LNG

July 25 (LNGJ) - A Texan bankruptcy court approved a settlement between US engineering firm Zachry Holdings and the Golden Pass LNG project developers, ExxonMobil Corp. and QatarEnergy, to appoint a new lead contractor. Zachry was the lead contractor in the $10 billion project to transform the Golden Pass LNG terminal in Texas into an export plant but filed on May 8, 2024, for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

   The move effectively blocked the project at the site on the Sabine-Neches Waterway in Texas. However, the two remaining contractors Chiyoda Corp. of Japan and the CB&I subsidiary of US firm McDermott can now resume their work with Chiyoda in the lead role. The three liquefaction Trains at Golden Pass will have a nameplate capacity of around 16 million tonnes per annum of LNG with ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy owning 30 percent and 70 percent of the project respectively.

ExxonMobil Corp. the US major and prominent LNG market player has been become the latest oil and gas company to warn on expected adjustments in second-quarter earnings.

Zachry Holdings, the lead contractor in the $10 billion project to transform the Golden Pass LNG terminal in Texas into an export plant for a joint venture comprising QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

QatarEnergy, the leading global LNG produce, has signed a farm-in agreement with ExxonMobil Corp. to acquire a 40 percent participating interest in two exploration blocks offshore Egypt.

Under the terms of the agreement, which is subject to customary approvals by the government of Egypt, QatarEnergy will acquire a 40 percent working interest in each of the “Cairo” and “Masry” Offshore Concession Agreements, while operator ExxonMobil will retain the remaining 60 percent working interest.

“I am pleased with our entry into the Cairo and Masry offshore exploration blocks as they expand QatarEnergy’s presence in the Arab Republic of Egypt and extend our ambitious exploration program in-country,” said Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the President and Chief Executive QatarEnergy.

Partners

“We look forward to working with our valued long-term strategic partner ExxonMobil, as well as with the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) and the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, in this promising and prospective region,” explained Al-Kaabi.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Egyptian authorities and our partners for their valuable support and cooperation,” he added.

Financial details of the latest QatarEnergy-ExxonMobil transaction were not disclosed.

The Cairo and Masry offshore exploration blocks were awarded to ExxonMobil in January 2023 and cover an area of around 11,400 square kilometres in water depths of 2,000 to 3,000 metres.

The QatarEnergy deal in Egypt was signed amid some concern about one of the main overseas LNG ventures involving QatarEnergy, the US Golden Pass export project and also involving ExxonMobil.

The Golden Pass LNG project has acknowledged ongoing discussions regarding the future role of the US Zachry group in the engineering, procurement and construction joint venture also including McDermott of the US and Chiyoda Corp, of Japan.

Golden Pass talks

“Golden Pass LNG acknowledges ongoing discussions regarding the role of Zachry within the venture,” said a statement.

“Work continues to diligently complete the project, but these discussions may impact site activity in the near term,” the statement added.

The Golden Pass liquefaction facilities are being constructed at the existing import terminal located on the Sabine-Neches Waterway in Texas.

The three liquefaction Trains will have a nameplate capacity of around 16 million tonnes per annum of LNG and ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy are marketing their own volumes.

The Train 1 mechanical completion is still on track for completion at the end of 2024 with first LNG in the first half of 2025.

The US Government expects the nation’s liquefied natural gas exports to increase in 2024 and to surge in 2025 as projects currently under construction start to come on stream.

US majors ExxonMobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. recorded their second-largest annual profits in 10 years as oil and natural gas production increased and Chevron shipped record LNG cargoes from Australia even amid work stoppages.

Williams Companies, a leading US natural gas pipelines operator, has outlined plans for supplying more feed-gas for liquefied natural gas export plants on the Gulf Coast and to meet the nation’s growing needs for gas-fired power.

ExxonMobil Corp., the largest US oil company and leading LNG producer and a partner of Qatar, said changes in natural gas prices would impact its second-quarter Upstream earnings by $1.8 billion to $2.2 billion compared with the first quarter even as the company was also overhauling trading activities and embarking on oil projects in Guyana and LNG expansion.

ExxonMobil Corp., the leading global oil and gas company and LNG market operator, indicated that first-quarter earnings could fall by up to 25 percent from the previous quarter because of falling prices and other factors.

ExxonMobil said it was making “great progress” on liquefied natural gas, with the Golden Pass project in Texas on track, and in energy projects around the world that will be critical to achieving its growth plans as it gave an overview of investment and delivery commitments.