LNG 'dark' transits through Hormuz quicken in Nov

Market: Natural gas
13/11/26

Confirmed "dark" transits of LNG carriers through the strait of Hormuz have quickened to their highest post-war rate so far this month. Argus daily tracking has recorded 17 laden carrier transits so far in November — two of which are en route to the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

Six carriers were confirmed to have have transited the strait of Hormuz so far this week, all having sailed dark to outside the Gulf and possibly having taken ship-to-ship (STS) transfers.

This follows six LNG carrier transits through the strait of Hormuz over two and a half days this past weekend.

But additional transits may have occurred in recent days, with carriers often not turning their location broadcasts back on until they are multiple day's sailing away from Hormuz.

Most vessels are heading to Asia, but two carriers appear to be heading towards Bab el-Mandeb strait for delivery west of Suez.

The QatarEnergy's (QE) 210,000m³ Al Sadd is sailing laden at the entrance to Bab el-Mandeb. The vessel may have taken its cargo by STS transfer from another LNG carrier loaded at QE's 64.2mn t/yr Ras Laffan.

The 266,000m³ Mekaines is also offshore Oman after going dark offshore Muscat from 4-12 November. It appears to be heading towards the Red Sea, which would make it the third LNG carrier to transit Bab el-Mandeb strait since the closure of the strait of Hormuz.

This comes after QE's 216,000m³ [Al Kharsaah transited Bab el-Mandeb on 18 October](https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2891982). The vessel is currently offshore Germany for delivery to Poland's 6.5mn t/yr Swinoujscie terminal on 14 November. QE still holds two des contracts in Europe, with only one of two contracts with Poland's Orlen having been cancelled, as well as a further deal with Italy's Edison, which has not received a single cargo from Qatar in recent months.

Transits through Bab el-Mandeb strait has high shipping risks and costs after Houthi forces took control of Yemen's Red Sea port of Mocha in September, prompting an additional war-risk premium for vessel transits through the strait.

While Red Sea voyages remain rare relative to Asia-bound cargoes, the increase in apparent Suez transits suggests recent attacks on LNG vessels has had little effect on routing decisions for at least some LNG cargoes.

Three carriers were seen loading at Ras Laffan on 12 November, according to satellite imagery released by the EU's Copernicus programme. Two of the three carriers were not broadcasting their locations, data from analytics platform Vortexa show.

By Anna Pringle

Hormuz LNG transits rise

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13/11/26

Cop: Presidencies release cover decision wish list

Edinburgh, 13 November (Argus) — The UN Cop 31 climate summit presidencies — Australia and Turkey — today published an informal list of themes countries would wish to address in a potential cover decision for the talks, including Turkey's electrification pledge, methane reductions and tripling finance adaptation. Today's note is meant to support discussions among parties, the Cop 31 presidencies said. Negotiations on the potential cover decision — an overarching political text led by the event's presidency, which can address themes that are not part of official negotiations — will start in earnest next week when ministers are due to arrive at the summit. "The document raises a long list of options, but sometimes in a contradictory and repetitive way," climate think-tank the World Resources Institute (WRI) said. Some parties commented on the need to not reopen negotiations, to make a distinction between the action agenda and negotiations and the importance of consensus. Some parties said there is "value in sending signals", but the text should not have "top-down targets, should not target specific sectors or energy sources, technology neutral" and not put additional pressure on budgets. At the same time, the section about increasing the share of electrification in final energy consumption globally to 35pc by 2035 talks about renewables and clean sources, and the text on methane clearly refers to the oil and gas industry as it mentions venting and flaring. This is likely to face opposition from major oil and gas producing countries. Saudi energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said on 12 November that the expansion of electrification does not necessarily mean cutting emissions depending on the production sources. "The ultimate end is to cut emissions regardless of their sources. The kingdom reiterates that what unites us is the objective and not necessarily the track to achieving it," he said. Some parties in the list also "welcome" the Cop 30 presidency roadmaps on transitioning away from fossil fuels and forests and talk about "forward work" on this, although no details were given. This is also likely to face opposition by key parties which had signalled early on that the roadmaps should stay outside the negotiation process. The cover decision has some "positive points", notably on methane which France had asked for, even if it could be more precise and have a timeline, sources at the French climate ministry said, adding that the country will pay attention to the language on the 35 by 35 target in the upcoming negotiations. "Electrification is not an end in itself, electrification is a means of decarbonising," the source said. The Turkish Cop 31 presidency has set out a broad voluntary "35-by-35" global goal for electricity to reach 35pc of global final energy consumption by 2035, up from around 20pc currently, which could serve as a base for language in the cover decisions, according to some observers. Countries have started to come out in support of Turkey's electrification goal and more could signal interest in the second week of Cop 31. Support "in principle" for the goal is very wide, but it has not translated into a large number of countries coming out in favour of it officially, European Commission director for climate finance Diana Acconccia said today. She added that this could change when the ministers arrive to continue the negotiations in the second week of the summit. On finance, the list mentions following through on the $300bn/yr finance pledge by developed countries to developing countries and "pursuing efforts to at least triple adaptation finance by 2035". Adaptation finance language is likely to face developed countries' scrutiny. The EU said before the summit that there is no room for additional climate finance commitments at Cop 31 . "We are committed to deliver on [the $300bn/yr goal], Germany's state secretary at the environment ministry Heike Henn said today. But the US is no longer at the table and that makes a difference, she said, adding that finance discussions are also difficult for the countries that provide it. The presidency list for cover decision themes also acknowledges the value of co-operation under Article 6. By Caroline Varin and Georgia Gratton Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Texas vote rattles data center developers' nerves

