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US sues 2 Calif. cities over natgas ban

  • Market: Emissions, Natural gas
  • 08/01/26

President Donald Trump's administration has asked a federal court to overturn ordinances in two small California cities that restrict developers from installing natural gas piping in newly constructed buildings.

The cities of Morgan Hill and Petaluma have limited the use of natural gas lines in new buildings through the ordinances since 2020 and 2021, respectively. The Trump administration, in a lawsuit filed in federal court this week, argues a law called the Energy Policy and Conservation Act preempts the ability of the two northern California cities from banning natural gas hookups.

"These natural gas bans hurt American families and are outright illegal," US attorney general Pam Bondi said.

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals said last year that the 1975 law preempts local governments from completely blocking the installation of gas piping in new buildings. The lawsuit argues that under the legal precedent, the gas bans in Morgan Hill and Petaluma are "invalid" and must be thrown out. Los Angeles and other cities in California already suspended similar ordinances after last year's ruling.

Gas industry officials have heavily opposed ordinances that bar new gas hookups. New York agreed to pause its statewide restrictions on fossil fuel use in new buildings in November while lawsuits play out in federal court. The statewide ban was set to take effect at the end of 2025. The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the case on 30 January.

By Chris Knight

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13/01/26

Australia’s Woodside set for Scarborough gas in 2H 2026

Australia’s Woodside set for Scarborough gas in 2H 2026

Sydney, 13 January (Argus) — Australian independent Woodside's Scarborough gas field, located offshore Western Australia (WA) is on track for first gas in July-December 2026 as scheduled, following the arrival of its floating production unit (FPU) from China. The FPU is equipped with emissions-reduction systems and is capable of treating and compressing gas for export, Woodside said on 13 January. The Scarborough project, now 91pc complete, is expected to produce 5mn t/yr of LNG from the Pluto Train 2 and 3mn t/yr of LNG from the existing Pluto train 1, Woodside said. Pluto train 2 is set to be commissioned in the second half of 2026, while modifications to Pluto train 1 to accommodate Scarborough gas will be completed by early 2027. The project will also supply gas to Australian fertilizer producer Perdaman Chemicals and Fertilizers' 2.3mn t/yr urea project under a 20-year agreement. By Susannah Cornford Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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US’ Delfin LNG plans FID ‘in the next month’

12/01/26
News
12/01/26

US’ Delfin LNG plans FID ‘in the next month’

Houston, 12 January (Argus) — Delfin Midstream should make a final investment decision (FID) greenlighting construction of a 4.4mn t/yr floating LNG export unit (FLNG) offshore Louisiana "in the next month", the company said today. Delfin also signed a purchase order with contractor Semiens Energy for gas turbines and extended a letter of award with Samsung Heavy Industries, the firm constructing the FLNG unit. The company previously planned to reach an FID in November . A spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment clarifying if Delfin would take FID in the next 30 days or in the month of February. Delfin has plans for up to three FLNG units with a combined 13.2mn t/yr capacity. The firm said last year it could reach FID on the second unit in early 2026, but that timeline appears unlikely barring the announcement of new offtake agreements. The project so far has contracted about 3.3mn t/yr to customers in binding agreements, with another 2.5mn t/yr in preliminary deals. Commercial operations on the first FLNG unit are expected to begin in the second half of 2030. Two other US LNG projects also pushed their FID timelines into early 2026: Caturus' 9.5mn t/yr Commonwealth LNG in Louisiana and Glenfarne's 4mn t/yr Texas LNG in south Texas. Commonwealth cleared its primary construction contractor to purchase major equipment in late December. US midstream Energy Transfer planned an FID on another LNG facility, the 16.5mn t/yr Lake Charles LNG, but suspended plans in mid-December to refocus on its network of natural gas pipelines. The move signaled a slowdown in the US LNG industry after a banner year in 2025, which saw developers proceed with plans for more than 65mn t/yr of new capacity. By Tray Swanson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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US majors face dilemma as they mull Venezuela return

