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WoodMac Changes Course – Says U.S. LNG Essential for Asia

In June, we told you that a once-respected oil and gas consultancy had become a partisan purveyor of pap (see WoodMac Pimps Itself Out for Democrats in New “Report” re Election). We were referring to Wood Mackenzie, the “global insight business for renewables, energy and natural resources.” In a June report, WoodMac analysts made this partisan statement: “A Republican victory in 2024 could roll back decarbonisation policies and usher in a delayed energy transition for the US.” The not-so-subtle implication was that if you care about the planet and the mythical “energy transition” that must take place (or else)…you’ll vote Democrat in November. My oh my, what a difference a landslide election makes… Read More “WoodMac Changes Course – Says U.S. LNG Essential for Asia”

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The Coming Golden Age of LNG Under Donald J. Trump

Rystad Energy, based in Norway, is an independent energy research and business intelligence company providing data, analytics, and consultancy services to clients exposed to the energy industry across the globe. In an article published by OilPrice.com, Rystad analysts make this bold claim: “Triggered by incoming US President Donald Trump, the next four years could prime the liquefied natural gas (LNG) markets for a golden era.” Look for the Trump administration to “accelerate US LNG infrastructure expansion through deregulation and faster permitting, bolstering global supply.” After years of uncertainty about U.S. LNG thanks to a dithering President Biden, someone with demonstrable cognitive decline, LNG is “back” under Trump, and global markets are delighted. Read More “The Coming Golden Age of LNG Under Donald J. Trump”

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NatGas Flowing to LNG Export Plants Close to All-Time Record High

The volume of natural gas flowing to U.S. LNG export facilities on Friday was on track to hit 14.6 billion cubic feet (Bcf), just shy of the all-time high of 14.7 Bcf recorded one year ago, in December 2023. The reason for the near-record high is that all LNG export facilities, including the up down up down up down Freeport LNG facility, were firing on all cylinders. Two weeks ago, one of Freeport’s three trains tripped off (see Freeport LNG Train 3 Down Again; Caused 11-Hour “Emissions Event”). When all three Freeport trains are working, the facility uses just over 2 Bcf/d of gas. On Friday, Freeport was set to hit just over 2 Bcf. Now, if we can keep it up and running! Read More “NatGas Flowing to LNG Export Plants Close to All-Time Record High”

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LNG Wars: United States vs. Australia vs. Qatar – The LNG Trinity

You’ve heard of the Holy Trinity, right? Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three largest LNG exporting countries in the world, the U.S. (#1), Australia (#2), and Qatar (#3), are referred to as the LNG Trinity. Together, all three countries represent roughly 60% of all LNG exported on the planet. However, each country has its own strategy, politics, and approach to the market. How are they similar, and how are they different? Read More “LNG Wars: United States vs. Australia vs. Qatar – The LNG Trinity”

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New Fortress Energy Sells Small Miami LNG Plant to Pennybacker

Miami LNG (click for larger version)

We’ve talked plenty about the big LNG export facilities scattered along the Gulf Coast that export a fair amount of Marcellus/Utica molecules (and the two LNG export sites on the East Coast, both of which export 100% M-U molecules). We now and again talk about some of the smaller LNG export operations, including a couple of small operations along the Atlantic Coast of Florida. This story is about one of the latter. Last week, investment firm Pennybacker Capital Management announced it had closed on purchasing New Fortress Energy’s (NFG) Miami (Florida) LNG business for an undisclosed amount. We don’t have proof, but we suspect that at least some Marcellus/Utica molecules flow to the facility, making this transaction of interest to the MDN audience. Read More “New Fortress Energy Sells Small Miami LNG Plant to Pennybacker”

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New Study Proves LNG is Far Cleaner Than Anyone Thought

In October, MDN told you about a Congressional investigation looking into the Department of Energy’s use of a prematurely released “study” as an excuse to “pause” (i.e., ban) new LNG export approvals (see Congress Probes Role of Bob Howarth Study in DOE LNG Pause). Cornell professor Robert Howarth, using money from the anti-fossil fuel Park Foundation, wrote a “study” that purports to show that LNG is worse for the environment than burning coal! It’s an elaborate exercise in mental gymnastics. The DOE used the study before it was peer-reviewed and published, i.e., before it was properly vetted. Now comes a true peer-reviewed study that exposes Howarth’s study as sloppy and unreliable. Read More “New Study Proves LNG is Far Cleaner Than Anyone Thought”

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Unpausing New LNG Export Approvals Won’t Spike Domestic Prices

The incoming Trump administration will have a big emphasis on natural gas, including LNG (liquefied natural gas) exports. Lazy journalists and lazy economists try to scare the general public into believing more (new) LNG exports from this country will cause the price of domestic natural gas to skyrocket. Their arguments presume no increase in natgas production, which is a fallacy. There are many reasons why the price of natgas isn’t going to skyrocket from more LNG export approvals. Read More “Unpausing New LNG Export Approvals Won’t Spike Domestic Prices”

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FERC Approves 0.4 MMTY Expansion for Elba Island LNG

We have fantastic news to share. Elba Island LNG, which accepts and liquefies Marcellus/Utica molecules just offshore from Savannah, Georgia, received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) last Thursday to expand the facility to produce an extra 0.4 million metric tons/year (mmty). By our calculations, that would mean an extra 16.4 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of M-U natural gas flowing to Elba over the course of a year. Read More “FERC Approves 0.4 MMTY Expansion for Elba Island LNG”

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Freeport LNG Train 3 Down Again; Caused 11-Hour “Emissions Event”

