In this issue

 

GasLog Partners, the US unit of the Greek-controlled liquefied natural gas carrier company, said the LNG shipping sector was set to benefit from delivering greater volumes from new projects, the…
Western Europe's leading classification society DNV GL and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping signed a cooperation agreement in St. Petersburg covering the Polar Code, including the transport of liquefied…
Danish shipping company Evergas said it took delivery of its fourth 27,500 cubic metres capacity multigas LNG carrier it ordered under a construction programme in China.
Our Asia-Pacific editor Lower oil prices and their impact on the global liquefied natural gas industry and on investment and schedules for future projects will be discussed at the main…
Ophir will work with Schlumberger to agree definitive deal on Fortuna Our Europe editor Ophir Energy of the UK has signed an accord paving the way for the purchase by US energy services…
Our North America editor Cheniere Energy's delay in shipping the first cargo from the US Sabine Pass LNG export plant in Louisiana to late February or early March because of…
The Canadian Government under Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has overhauled the federal environmental review process to give more consideration of the climate-change impact of pipeline ventures and liquefied natural…
Our Asia-Pacific editor Japanese annual liquefied natural gas imports fell 3.9 percent in 2015 and the nation saved almost $20 billion in costs because of the plunge in energy prices…
Singapore Exchange (SGX) has launched new financial derivatives in the form of futures and swaps linked to its weekly index of spot prices for liquefied natural gas traded in the…
Our Asia-Pacific editor FMC Technologies, the Houston-based liquefied natural gas and energy company, said it signed an agreement with Woodside Petroleum for a venture that will help prolong the lifespan…
Australian energy company Santos said its Gladstone coal-seam-gas-to-LNG project produced 544,000 tonnes of LNG during the fourth quarter and has shipped 11 cargoes to Asian customers, while over 40 cargoes…
Our North America editor AltaGas, the Canadian natural gas and utility business, was awarded a 25-year LNG export licence by the National Energy Board for a floating export plant being…
The Nordic liquefied natural gas market is developing along small-scale distribution lines and with progress in the building of two import terminals at ports in Finland.
Chevron Corp., one of the main LNG developers in the Asia-Pacific region with two projects in Australia, is also increasingly active in China and said it had begun natural gas…

News Nudges

Sabah to invest in Petronas’ FLNG project

Sabah is to sign an agreement with PETRONAS that would see the state acquire a 40% stake in an FLNG project. Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, said the deal was made possible through a co-operation agreement previously signed with the Malaysian energy giant to enable the state government to participate more actively in Sabah's oil and gas industry. “We have successfully reached an agreement with PETRONAS, and in the next few months, we will sign an agreement under which Sabah will receive a 40% stake in the state's floating LNG project. “In Sandakan, PETRONAS has secured an oil and gas field, and Sabah will receive a 20% stake in the project there,” he said, adding that the state and its people stood to benefit significantly from the strong relationship between the state and federal governments. He claimed that Sabah continued to attract growing investor interest, due to the state government's investor-friendly policies.


MISC wins LNG contract - orders vessel

Malaysia’s PETRONAS’ shipping arm, MISC has secured a 10-year contract from Malaysia LNG (MLNG) to provide long-term LNG shipping services. In a filing with Bursa Malaysia, MISC said it had received a letter of award from MLNG for the vessel's long-term timecharter, with the operation expected to start in 2028. As a result, MISC has signed a contract with China's Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding to build a small-scale 18,000 cu m LNGC. "The project is strategically important as it supports PETRONAS' continued LNG supply to Sendai City, Japan, reinforcing a long-standing partnership of nearly 30 years and ensuring the reliable delivery of LNG to meet the customer's long-term energy needs,” MISC said in the filing.


Golar closes $600 mill credit facility

Golar LNG Limited has closed a new $600 mill senior secured revolving credit facility (RCF). The RCF further strengthens Golar’s balance sheet flexibility and facilitates further FLNG growth, the company claimed. It was secured by Golar’s investment in the MKII FLNG currently being converted in China to serve a 20-year contract with Argentina’s Southern Energy. The facility received strong backing from a consortium of banks including ABN AMRO, Citibank, Danske Bank and Standard Chartered Bank, Golar said.


Silversteam ALS success

London-based engineering design company, Silverstream has installed more than 160 air lubrication systems (ALS) worldwide, which have found favour on LNGCs, plus other vessel types. The latest fitting involve two Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs), which brought the total up to 164 vessels fitted with the technology. This growth in the number of installations reflects the shipping industry’s commitment to air lubrication, as an independently verified technology that delivers immediate fuel and emissions reductions, Silverstream claimed. Reflecting on this significant milestone for the company, Noah Silberschmidt, Founder and CEO, said: “Reaching more than 160 vessels on the water is a significant achievement and I am grateful to our customers, colleagues and partners who have played a huge role in this success. “Shipowners increasingly look for solutions that can provide a hedge against rising fuel costs by reducing fuel consumption and emissions immediately. The growth of our installed fleet shows that air lubrication is a trusted and proven part of future-proofing strategies,” he said.