LNG

Malaysian shipping group MISC has accepted a letter of award from Petronas for the charter of five additional LNG carriers, committing to a newbuilding programme at China’s Hudong-Zhonghua, with construction due to begin in 2027 and deliveries targeted for 2030.

Singapore-based Seatrium has secured an engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) contract from Excelerate Energy to convert an LNG carrier into a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), with delivery targeted for 2028.

Berkshire Hathaway Energy is expected to restart its Cove Point LNG export plant in Maryland in the coming days after completing planned annual maintenance, according to a company notice to customers and energy traders. The company told customers it had completed most of the planned maintenance at Pleasant Valley Compressor Station as of October 6 and that restriction at Cove Point would be terminated, indicating LNG exports will resume in the coming days.

European Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said he has asked his team to examine a one-year delay to methane requirements for imported oil, pipeline gas and LNG. The proposed change would move the start of the EU Methane Regulation’s import provisions from January 1, 2027 to the beginning of 2028.

Sempra Infrastructure is advancing preliminary commissioning work at its Port Arthur LNG export project in Texas, with a view to getting Train 1 into commercial operations at or near the end of 2027, followed by Train 2 in 2028.

QatarEnergy’s first LNG train under the North Field East expansion is expected to be ready to start operations in November, people aware of the company’s plans told Reuters, though start of commercial production could be delayed until the first quarter of 2027 as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains constraint.

Petrobras has awarded a four-year service agreement to Framos, covering pumping systems across Petrobras’ fleet of 30 FPSOs. The agreement – covering inspection, maintenance and training for all Framo pumps installed across the fleet – was signed during ROG.e 2026 in Rio de Janeiro. More than 1,500 Framo pumps are expected to be operating in Brazil by 2028, as new FPSOs are entering the market.

Rising LNG prices risk destroying demand as markets are extremely tight, with EU gas storage at multi-year lows. If spot prices rise further this winter, they could erode long-term demand and trigger a 'bloodbath' in global market, Petronas CEO Tengku Muhammad Taufik warns.

Venture Global is in preliminary discussions to sell additional US LNG volumes of LNG to Chinese buyers. For PetroChina, the potential supply would total more than 1 mtpa, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

South Korean LNG infrastructure developer GasEntec has secured Approval in Principle (AiP) from Lloyd’s Register for a modular, multi‑mode floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) concept.