Speak to a specialist

Register and we will customize a solution that meets your exact needs. When you speak to one of our experts, you may be qualified to sample our industry-leading products on a no-cost basis.

You can unsubscribe from these updates at any time. We manage your personal data in accordance with our privacy policy.
Generic Hero BannerGeneric Hero Banner
Latest market news

Onshore gas can shake up the market

  • Market: Natural gas
  • 11/07/22

Brazilian onshore crude and natural gas production is gaining momentum as state-run Petrobras' position shrinks,creating new investment opportunities and more trading activity.

Brazil already produces 21.2mn m³/d of onshore natural gas and will reach 30mn m³/d by 2032, the federal Energy Research Bureau (EPE) said at the Mossoro Onshore Oil and Gas Exposition last week. That compares to 135mn m³/d in total Brazilian gas production.

New methods for oil and gas recovery, alongside an increase in onshore activity as a result of Petrobras' divestment program and revitalization of mature fields, increased expected gas production estimates from onshore fields by around 5mn m³/d by 2032.

While current onshore gas production in Brazil is considered modest by some, it is equal to the import volumes the country currently receives from LNG and Bolivia combined. Domestic output increases could protect the Brazilian gas market from declines in Bolivian supply and fluctuating international LNG prices.

New onshore gas supply can also serve as an alternative to Petrobras agreements with rigid limits and little to no room for price or contractual penalty negotiations. The new deals, albeit still small, will add liquidity to the Brazilian gas market with spot and short-term trades.

Companies purchasing former Petrobras assets in onshore areas and in mature fields are also pushing to increase oil and gas recovery to around 30pc — closer to the international standard — from about 19pc currently

"Onshore is beautiful"

The onshore gas exposition last week, held by oil and gas newcomers 3R Petroleum and PetroReconcavo among other companies, is another sign of the growing interest of the potential of the resource.

The event took place in Mossoro in the northeastern state of Rio Grande do Norte, 2,800km from Sao Paulo, which is becoming one of the most relevant onshore oil and gas production hubs in Brazil. "Onshore is beautiful," read a sign at the exposition in English, echoing the American motto "Black is beautiful."

3R Petroleum will spend $1.6bn from now to 2026 developing assets formerly owned by Petrobras, and expects to improve gas recovery rates by 5pc over the state-owned company's results, chief executive Ricardo Savini said at the exposition. The company was able to cut upstream lifting costs by 12pc in the first quarter of this year at the Macau onshore field in Rio Grande do Norte, and wants to cut costs even more by adding onsite power generation at the wellhead that will run off of produced natural gas.

In a market where Petrobras still produces around 90pc of the gas supply, onshore production is a small but more nimble competitor. Marcio Felix, former oil and gas secretary at the ministry of mines and energy during the kickoff of the gas market liberalization, compares onshore gas production to the power sector.

"Everyone talks a lot about the perks of the distributed power generation," Felix said. "Onshore production brings the opportunity for the decentralization of midstream and downstream oil and gas."

Onshore gas buyers are hoping for a discounted transportation tariff for onshore fields located in the same state — a proposal under review by oil and gas regulator ANP — which would make onshore production more competitive. Rio Grande do Norte state gas distributor Potigás is one company seeking that benefit. Currently, it has a gas supply agreement with PetroReconcavo, but by accessing the northeastern pipeline system TAG, transportation costs are 40pc of the final gas cost to consumers. In the old model, prior to liberalization, all costs were included at Petrobras contracts and not disclosed to consumers.

By Flávia Pierry

Sharelinkedin-sharetwitter-sharefacebook-shareemail-share

Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

News
17/12/25

BP appoints Woodside’s O’Neill as next CEO

BP appoints Woodside’s O’Neill as next CEO

New York, 17 December (Argus) — BP appointed Woodside Energy chief executive officer Meg O'Neill as its next chief executive effective from next April. O'Neill will replace Murray Auchincloss, who has decided to step down on 18 December after more than three decades with the London-based oil major. O'Neill transformed Woodside into the biggest energy company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange after taking over as chief executive in 2021, according to BP. While at Woodside, she also oversaw the acquisition of BHP Petroleum International. O'Neill also spent more than two decades at ExxonMobil earlier in her career. "Her proven track record of driving transformation, growth, and disciplined capital allocation makes her the right leader for BP," said Albert Manifold, chairman of the company's board of directors. Carol Howle, executive vice president, supply, trading & shipping of BP, will serve as interim chief executive until O'Neill takes over. Auchincloss will also serve in an advisory role until December 2026 to ensure a smooth transition. BP scaled back ambitious low-carbon goals earlier this year with Auchincloss conceding that the company had been "optimistic for a fast [energy] transition but that optimism was misplaced." The company raised its 2030 target for oil and gas production as part of a "fundamental reset" of strategy that also entailed a cut in renewable energy investments. O'Neill's appointment follows a search process overseen by the board, with the help of an independent recruitment firm, as part of the company's long-term succession planning. By Stephen Cunningham Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Find out more
News