On Friday, we told you that a bankruptcy judge had tossed out a lawsuit brought by Freeport LNG against the companies that built the facility, claiming it was their shoddy work that has led to a steady string of problems and outages (see Bankruptcy Judge Tosses Freeport LNG Lawsuit Against 3 Contractors). We said this: “According to a Reuters story, Freeport experienced “roughly a dozen incidents” by early June. Since that time, things have thankfully improved.” We spoke too soon. Read More “Freeport LNG Train 3 Down Again; Caused 11-Hour “Emissions Event””

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Trump Plans to Approve New LNG Exports Within Days of Inauguration

We still continue to say “pinch us!” that Donald Trump won the election. And what about the picks he’s made for his cabinet and other key positions…Wow! Now comes word from leakers that “within days” of his inauguration, the Trump team will roll out approvals for LNG export requests that have been stalled for a year under Joementia. Word also leaked that Trump plans to approve new on-shore and off-shore drilling on federal lands. It’s such a breath of fresh air! (Pun intended.) Read More “Trump Plans to Approve New LNG Exports Within Days of Inauguration”

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Bankruptcy Judge Tosses Freeport LNG Lawsuit Against 3 Contractors

We’ve been tracking the up down up down up down situation at Freeport LNG (where some Marcellus/Utica molecules flow) since it came online in 2019. Freeport was mostly offline for the first half of this year following an episode of cold temps in January (see Freeport LNG Repairs Won’t be Done Until May – 2 Trains Offline). According to a Reuters story, Freeport experienced “roughly a dozen incidents” by early June. Since that time, things have thankfully improved. However, in June, Freeport and its insurers sued the three contractors that built the facility (see Freeport LNG Sues 3 Contractors for Ongoing Reliability Issues). A bankruptcy judge has just thrown out Freeport’s claims. They won’t get a dime from the contractors. Read More “Bankruptcy Judge Tosses Freeport LNG Lawsuit Against 3 Contractors”

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Venture Global LNG May Be on Hook for $5.9B to Jilted Customers

In August, we told you that most of Venture Global’s contracted customers for LNG from the company’s Calcasieu Pass LNG export facility in southwestern Louisiana’s Cameron Parish had filed for arbitration over Venture Global’s refusal to sell them cargoes under contract (see Shell, Edison, BP File for Arbitration Against Venture Global LNG). Instead, Venture Global is selling its cargoes on the open “spot” market at higher prices, violating its agreement with its customers. Venture has shipped (at last count) over 355 cargoes from Calcasieu Pass! Yet the company claims CP is still not “commercially ready.” It’s bullcrapus of the highest order. Now comes word from the arbitration hearings that Venture Global may be on the hook to pay its jilted customers $5.9 BILLION. That would be sweet justice. Read More “Venture Global LNG May Be on Hook for $5.9B to Jilted Customers”

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Look for Increase in U.S. LNG Exports to Europe in Coming Weeks

Reuters predicts a sharp increase in U.S. LNG exports to European destinations “in the coming weeks.” Why? Because “the price spread between domestic natural gas and Europe’s main gas pricing hub hit one-year highs.” What the heck does that mean? We will explain it below. Read More “Look for Increase in U.S. LNG Exports to Europe in Coming Weeks”

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Biden DOE Asks Europe to Declare US LNG Exports Clean & Green

The European Union’s idiotic methane regulations will soon come into full force, prompting European oil, gas, and coal companies to monitor, measure and report their emissions. The same restrictions will also apply to energy imports coming from other countries, including the U.S. (see Europeans Presume to Impose Their Regulations on American Gas). The arrogant Europeans presume to tell us that we must follow *their* regulations! To which we say they can go (multiple expletives deleted). Even though the new regs are not in full force until next May, the regs are already having an effect on U.S. companies, including shale drillers (see European Methane Regs Begin to Bite Hard with US LNG Exporters). A week before the election, the Biden-Harris Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent a letter to the Euro weenies asking them to rule that American LNG imports automatically meet their new idiotic standards. Read More “Biden DOE Asks Europe to Declare US LNG Exports Clean & Green”

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Venture Global Chutzpah – Floats an IPO While Shafting Customers

Venture Global has some nerve. In August, we told you that most of Venture Global’s contracted customers for LNG from the company’s Calcasieu Pass LNG export facility in southwestern Louisiana’s Cameron Parish had filed for arbitration over Venture Global’s refusal to sell them cargoes under contract (see Shell, Edison, BP File for Arbitration Against Venture Global LNG). Instead, Venture Global is selling its cargoes on the open “spot” market at higher prices, violating its agreement with its customers. And yet, the company is building a second LNG export facility, Plaquemines LNG, and is now floating an initial public offering (IPO), hoping to raise a staggering $3 billion! Who in their right mind would give a company that screws its contracted customers a single penny! Read More “Venture Global Chutzpah – Floats an IPO While Shafting Customers”

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API Releases 5-Point Policy Plan to Make Energy Great Again

We won’t lie—we have a love/hate relationship with the American Petroleum Institute. Big Oil companies (like Exxon) control the organization (they pay big membership fees), and often, Big Oil is at odds with smaller, independent oil and gas producers like those who do most of the shale drilling. The API tends to suck up to politicians like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. In remarks made yesterday, API President Mike Sommers said his organization supports (!) the massive worldwide shakedown of America called the Paris Accords (which targets HIS members for extinction). Go figure. However, the API isn’t all bad. The API released a policy roadmap yesterday for the incoming Trump administration. Read More “API Releases 5-Point Policy Plan to Make Energy Great Again”