LNG

Statoil, the operator of Europe's only baseload LNG plant at Hammerfest in Northern Norway, has now assumed operatorship for all activities in the eastern part of its US Eagle Ford shale asset in Texas, and from where natural gas will come for future LNG exports.

The BG Group Queensland Curtis project plans to spend A$6 million (US$5.5M) on community projects to spread the benefits of the coal-seam-gas-to-LNG venture by contributing funding to sports clubs, schools and even a wombat breeding centre.

Woodside Petroleum, the Australian energy company and one of the world's biggest LNG operators, surprised many when it said its next LNG move was into the East Mediterranean, and now it has accepted offers to operate two blocks in the exotically named Porcupine Basin offshore Ireland.

Lloyd's Register, the UK-based classification society, has signed a contract to classify six 174,000 cubic metres LNG carriers to be built by Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding in China.