed attention to the coordinated funding network, including the consulting firm Arabella Advisors, that underwrites the nationwide climate lawfare campaign. [MDN: Excellent article calling attention to the likely illegal nature of the funding of these cancerous leftwing lawsuits. Time to pull the plug on NVF’s tax-exempt status and make them pay big money.]
US LNG industry breaks records
RBN Energy/Lisa Shidler
U.S. LNG demand set new records last week, averaging 18.7 Bcf/d, more than 5 Bcf/d higher than the same time a year ago. Every U.S. terminal is now running at or above full contracted capacity. Corpus Christi and Freeport rebounded to full operations, driving the latest gains. The commissioning activity at Plaquemines ticked up slightly, averaging 3.92 Bcf/d. The U.S. hasn’t seen its highest level of feedgas demand yet this year, and we expect it to rise even higher in the next month as the commissioning activity at Golden Pass ramps up. Last week, the terminal received FERC authorization to introduce feed gas to Train 1. So far, the terminal has only taken in minuscule amounts of feedgas, but that is expected to increase soon. [MDN: Full speed ahead! We love it. Our molecules flow to these facilities in ever-greater volumes.]
INTERNATIONAL
Oil gains on EU sanctions pressure
Bloomberg/M. Gindis, A. Longley, W. Kubzansky
Oil prices advanced on Tuesday, with West Texas Intermediate rising 1.4% to settle slightly above $60 per barrel, driven by hawkish EU rhetoric suggesting tighter sanctions on Russia. Comments from diplomat Kaja Kallas labeling Moscow’s aggression as terrorism, combined with surging diesel market tightness and looming US sanctions on major Russian producers, fueled bullish sentiment. While Russian crude prices hit two-year lows and Asian buyers paused purchases, the market rallied despite long-term IEA forecasts of a 2026 supply surplus. Analysts note that oil remains stubbornly supported above $60, making the market vulnerable to potential short squeezes. [MDN: WTI for December delivery rose 1.4% to settle at $60.74 a barrel, back in the $60s as we predicted just yesterday. Brent for January climbed 1.1% to settle at $64.89 a barrel.]
US energy majors among potential Lukoil bidders
Bloomberg/S El Wardany, B Bartenstein, A Di Paola, K Crowley
Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Adnoc, and the Carlyle Group are reportedly interested in acquiring Lukoil’s international assets, a sale precipitated by looming US sanctions taking effect in December. While Lukoil (Russian oil company) prefers selling its global portfolio as a single package, suitors are targeting specific holdings, such as Iraqi oil fields or Uzbek gas operations. This discrepancy may require a financial intermediary to purchase the entire lot for later piecemeal resale. The process is further complicated by the Trump administration’s reported preference for a US buyer, a stance that previously blocked a sale to Gunvor Group. [MDN: It’s great to see Trump’s sanctions against Russia are working Also good to see that it will likely be a U.S. company that will buy all or large parts of Lukoil’s international assets.]
COP30 is green hype and real-world rip-offs
Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT)/Melanie Collette
COP30 in Belém, Brazil, is spotlighting the “bioeconomy”—replacing fossil fuels with natural products like biofuels and bioplastics from plants, waste, and algae. Proponents promise a circular economy and job growth, but the article argues this is a government-subsidized fantasy that harms the environment and economy. Crop-based biofuels, like U.S. corn ethanol, are cited as a scam because increased demand leads to deforestation (Indirect Land-Use Change or ILUC), often doubling emissions compared to gasoline, a fact recognized by the EU phasing out high-ILUC fuels. These mandates have also spiked food prices, causing a crisis. Brazil’s RenovaBio, a bioeconomy model, is criticized for ignoring ILUC and enabling Amazon sugarcane sprawl. Other “solutions” like wood pellets and bioplastics are deemed dirty or ineffective. The overall cost includes crushed biodiversity, crony subsidies for big agriculture, soaring consumer energy bills, and negligible climate impact. The author urges a conservative approach: free markets, accurate lifecycle accounting (including ILUC), and prioritizing cheap, reliable power like nuclear and gas over U.N. mandates. [MDN: What the green freaks at COP30 are advocating is worldwide socialism, which inevitably descends into totalitarian Communism. Thank God Trump pulled us out of the Paris deal and didn’t bother to send anyone to COP30. It’s a sham.]
How Germany is building up LNG import terminals
Reuters/Vera Eckert
Germany is aggressively developing natural gas import terminals, primarily floating storage regasification units (FSRUs), to replace piped Russian gas following the 2022 invasion. Official data shows seaborne LNG represented 11% of gas imports in the first three quarters of 2025. Key sites are rapidly advancing: Wilhelmshaven 1 and 2 are commercially operational, with plans for land-based green hydrogen/ammonia production. Mukran is active and expanding capacity via a bidding round. Brunsbuettel’s FSRU went operational in 2023 and is a forerunner to a land-based LNG/ammonia facility by late 2026. The Stade terminal is now expected to become the fifth operational FSRU in Q2 2026, ahead of its planned land-based terminal in 2027. Lubmin is slated to transition into a green ammonia and hydrogen import hub. [MDN: Germany no doubt has plenty of its own natural gas that could be extracted, but refuses to do so. No problem. We’re happy to sell them our molecules at confiscatory rates.]