LNG

JX Nippon Oil & Energy, a shareholder in the Papua New Guinea LNG plant and with supply agreements with Malaysia and Indonesia, said it had started collaboration with Hokkaido Gas Co., including joint use of JX Nippon’s Kushiro regasification terminal and the establishment of a separate natural gas joint venture.

The Japanese city-gas retail market, involving some of the largest LNG importers such as Tokyo Gas and Osaka Gas, will be fully liberalized in April 2017 and has already become a market worth up to US$30 billion a year.

Origin Energy, the Australian utility and stakeholder in the Australia Pacific LNG plant in Queensland, has signed an agreement with France-based multinational utility and energy company Engie to make more natural gas available for their customers in the states of South Australia and Victoria.

The US Delfin LNG export venture planned for 50 miles offshore Cameron Parish, Louisiana, has been awarded a deepwater port licence by the US Maritime Administration, clearing the way for the first North American FLNG project to proceed.