12/01/26
News
12/01/26

US majors face dilemma as they mull Venezuela return

New York, 12 January (Argus) — The largest US oil producers that President Donald Trump wants to see returning to Venezuela to revitalise its ailing energy sector face a tough choice. Few executives will want to get on the wrong side of Trump, but any serious effort to help rebuild the South American country's long-neglected oil infrastructure will require tens of billions of dollars — as well as government guarantees. Venezuela may sit atop the world's biggest proven oil reserves, but firms will need to be persuaded that it is worth their time and effort to try to exploit them. Oil producers will pledge at least $100bn to revive Venezuela's crippled oil sector, Trump said ahead of a meeting with top industry executives at the White House on 9 January. But capital discipline rules the boardroom these days when it comes to allocating resources, shareholders are in the driving seat, and the top oil companies have competing priorities in the coming years. "They've got other options," says Abhi Rajendran at Rice University's Center for Energy studies. "There's going to have to be a lot of risk mitigation that Washington can provide for there to be a meaningful incentive to dive head deep into Venezuela." With oil prices languishing near a five-year low because of a supply glut, there is hardly a market signal to rush back, especially to a country where companies including ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips are owed billions of dollars in arbitration claims after having their assets seized in 2007. Immediate repairs to Venezuela's oil infrastructure could deliver a short-term production boost in the next year or so. The country's oil output has slumped to below 1mn b/d from over 3mn b/d in the early part of the 2000s. But anything beyond that would demand hefty investments and companies would need reassurances they were dealing with a stable regime in Venezuela, clarity around legal contracts as well as long-term support from Washington. "There are a lot of hurdles to clear before you can get super excited about investing in Venezuela, which would require a pretty large-scale investment," Rajendran says. Chevron would have a head start over rivals if a major effort to revive Venezuela's oil industry becomes a reality. The second-biggest US oil company has maintained a continuous presence in Venezuela even after other major producers departed. It operates in the country with state-owned PdV under a special waiver from US sanctions and imported about 120,000 b/d of crude from Venezuela to the US in December, according to ship-tracking data from Kpler. Big deal Wider US oil industry enthusiasm about heading back to Venezuela has been mixed so far, Treasury secretary Scott Bessent said. "The big oil companies who move slowly, who have corporate boards are not interested," Bessent said on 8 January. The view is different among independent oil producers and wildcatters, who are eager to take part, he added. But the prospect of tapping Venezuela's vast oil riches may yet prove tempting as companies seek out new opportunities to shore up their upstream portfolios for coming decades. "Venezuela's huge oil resource can play a part, even if the predominantly heavy crudes are at the other end of the spectrum from the advantaged barrels — low cost, low emissions and, in many cases, low risk — that are the primary focus of the industry going forward," argues energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie. Proximity to Gulf coast refineries may be an added bonus for US producers. But improved security will be a requirement before companies start deploying workers as well as a stable political and legislative framework. "Any new projects will also have to meet companies' strict economic screening criteria," Wood Mackenzie says. By Stephen Cunningham Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Oil executives meet with Trump on Venezuela: Update