LNG supply growth outstrips carrier orderbook to 2030

17/12/25
News
17/12/25

LNG supply growth outstrips carrier orderbook to 2030

With the acceleration of scrapping of LNG carriers, the number of newbuilds is insufficient to keep pace with supply growth, writes Cerys Edwards London, 17 December (Argus) — The number of newbuild LNG carriers scheduled to deliver by 2030 will not be enough to transport the planned growth in global liquefaction capacity, particularly if the retirement of older vessels accelerates compared with recent years. But the balance in the freight market will depend heavily on the configuration of LNG trade flows over the rest of the decade. Some 234 newbuild LNG carriers are scheduled to be delivered over 2026-2030, according to data from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), with deliveries in 2026 set to be the quickest year on record. Typically, around 1½ ships are needed to transport 1mn t of new liquefaction supply to Europe, and three ships for the equivalent journey to Asia, Capital Clean Energy Carriers chief executive Jerry Kalogiratos said at the World LNG Summit in Istanbul in December. Applying this basic assumption, the 234 newbuild carriers could transport some 158mn t/yr of new liquefaction capacity were the supply to deliver solely to Europe. But the newbuilds provide scope for just 78mn t/yr of new loading demand should the vessels deliver to Asia, which Kalogiratos considers the more probable scenario, given that buyers in southeast Asia are likely to consume more LNG in the forthcoming years. "There definitely looks like there is going to be a shortage", he says. Both scenarios indicate that the present LNG carrier orderbook is not large enough to accommodate the 229mn t/yr of new export capacity scheduled to come on line by 2030, judging by the projects that have already reached a final investment decision (FID). And the LNG carrier market could tighten further if more projects reach FID. Even the roughly 80mn t/yr of additional production capacity that was sanctioned this year are "not yet covered," according to David Colson, vice president at French engineering firm GTT, which supplies nearly all of the membrane containment systems used in LNG vessel tanks. The golden age of steam coming to an end? The LNG freight market balance over the coming years will also largely depend on the number of older vessels being scrapped, which rose sharply this year. A record 14 steam turbines have been sold for scrap so far in 2025, up from eight in the whole of 2024 and an average of five over 2020-24. And the pace of scrapping is likely to accelerate over the next few years, as vessels roll off long-term charter agreements, Kalogiratos says. Steam turbine carriers are "obsolete" as their high boil-off costs and smaller cargo capacity sizes do not provide the "flexibility that the current LNG trading environment requires", he added. There are 29 operational LNG carriers that are 25 years old or older, including the 137,000m³ Puteri Nilam and same-sized Al Jasra which have in recent months idled in the strait of Malacca and Bay of Brunei, according to shiptracking data from Kpler. The oldest LNG carrier still in operation is the 128,000m³ LNG Maleo , which was built in 1989 and is controlled by Indonesia's state-owned Pertamina. As well as these vessels, there are a further 47 built in 2000-2005, including 11 idling in either Malacca or Brunei Bay. These are likely to be retired by 2030, given the average age of the vessels sold for scrap in 2025 was 26, Norwegian shipping firm Flex LNG said in its third-quarter earnings call last month. Were all 76 vessels built before 2005 scrapped by 2030, it would limit the fleet growth to a total of just 158 LNG carriers. Under the scenario outlined above this number of vessels could transport 105mn t/yr of supply to Europe and just 53mn t/yr to Asia — both far below the planned capacity buildout. The LNG carrier orderbook could still grow in the coming years however, given slots for late 2028 delivery are still available at some South Korean shipyards. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Australia coal, Fe prices to fall; LNG up: Treasury

