Central & South America

Global News March 2024

Latest industry developments from around the world!

ExxonMobil Weighs Offers for Argentina Shale Assets, Source Says

U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil Corp. is weighing offers for its oil and gas assets in Argentina's Vaca Muerta shale region, a source familiar with the plan said on Friday, adding there was no time frame for a decision and the sale may not move forward.

Exxon Considers Guyana Offshore Gas Production Post-2029

Exxon, Hess Corp. and CNOOC are under pressure from Guyana to develop untapped natural gas in the South American country, where they have discovered more than 11 billion barrels of oil and gas since 2015.

Guyana's $1.9 Billion Gas-to-Power Project Pushed to 2025

Guyana will delay until 2025 its biggest effort to capitalize on its energy bounty, a $1.9 billion gas-to-power project that was to start this year, using untapped gas to slash electricity costs, a Ministry of Natural Resources consultant said on Tuesday.

EIG’s MidOcean Energy Acquires 20% Stake in Peru LNG, Including 254-Mile Pipeline

EIG's MidOcean Energy secures 20% stake in Peru LNG, which includes a natural gas liquefaction plant, a 254-mile pipeline, storage tanks, a marine terminal, and a truck loading facility.

Conoco Emerges as Surprise Bidder in Historic Citgo Share Auction

A U.S. court auction weighing the fate of Venezuela-owned oil refiner Citgo Petroleum has received bids using claims in lieu of cash, according to people familiar with the process and documents, part of a historic case to settle Venezuelan debts.

Techint-SACDE Consortium Secures Contract for Northern Argentina Gas Pipeline Reversal

The joint venture Unión Transitoria de Empresas (UTE) has been awarded the contract to build a pipeline that will supply the provinces in northern Argentina with gas from Vaca Muerta, substituting gas imported from Bolivia, where production is already registering a major decline.

Global News February 2024

Latest industry developments from around the world!

Oil Producer Hess Tops Profit Estimates on Higher Bakken, Guyana Output

U.S. oil and gas firm Hess beat Wall Street estimates for fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday, helped by higher production in its Bakken shale and Guyana operations.

BP Sees Trinidad Deepwater Gas Project Getting Greenlight by 2025

BP expects the Calypso deepwater natural gas field off Trinidad and Tobago, which it shares with Woodside Energy, to get the greenlight when a final investment decision (FID) is made as early as the end of next year, a company executive said.

Petronas Seeks Fiscal Incentives to Develop Suriname Gas Project

Suriname should boost incentives for energy companies looking to develop oil and gas discoveries, said Zamri Baseri, head of Malaysia's Petronas in the South American country.

Trinidad in Talks with Europe to Supply Venezuelan LNG

Trinidad and Tobago has begun talks with some European countries on the supply of LNG produced from Venezuelan gas, Prime Minister Keith Rowley said on Monday.

Global Pipeline Construction Outlook 2024: New LNG Terminals Sound Beckon Call for More Pipelines

(P&GJ) — It comes as little surprise to those in midstream that during the past year we have continued to see LNG initiatives garner more attention than pipeline projects. However, terminal construction drives new pipeline construction.

Ecuador in Talks to Transfer 301-Mile OCP Oil Pipeline, Assets, and Liabilities to State Control

Ecuador is holding talks to transfer a private oil pipeline operated by OCP, as well as its associated infrastructure, liabilities and assets, to state control, the government announced in a statement on Friday.

Constellation's Everett LNG Plant Receives Trinidad Delivery Despite Declining U.S. Gas Imports

U.S. energy group Constellation Energy's Everett LNG import plant in Massachusetts took delivery of LNG from Trinidad over the weekend.

Petrobras Reports Start of Production at Sepetiba FPSO in Brazil's Santos Basin

Brazilian state-run oil company Petrobras' Sepetiba floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit started production on Sunday, the oil giant said in a securities filing.

Global News January 2024

Latest industry developments from around the world!

Ecuador Triumphs in International Arbitration, Avoids $198 Million Payment to Worley

Ecuador's procurator said on Friday the country has won an international arbitration and will not be liable to pay $198 million to engineering firm Worley International Services over oil project contracts.

Trinidad: First Output from Venezuela's Dragon Gas Field Expected in 2 Years

A natural gas project to be developed in Venezuelan waters by Shell and Trinidad and Tobago's state firm National Gas Company could achieve first output in the next two years if a positive investment decision is made, Trinidad officials said on Friday.

Shell, Trinidad's NGC Get License to Develop Venezuela's Dragon Gas Field

Shell and Trinidad and Tobago's National Gas Company (NGC) were awarded a license by Venezuela on Thursday to develop the 4.2 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) Dragon gas field and export its production to the Caribbean nation.

Looking Back at the Biggest Pipeline Stories of 2023

(P&GJ) – In this final issue of P&GJ for 2023, the staff – with more than a little help from our readers – takes a look back at the sometimes chaotic year in midstream that was 2023.

China's Sinochem Buys Rare Venezuelan Oil Cargo After U.S. Suspends Sanctions

China's Sinochem Corp. has bought a million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil for arrival in December, a rare purchase as the state oil and chemicals group capitalizes on Washington's suspension of sanctions on the South American producer.

Venezuela's PDVSA, Spain's Repsol Agree to Revive Oil Joint Venture

Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA and joint venture partner Repsol on Monday signed an agreement amending the original terms of a project in the country, aiming to revive its crude and gas output.

Shell's Gas Project License Talks with Venezuela Hinge on Dispute Over Future LNG Prices

A disagreement between Shell and Venezuela's state company PDVSA over future LNG prices has gridlocked talks on a license for Shell and Trinidad and Tobago's National Gas Company to operate a Venezuelan gas field, two people close to the negotiations said.

Chevron, PDVSA Seek 15-Year Extension for Joint Ventures, Eye Crude Production Boost

PDVSA and Chevron have expanded operations since late last year under a special U.S. license, allowing Venezuela to resume crude exports to what was its largest market, the United States. But more investment is needed to reach production levels seen before oil sanctions were first imposed in 2019.

Venezuela Urges BP, Chevron, and Shell to Revive Offshore Gas Project Amid Territorial Dispute

The request to act on blocks that have not been touched in more than a decade comes amid an escalating territorial dispute with Guyana that has rattled the country and led to an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

Venezuela's Oil Exports Remain Almost Unchanged, Middlemen Seek Deals

Venezuela's oil exports remained almost unchanged in November at 651,000 barrels per day (bpd) even as an easing of U.S. sanctions is now allowing sales to trading houses, according to shipping and tanker tracking data.

Guyana Moving Toward New Offshore Gas Pipeline in Liza Offshore Fields

(P&GJ) — With the Gas To Energy project, the government of Guyana will — for the first time — produce energy using the associated natural gas produced in the Liza offshore fields of the Stabroek Block.

Trinidad's Atlantic LNG Restructuring to Shrink Shell's Stake, Boost BP's

Shell's ownership in Trinidad and Tobago's Atlantic LNG facility will shrink, while BP and Trinidad's state-owned National Gas Co. will increase their stakes in a restructuring agreement to be signed this week, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Petroecuador Exceeds 400,000 bpd Crude Oil Output; Addresses Oil Spill in Shushufindi River

Ecuador's state oil company Petroecuador said Sunday that crude oil output surpassed 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) for the first time since January 2021.