Europe

Balticconnector Still on Course for April Repair, Gasgrid Says

Finnish gas grid operator Gasgrid on Thursday said commissioning of the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was still technically possible in April of 2024, provided that ongoing design and repair work was successful.

DNV and NGT Collaborate on Pioneering Hydrogen Pipeline Research for UK's Gas Network

DNV has announced that it is the lead partner for National Gas Transmission (NGT) in further expanding a world first hydrogen pipeline research facility FutureGrid. DNV will support NGT in developing a hydrogen de-blending, purification, and re-fueling facility at the site.

Germany's Stade LNG Project Set for February Arrival of Floating Terminal

Germany's emerging LNG terminal in the Elbe river port of Stade expects its floating regasification vessel (FSRU) to arrive in February, allowing seaborne gas cargoes to be fed into local pipeline grids, its management said on Wednesday.

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.

Equinor, Germany's Sefe Strike $55 Billion Gas Supply Deal

German energy firm Sefe secured a 50 billion euro ($55 billion) gas deal with Norway's Equinor on Tuesday, covering one-third of the industrial gas needs of Europe's largest economy.

QatarEnergy CEO Anticipates Imminent LNG Supply Deals in Asia and Europe

QatarEnergy expects to agree new long-term LNG supply deals in Asia and Europe, with several "imminent", its chief executive told Reuters.

BlackRock Ends Talks with Exxon for Italy LNG Terminal Sale, Vitol Still in the Race

Asset manager BlackRock Inc. has bowed out of talks to acquire ExxonMobil Corp.'s majority stake in Italy's main LNG import terminal, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

Equinor Buys Shell's Stake in the Linnorm Gas Discovery

Norway's Equinor said on Thursday it has agreed to buy Shell's stake in the Linnorm gas discovery in the Norwegian Sea, raising its ownership to 50%.

U.K. to Back 11 Green Hydrogen Projects Under $2.5 Billion Fund

Britain's Energy Security Secretary, Claire Coutinho, announced on Thursday backing 11 projects to produce green hydrogen, as part of the government's 2 billion pound ($2.5 billion) funding to be committed over the next 15 years.

Former BP CEO Looney Loses $40 Million in Compensation Amid Board Misconduct Claims

BP cut over $40 million in remuneration from former CEO Bernard Looney after the British oil giant concluded he had knowingly misled the board over personal relationships with colleagues.

Energy Companies Launch Green Hydrogen Projects in Italy

Four energy companies announced on Tuesday two separate green hydrogen projects in Italy as they move to offer clean fuels to their customers and take advantage of money coming from the European Union's post-pandemic recovery fund.

Serbia Launches Gas Pipeline Interconnector with Bulgaria, Diversifying Supplies

Serbia on Sunday completed the interconnector to a pipeline in Bulgaria, which would allow the Balkan country to diversify its gas supplies and reduce its dependence on Russia.

Fluxys, OGE, Wintershall Dea Partner for CO2 Transport from Southern Germany to Belgian Hubs

(P&GJ) — Fluxys Belgium, Wintershall Dea, and OGE are joining forces to create a CO2 corridor transporting emissions from Southern Germany to Belgium's developing CO2 export hubs for storage in the North Sea reservoirs.

Symbio Inaugurates Europe's Largest Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plant

Symbio, the hydrogen mobility joint venture between Stellantis, Forvia and Michelin, has inaugurated Europe's largest gigafactory for hydrogen fuel cells in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in France.

Global News December 2023

Latest industry developments from around the world!

Green Hydrogen Projects by Spain's Enagas Poised to Receive EU Funding

Two renewable hydrogen projects partially managed by Spain's gas grid operator Enagas have been included in the European Commission's list of Projects of Common Interest (PCI), the company said on Tuesday, meaning they could benefit from accelerated permitting procedures and subsidies.

Kyiv Proposes Reversing Trans-Balkan Gas Pipeline Flows Through Ukraine

Ukraine's state gas transit operator on Wednesday proposed reversing gas flows through the Trans-Balkan pipeline, which would allow gas to be pumped from the Balkans to Central and Eastern European countries through Ukraine.

Centrica Pumps Gas from Rough Storage into U.K. Grid as Demand Rises

British Gas owner Centrica has released stored gas from its largest storage facility into the national grid for the first time this winter, it said on Tuesday, seeking to manage rising heating demand and contain prices.

Caspian Pipeline Consortium Resumes Oil Loadings at Black Sea Terminal

The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), a main export route for Kazakhstan's crude oil, said on Thursday it has resumed oil loadings at its Black Sea terminal which had been suspended due to storms, disrupting exports since last Friday.

Europe Studies Mega-Projects for Piping CO2 Offshore

(P&GJ) — Belgian TSO Fluxys and Norway’s state oil and gas company Equinor are working on plans for a 620-mile (1,000-km) pipeline that could export CO2 from industrial clusters in Zeebrugge, Belgium to storage sites offshore Norway. An extension to industrial sites in the port of Dunkirk, France is also under consideration.

Snam, Eni, Terna to Fast Track European Pipeline, Hydrogen, Carbon Capture Projects

The two initiatives supported by Snam are a pipeline for hydrogen between Italy, Austria and Germany dubbed the SoutH2 Corridor and a carbon capture and storage hub offshore Ravenna known as the Callisto Mediterranean C02 Network.

Spanish Green Hydrogen Pipeline to Receive EU Funding

The Commission's list includes the H2Med corridor - a future multibillion-euro "green" hydrogen pipeline connecting the Iberian peninsula to France and on to Central Europe by 2030.

CEZ Books 2 Bcm Capacity at German LNG Terminal

Czech majority state-owned utility CEZ has agreed to book 2 billion cubic meters (Bcm) of annual capacity at the Stade LNG terminal in Germany from 2027, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Thursday.

Balticconnector Gas Pipeline to Expand Transmission Capacity Post-Repair

The Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia, which was damaged last month, will get a bigger northbound transmission capacity next year following repairs, Finnish operator Gasgrid said in a statement on Wednesday.

Nigeria, Germany Sign Gas Export Agreement

A gas export partnership deal was reached between Riverside LNG of Nigeria and Germany's Johannes Schuetze Energy Import AG. Under the agreement, Nigeria will annually supply 850,000 tons of natural gas to Germany, with expectations for this to rise to 1.2 million. The initial deliveries are scheduled for 2026.

Iraq-Turkey Pipeline Restart Talks Exclude Industry Representation, APIKUR Says

APIKUR, which represents international companies involved in upstream oil or gas contracts in Iraq's Kurdistan region, have not been contacted by Iraqi or Kurdish officials for a deal to allow the resumption of oil flows from the Iraq-Turkey pipeline.

EU Sues Poland Over Restrictions in Cross-Border Trade of Natural Gas

The European Commission on Thursday said it is suing Poland over measures imposing additional costs in cross-border trade of natural gas.

CEZ Abandons Planned Polish LNG Terminal Capacity Over Disputed Conditions

Majority state-owned Czech utility CEZ has shelved a plan to secure capacity for LNG at a new Polish terminal because it was unhappy with the conditions offered, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Global News November 2023

Latest industry developments from around the world!

Serbia Signs Gas Supply Deal with Azerbaijan

Serbia signed a deal with Azerbaijan to purchase 400 million cubic meters of natural gas per year from 2024, Azerbaijan's energy ministry said on Tuesday.