Mounting Middle East instability has further complicated Japan’s efforts to move ahead on an ambitious energy supply diversification strategy, speakers said at a Mar. 10 discussion at the Atlantic Council. Lower crude oil and natural gas prices are making the government’s development of economic and strategic policies more difficult, they said. Source: News
MARKET WATCH: Crude prices rise on IEA report forecasting lower supply, static demand growth
Crude oil prices on the New York and London markets appeared to be rising on Mar. 11 following a report from the International Energy Agency stating “there are signs that prices may have bottomed out.” Source: News
Mariner East 1 ships first ethane for export
Sunoco Logistics Partners LP said its Mariner East 1 pipeline between the Pittsburgh area and Mark Hook, Pa., on the Delaware River has begun carrying ethane along with propane and has delivered its first ethane for export. Source: News
US, Canadian leaders jointly commit to aggressive methane controls
The US and Canadian governments will work together to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas industries in their countries 40-45% from 2012 levels by 2025, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a joint statement during Trudeau’s visit to Washington. Source: News
India approves HELP plan to spur investment, production
India’s Union Cabinet has approved a multifaceted Hydrocarbon Exploration & Licensing Policy (HELP) to spur investment and enhance production, according to the government’s Press Information Bureau (PIB). Source: News
ESAI: Libyan chaos to keep oil flow low
Oil production in Libya—recently one fourth of its 1.65 million b/d average prior to the start of civil unrest in 2011—will “remain constrained by realities on the ground perhaps for years,” warns ESAI Energy LLC, Wakefield, Mass. Source: News
NZRC formally unveils Te Mahi Hou expansion
New Zealand Refining Co. Ltd. (NZRC), the country’s sole refiner, has officially opened the long-awaited $365-million (NZ) Te Mahi Hou (TMH) expansion project at its 107,000-b/d Marsden Point refinery at Northland on the North Island’s east coast. Source: News
Det norske secures drilling permit for well off Norway
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate has granted Det norske oljeselskap AS a drilling permit for well 16/1-26 S in production license 001 B offshore Norway. The well will be drilled by the Maersk Interceptor drilling facility. Source: News
Eni succeeds with first production test of Zohr field
Eni SPA has successfully performed the production test of the Zohr 2X well, the first appraisal well of the Zohr natural gas discovery on the Shorouk block offshore Egypt. The Zohr 2X well was drilled to 13,684 ft, encountering 1,614 ft of continuous hydrocarbon column in a carbonate sequence with 305 m of net pay. […]
SOCAR lets contract for Sumgait petrochemical plant revamp
State Oil Co. of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) subsidiary Azerikimya Production Union (APU) has let a contract to a division of Technip SA, Paris, for work related to the ongoing modernization and reconstruction of APU’s ethylene and polyethylene (PE) production plant in Sumgait, north of Baku. Source: News