Baker Hughes: US rig count ticks up 2 units to 931

The US drilling rig count climbed for the fifth straight week with a 2-unit gain to 931 rigs working during the week ended Dec. 8, data from Baker Hughes indicate. Source: News


Virginia water control board approves Mountain Valley Pipeline permit

Virginia’s water control board approved certification for upland areas of the proposed 300-mile Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline on Dec. 7. The certification followed the most rigorous regulatory process to which a proposed pipeline ever has been subjected in the Old Dominion, the Department of Environmental Quality division said in a statement following the 5-2 […]


Moody’s: Oil, gas industry to continue recovery in 2018

The oil and gas industry will continue its slow recovery as upstream companies increase production, helping the midstream and services businesses as well, according to Moody’s 2018 outlook. Excess supply will continue to dampen oil prices in the coming year. Natural gas prices, on the other hand, will benefit from higher demand, but price gains […]


OPEC outlook sees US influencing global crude markets until 2025

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries expects US unconventional crude oil production from tight shale formations to increase the country’s global market influence through 2025, the chief economist for the cartel said on Dec. 7. Source: News


Energy officials nudge EastMed gas line

Energy ministers of Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and Italy have set a target completion date of 2025 for the Eastern Mediterranean (EastMed) natural gas pipeline between Israel and Italy. Meeting in Nicosia, the officials signed a memorandum of understanding for the 2,100-km project.  Source: News


BLM temporarily suspends, delays parts of venting, flaring rule

The US Bureau of Land Management temporarily suspended or delayed parts of its 2016 venting and flaring rule until Jan. 17, 2019. “By holding off on certain requirements, BLM now has sufficient time to review the final rule while avoiding any compliance costs on industry that may not be needed after the review,” Deputy Director […]


HPCL lets contract for unit at Visakh refinery

Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd. has let a contract to Larsen & Toubro Ltd. subsidiary L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering Ltd. to build a hydrocracking unit to be added as part of HPCL’s previously announced program to expand and modernize its 8.3 million-tonne/year Vishakhapatnam (Visakh) refinery in Andhra Pradesh on India’s southeastern coast. Source: News