17/12/25
News
17/12/25

Australia coal, Fe prices to fall; LNG up: Treasury

Sydney, 17 December (Argus) — Australian iron ore, coking coal, and thermal coal prices are expected to decline by the end of December 2026, while LNG prices may rise from current levels, according to Treasury forecasts released on 17 December. Australian commodity prices are expected to return to long-run fundamental levels, Treasury said in its Mid-Year Fiscal and Economic Outlook for the 2025-26 financial year ending 30 June. Thermal Coal Australia's thermal coal prices have been supported by ex-China demand since Treasury released its July 2025-June 2026 budget on 25 March, Treasury said. But it does not expect this trend to continue. Treasury forecasts Australian thermal coal spot prices will fall to $70/t on a fob basis by the end of December 2026, down from current levels. Argus ' Australian NAR 6,000 kcal/kg fob Newcastle price was last assessed at $108.46/t on 16 December, up from $95.62/t on 25 March. Australian thermal coal exports to China fell 11pc on the year in January-October ( see table ), while shipments to Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, and Malaysia rose, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show. Steelmaking Inputs Chinese economic policy support has lifted iron ore and metallurgical coal prices since March, Treasury said. But it expects Australian iron ore and coking coal spot prices to fall to $60/t and $140/t fob, respectively, by the end of 2026. Argus ' metallurgical coal premium hard low-volatile fob Australia price was last assessed at $215.10/t on 16 December, while its iron ore fines 61pc Fe (ICX) fob Australia netback price was last assessed at $90.55/t. Treasury also expects mining investment to remain unchanged over the next two years, largely because of the iron ore and coking coal sectors. Iron ore producers may invest in projects to maintain production, but coking coal producers are expected to run down their capital stock, Treasury said. Producers are looking to sell or finance around six Queensland coking coal mines, a market participant told Argus on 2 December. Petroleum LNG prices have declined since March because of China's shift toward non-Australian gas, Treasury said. Australian LNG spot prices are expected to reach $10/mm Btu by the end of December 2026, according to Treasury forecasts. Argus ' Gladstone fob price — an LNG netback indicator — was last assessed at $9.01/mm Btu on 16 December, down from $12.90/mm Btu on 25 March. China plans to prioritise pipeline and domestic gas over LNG imports in the coming years, PetroChina International's global head of LNG Yaoyu Zhang said on 4 December. Treasury also expects global oil prices to hover around $66/bl over the next four years, down from its March estimate of $81/bl. Australia's government will raise less revenue from its petroleum resource rent tax than previously expected because of the downgrade, the agency added. The tax is forecast to generate A$1.5bn in 2025-26, down from the earlier estimate of A$1.95bn. By Avinash Govind Treasury Commodity Forecasts (Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook) $ Commodity Argus Price (most recent)* Forecasted Price* Change (%) Coking Coal 215.1/t 140/t -35.0 Thermal Coal 95.62/t 70/t -26.8 Iron Ore 90.55/t 60/t -33.7 LNG 9.01/mm Btu 10/mm Btu 11.0 * Argus' Australian NAR 6,000 kcal/kg fob Newcastle; metallurgical coal premium hard low-volatile fob Australia; Argus' Gladstone fob; Iron ore fines 61pc Fe (ICX) fob Australia netback * fob Australia basis, at end of December 2026 Argus, Commonwealth of Australia Australian thermal coal exports mn t Market Jan - Oct '25 Jan - Oct '24 YTD Change (%) China 53 60 -11 India 2.9 3.4 -16 Japan 59 59 0.5 South Korea 11 9.7 12 Vietnam 13 9.6 37 Malaysia 5.9 5.4 11 Australian Bureau of Statistics Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

