Qatar Petroleum (QP) is adding a fourth liquefaction train to the LNG expansion project it announced in 2017. When the expansion is complete, Qatar’s LNG production capacity will be 110 million tonnes/year, a roughly 43% increase from the current 77 million tpy. Source: News
Shell makes LNG Canada FID; Coastal GasLink line advances
Shell Canada Energy has taken a final investment decision on its 14-million tonne/year liquefaction joint venture, LNG Canada, in Kitimat, BC, allowing work to begin immediately. Source: News
Victory and worry
It’s reasonable to grant US President Donald Trump his victory for extruding a new trilateral agreement on North American trade into being and at the same time worry about it. The president, during his election campaign, promised to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. If Congress approves, he will have done so. Source: News
Alaska North Slope revival
The Alaska North Slope, once a major source of oil production and reserves in the US, hit its production peak in the late 1980s and has steadily declined to its current rate of 380,000 b/d in July. Federal protections have restricted access to exploration and production of the environmentally sensitive lands of the Alaska National […]
Survey sees fading appreciation for economic freedom
More important than country rankings in the Fraser Institute’s annual Economic Freedom of the World (EFW) report are indications of fading appreciation for the ability of individuals to make their own economic decisions. Source: News
Petroecuador begins scheduled maintenance at Shushufindi refinery
Ecuador’s state-owned Petroecuador has initiated the scheduled shutdown of a crude unit for routine maintenance at its 20,000-b/d Shushufindi refinery in the northeastern Ecuadorian province of SucumbÃos. Source: News
Baker Hughes: US rig count drops 2 units to 1,052
The US drilling rig count is down 2 units to 1,052 rigs working for the week ended Oct. 5, according to Baker Hughes data. The count is up 116 units from the 936 rigs working this time a year ago. Source: News
TransCanada starts first WB Xpress phase
TransCanada Corp. has started service on the Western Build of its WB Xpress project to increase movement of Appalachian basin natural gas to the US Gulf Coast. Source: News
Resist pressure to grant E15 an RVP waiver, 20 US senators urge Trump
A bipartisan group of 20 US senators urged President Donald J. Trump not to move forward with a plan to waive Reid Vapor Pressure volatility rules and allow the year-round sale of gasoline with a 15% ethanol blend nationwide. Source: News
Mero field moves toward full production
Petrobras has let a contract to Aker Solutions covering the subsea production system and related services for the first full production phase of giant, deepwater Mero oil field offshore Brazil. Source: News