LNG

Woodside Energy gears up to officially break ground on the $17.5 billion Louisiana LNG facility today – the biggest direct foreign investment in the state’s history. Planned production capacity is up to 16.5 mtpa, with first LNG targeted in 2029.

Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) strives to source more LNG to meet the country’s growing gas deficit via a second floating regas terminal. The ‘Energos Winter’ FSRU, chartered from New Fortress Energy, is currently en route to Damietta Port, where it will join the Energos Eskimo before the end of August.

Japan’s largest utility JERA today signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to buy 1 mtpa of liquefied natural gas from the Alaska LNG project over a 20-year term on a Free-on-Board basis. JERA is on a buying spree, and CEO Yukio Kani seeks to procure some 5.5 mtpa through long-term contracts to meet future demand and avoid future spot purchases.

Argentine oil and gas incumbent YPF is about to take FID on developing the Vaca Muerta basin, supported by new legislation. “The new law allows LNG to be exported from gas produced in Vaca Muerte without having to pay tax,” CEO Horacio Marín said at Gastech today.

Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel strives to get two LNG expansions – Calcasieu Pass 2 and Plaquemines – come to market before 2030. Financial close for the $18 billion brownfield expansion at Plaquemines is targeted for mid-2027, followed by first LNG some 18 to 24 months afterwards.

JERA Global CEO Yukio Kani has highlighted volatility of future LNG demand as the company’s greatest risk. “The worst-case scenario is we underestimate future demand, run short on term supply and have to go to the spot market to buy additional cargoes as this undermines fuel economics,” he said at Gastech today.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doung Burgum has delivered a robust declaration of American energy resources and exporting LNG to allies. “The RePower EU initiative is working. America has the capacity to replace all Russian gas in Europe and we are going to do that,” he told Gastech 2025 today.

The European Commission seeks to mobilise €100 billion of clean energy investment whereby US LNG imports are key to phase out the remaining Russian energy in the system, the European Commission’s Ditte Juul Jorgensen said at Gastech 2025 in Milan today.

BW Epic Kosan (BWEK) has contracted bound4blue to install a 24-metre tall suction sail on the LPG carrier ‘Helena Kosan’ in bid to save fuel. eSAIL technology is also suitable for gas carriers and offers a payback period of less than five years.

Deutsche ReGas, the only privately-financed LNG terminal operator in Germany, has entered agreements with BASF and Equinor for the utilisation of LNG regas capacity at Deutsche Ostsee Energie-Terminal in Mukran. Though commercial terms were not disclosed, the agreements highlight the role of the Mukran terminal in diversified energy supply.