US House clears hurdle to pass permitting bill

16/12/25
News
16/12/25

US House clears hurdle to pass permitting bill

Washington, 16 December (Argus) — Republicans in the US House of Representatives have overcome an initial obstacle to passing a marquee permitting overhaul bill after committing to vote on key amendments that would strip out potential benefits for offshore wind. Republicans in the House voted 215-209 in a vote on Tuesday to approve a rule that will dictate the terms of debate for votes later this week on the SPEED Act, which has become the focus of bipartisan efforts to fast-track the permitting process for pipelines, electric transmission lines, railroads and other infrastructure. A group of far-right conservatives initially voted against the rule, but most reversed course during the vote in exchange for revisions that have yet to be made public. The Tuesday vote was one of the last remaining hurdles to House passage of the SPEED Act, which is expected to pick up some Democratic votes when it comes up for a final vote later this week. The House majority typically is responsible for putting up all the votes for a rule, meaning it would only take a few Republicans to block bill debate. Republicans were uncertain they would have enough votes for the rule, as far-right conservatives such as US representative Andy Harris (R-Maryland) and others were lobbying for changes. On Monday, US representative August Pfluger (R-Texas) urged attendees of a conference to put as "much effort as you possibly can" into persuading wavering Republicans to support the permitting bill. Pfluger is the chair of the Republican Study Commission, a caucus that represents a majority of House Republicans. "Go talk to them and let them know how important this is," Pfluger said during an event organized by the think tank the Conservative Coalition for Climate Solutions. Ahead of the vote, an industry coalition on Tuesday released a joint letter offering "strong support" for the bill. Among the signatories were the American Petroleum Institute, the US Chamber of Commerce, the Association of American Railroads and the US LNG Association. President Donald Trump has yet to take an explicit position on the SPEED Act, but administration officials are optimistic permitting legislation could be enacted. "I think we are at a time where the chance of a real permitting reform bill is higher maybe than it's ever been," US energy secretary Chris Wright said at the event on Monday. The SPEED Act would focus on the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a decades-old law that requires federal agencies to prepare environmental reviews of infrastructure projects. Pipeline companies and renewable energy developers alike blame the law for costly delays, both because of the time it takes for agencies to issue reviews and then the risks that permits will be thrown out because of lawsuits. The bill would narrow the scope of environmental reviews, aligning with a unanimous US Supreme Court ruling this summer. But the bill's most significant changes would make permits more durable. Even if a court found a NEPA review was flawed, the bill would keep permits intact during further analysis. And in a last-minute change, the bill would offer more permit "certainty" by limiting the government's ability to rescind prior approvals. That could protect pipeline permits such as the now-canceled Keystone XL pipeline, while also stopping Trump from halting more offshore wind projects. But the permit certainty language drew concern from far-right conservatives who oppose offshore wind. House Republicans in response agreed to vote on an amendment sponsored by Harris and others that would remove the "permit certainty" changes. Two other amendment votes also backed by Harris would stop expedited permitting treatment in the SPEED Act for offshore wind or any project that Trump has sought to block. Passage of those amendments could cost some Democratic support for the bill. Even if the bill passes, it is expected to be subject to major changes in the US Senate to attract enough support from Democrats to prevent a filibuster. Senate Democrats are hoping to insert language that would prevent what they describe as a "solar ban" being enforced by the Trump administration. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Workers at Australia’s Pluto LNG set to strike

16/12/25
News
16/12/25

Workers at Australia’s Pluto LNG set to strike

Adelaide, 16 December (Argus) — Staff working for project contractor Bechtel building the 5mn t/yr second train at Australia's 4.9mn t/yr Pluto LNG terminal are set to strike from next month. The Offshore Alliance (OA) workers' union have provided notice to Bechtel and action starts at 6am local time on 5 January 2026, a union spokesman said on 16 December. Bechtel continues to engage constructively with its employees on the Pluto train 2 enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA), a spokeswoman said, adding that work onsite continues safely, and Bechtel remain focused on the successful completion of the project Hundreds of union members represented by the OA voted to authorise protected industrial action via ballots published by the Fair Work Commission on 4 December allowing an unlimited number of stoppages at the site from 30 minutes to 24 hours in length. But a new vote on the EBA is planned to take place on 20 December, which could see the industrial action cancelled. The present EBA covering Bechtel's workers expires on 19 December, Argus understands. Australian independent Woodside Energy is the operator of the Pluto project, which is planning to produce 8mn t/yr of LNG from its Scarborough gas field offshore Western Australia later next year. A Woodside spokesman told Argus the industrial dispute is a matter for Bechtel, its workforce and its unions. Train 2 is due to come on line in the second half of 2026, Woodside has said, while train 1 modifications will be completed by early 2027 ahead of that facility processing an eventual 3mn t/yr of Scarborough's drier gas . By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Related Products

Argus North American Long-Term Electricity Forward Curves

Argus North American Long-Term Electricity Forward Curves

Independent market valuation tool to support investment and trading decisions on North American Electricity markets
Find out more

Argus North American Long-Term Electricity Forward Curves

Argus North American Long-Term Electricity Forward Curves

Independent market valuation tool to support investment and trading decisions on North American Electricity markets
Find out more

Argus Carbon

Carbon price benchmarks, policy and project news, and deep analysis, on a daily basis.
Find out more

Argus Low Carbon Hydrogen Strategy Report

Part Three: Americas. An in-depth analysis of the key sectors, countries and policies enabling hydrogen growth. 
Find out more

Argus Hydrogen and Future Fuels

Costs, prices, news and analysis for the hydrogen and P2X sectors
Find out more
Generic Hero Banner

Business intelligence reports

Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Learn more