09/01/26
News
09/01/26

Oil executives meet with Trump on Venezuela: Update

Adds details throughout. Washington, 9 January (Argus) — ExxonMobil's chief executive and other industry leaders told President Donald Trump on Friday there would need to be significant changes in Venezuela before committing to large investments in the country's oil sector. The oil industry executives convened at the White House said they see potential in Venezuela, which they say could see modest near-term production gains with the easing of US sanctions that have restricted investment for years. Venezuela claims the world's largest oil reserves at 303bn bl. But executives say there must be durable changes in the country before they could commit to new investments. Earlier on Friday, Trump claimed that the oil companies visiting the White House were going to invest at least $100bn into the South American country. "If we look at the legal and commercial constructs and frameworks in place today in Venezuela today, it's uninvestible," ExxonMobil chief executive Darren Woods said during a public section of the meeting with Trump that lasted more than an hour. Trump has pushed for a rapid return of US oil companies into Venezuela after he orchestrated the removal of its president, Nicolas Maduro, in a surprise raid on 3 January. Trump said his administration will probably decide today or "very shortly" which oil companies would be allowed to go into Venezuela, and warned executives at the White House that he would find other companies if they did not want to invest. "If you don't want to go in, just let me know, because I've got 25 people that aren't here today that are willing to take your place," Trump said. Some production increases possible Oil companies already operating in Venezuela said they could increase production in the near-term with investments into existing assets. Chevron can double its liftings from Venezuela immediately and increase its production by 50pc over 18-24 months, vice chairman Mark Nelson said. Chevron imported 120,000 b/d from Venezuela in December, and was able to produce over 200,000 b/d at its Petropiar joint venture with PdV as of 2024. Spain's Repsol is ready to triple its current output of 45,000 b/d within 2-3 years, chief executive Josu Jon Imaz said. Like Chevron, Repsol and its partner Italy's Eni already are operating in joint ventures with state-owned PdV. Repsol and Eni account for half of Venezuela's natural gas output, and they stand to benefit if the country's power grid improves, Imaz said. "We now have a few billion dollars worth of opportunities to invest in subject to [sanctions authorities] approval," Shell chief executive Wael Sawan said at the meeting. Shell has partnered with Trinidad and Tobago to develop Venezuela's offshore Dragon gas field, aiming to transport that gas as feedstock to Trinidad's 11.8mn t/yr (1.6bn cf/d) Atlantic LNG export terminal. Trump's administration last year revoked Shell's sanctions waiver allowing further work, only to regrant it with restrictive conditions in October. Executives from oil trading companies Trafigura and Vitol said they were ready to start selling Venezuelan crude, with Trafigura offering the first such cargo next week . 'Significant changes' needed But oil companies that left Venezuela nearly two decades ago when their assets were expropriated said they were cautious about a quick return. ExxonMobil has had its assets seized by the country twice, and returning a third time would require "some pretty significant changes", Woods said. ConocoPhillips chief executive Ryan Lance said there should be discussions of restructuring the "entire Venezuela energy system," including state-owend oil company PdV, and adding banks to future discussions, including the US Export Import Bank. Trump said he would provide "total safety, total security" for oil companies that go into Venezuela, which he said could be achieved by working with Venezuela's government. But he rejected the prospects of helping the industry recover past investments. "We're not going to look at what people lost in the past, because that was their fault," Trump said during a discussion with ConocoPhillips' Lance about its $12bn in expropriated assets. "You'll make it back, one way or another." ConocoPhillips is close to satisfying at least part of that claim following the court-approved sale of PdV-owned US refiner Citgo. A US federal court in Delaware ordered Citgo to be sold for $5.9bn to satisfy the more than $20bn in claims by ConocoPhillips and other companies. A federal appeals court on 6 January asked if the removal of Maduro could affect the decision. Some in Trump's cabinet have acknowledged the wariness by the oil industry in returning to Venezuela, given the uncertainty over its long-term political stability. Although "big oil companies, who have corporate boards, are not interested", there is interest from independents, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday. "They want to get to Venezuela yesterday," Bessent said. Oil companies have been cautious about making major new investments, even in lower-risk shale production, because of lower oil prices. Nymex WTI front-month crude futures on Friday settled near $59/bl. Trump has recently pushed for a vast increase in the imports of Venezuelan crude, starting with the 30mn-50mn bl of previously sanctioned crude into the US. Cabinet officials, including Bessent, have previously backed a targeted oil price of $50/bl as a way of easing inflation pressures. By Chris Knight and Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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New Mexico favors spring LCFS start

09/01/26
News
09/01/26

New Mexico favors spring LCFS start

Houston, 9 January (Argus) — New Mexico regulators today restored plans to begin its low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) this spring after determining delays could create cascading problems for it. If finalized, the US' fourth LCFS program could begin credit trade in August following a 1 April program start date. New Mexico would pursue a 20pc reduction from 2018 road fuel carbon intensity by the end of this decade by replacing more and more conventional gasoline and diesel with lower-carbon alternatives. Members the state Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) continued debate on the final rules on Friday. They reconsidered a vote taken previous day to move the program start back to 1 July to allow obligated parties more time to prepare without shifting back deadlines to comply with the program. The state's Environment Department noted after the vote that the decision would ripple through other milestones for credit and deficit generation as well as fees collected to administer the program. "You can see that by changing the effective date there really is a domino effect of pushing everything back, including jeopardizing the fees necessary to run the program in the early years," EIB member Sandra Ely said. Board members reversed their decision to move the effective date as they worked through rulemaking language for a second day. "It did keep me up last night that I did that and I have the opportunity to correct it," member Karen Garcia said. LCFS programs require yearly reductions of road fuel carbon intensity. Higher-carbon fuels that exceed the annual limits incur deficits that suppliers must offset with credits generated from the distribution to the market of approved, lower-carbon alternatives. New Mexico follows California, Oregon and Washington in the US, as well as British Columbia and Canada, in establishing the standard. Credit and deficit generation would begin this year, with the first compliance period closing on 31 December 2027. Five board members either braved wintry mix at the state capitol or joined by videoconference to trudge line-by-line through hundreds of pages of rulemaking. The members reviewed edits proposed throughout by oil industry, refining, alternative fuels and environmental groups. The group largely declined to revise language proposed in November, including recommendations to not generate deficits for the first year of the program or to eliminate all book-and-claim accounting for fuels such as renewable natural gas. Members were less certain about whether the legislature was clear enough in the law to empower the department to enforce the law with penalties. That discussion had not resumed as of mid-afternoon on Friday. The board has the option to meet again later this month if the members cannot complete their review and make recommendations by the end of the day. By Elliott Blackburn Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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