12/11/26

News

12/11/26

Texas vote rattles data center developers' nerves

Houston, 12 November (Argus) — At a gathering of natural gas suppliers and data center developers Thursday in Austin, Texas, the question on everyone's mind was what last week's blue sweep of the state's top offices means for their projects. "I don't think anybody foresaw the extent of the outcome that we experienced," Brandon Seale, senior adviser at VoltaGrid, said while moderating a panel at the LDC NatGas to Power Forum. "We're used to dealing with different administrations, different states, different jurisdictions. But it feels like something changed last week." Voters elected candidates who campaigned on reining in data centers. But, as many noted, the public backlash had already become so pronounced that it was outgoing Republican governor Greg Abbott who first caught the industry off guard: in August, with a pause on new approvals for data centers seeking a connection to the state's grid and then in September with a sweeping freeze on permits for data center projects. Trenton Thornock, founder of Prometheus Hyperscale, said his company had assumed it was shielded from efforts to slow down some development because its projects make their own power on site from natural gas, with no grid connection, and did not expect to find itself caught in the dragnet. "What surprised us is the way that Governor Abbott directed the TCEQ [the state environmental regulator]," Thornock said. "Now you can't get a wastewater permit, can't get an air permit. Even if you were planning on using fuel cells, that's a big question mark. So we were really surprised." His Texas projects now have "a big question mark" hanging over them, he said, while the value of his Wyoming site "went way up last week, just by creating scarcity in Texas, which is the biggest market." Peter Belmonte, principal at Stallion Energy & Environmental, said projects already under way have momentum. "This freight train is going 100 miles an hour," he said. "It's going to be hard to derail things that are already on the books, even with the moratoriums." But if Texas shuts the door, "people will go to Wyoming, they'll go to Louisiana, they'll go to Oklahoma," he said. Many in the industry have acknowledged that things were moving too fast. "There was already a pause on new permitting, and I think it was needed," said Coby Washburn, vice president of business development at Woodway Energy Infrastructure. "It's been kind of a bit of a wild west." Still, most of the panelists said they plan to wait and see how things shake out, betting that demand is not going away and that Texas' competitive advantages are hard to beat. Few places can match Texas for land, gas, renewables, pipelines and support for growth, said Dilanka Seimon, chief commercial officer at gas producer and power generator BKV. "It's never a good idea to bet against Texas," he said, "and I wouldn't start now." By Jasmina Kelemen Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Cop: Support for electrification pledge, finance needed

12/11/26

News

12/11/26

Cop: Support for electrification pledge, finance needed

Edinburgh, 12 November (Argus) — Countries have started to come out in support of Turkey's electrification goal at the UN Cop 31 climate talks in Antalya, Turkey, but developing nations have reminded developed ones that the share of electrification cannot increase without funding and that the pledge cannot become a distraction. UK prime minister Andy Burnham told other nations' leaders at Cop 31 that he is supporting Turkey's pledge for three reasons: to achieve energy security, create good jobs and lower energy bills. The Turkish Cop 31 presidency has set out a broad voluntary "35-by-35" global goal for electricity to reach 35pc of global final energy consumption by 2035, up from around 20pc currently. Burnham's words echoed those of EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who said that electrification would lower bills, emissions and offer greater energy security. South Korea's envoy Kang Kumsil said the country was "strongly" supporting the target as it strives to become "an electro-state". Other countries have signalled support for the Turkish target, including Australia, which is presiding over negotiations during the summit, and other European countries such as Germany, Italy, Norway and Finland. Some Pacific Islands, including Palau and Solomon Islands, as well as some African countries have also signalled support, according to observers. "Early support for the 35-by-35 electrification pledge is encouraging, but many more countries need to endorse it and turn their commitments into credible national plans backed by concrete policies and investment," climate think-tank the World Resources Institute (WRI) president Ani Dasgupta said. But for developing countries, the drive to electrify economies must come with the means to implement it. North Macedonia president Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova made this clear during the leader's summit. "We cannot make these transformations alone", she said, adding that "solidarity must be measured in investments". Congo president Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo said that electrification is an urgent issue for development and climate justice. Developed countries signalled that they would not increase finance beyond the $300bn/yr agreed to at Cop 29 in Baku and are looking to rope in private capital. The UK's Burnham announced today support for the Amplify programme, which will aim to secure £5bn ($6.6bn) of new private finance for clean energy projects around the world, "taking a modest amount of public funding and converting it into significant sums of private investment." The UK, Norway and Canada also announced a partnership at Cop 31 which could bring $10bn in climate finance by 2030, including mobilised private capital. Ambition But the electrification pledge may prove too broad or not ambitious enough for countries to fully get behind it. Some European nations have said that they want to see a clean energy element attached to it, which does not currently appear on the cards. The IEA said that the 35-by-35 target is already within reach, saying that electricity could "cost-effectively" meet 33pc of the world's final energy consumption by 2035, up from 23pc. Around 70pc of the energy system of Finland is electrified. Electricity accounts for 27pc of the energy consumed in France. China already has a target to raise the share of electricity in final energy consumption to 35pc by 2030. Marshall Islands' president Hilda Heine warned that electrification risks becoming a distraction if policymakers do not confront fossil-fuel use directly. "If it is not tied to the transition away from fossil fuels, it is a distraction from the issue at the heart of the crisis, she said. Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that with the 35-by-35 goal, his country seeks to mobilize the necessary financing, technology and international cooperation. But "we cannot impose a single prescription on anyone, that would be neither right nor fair". By Caroline Varin and Erisa Senerdem Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Cop: Colombia backs gas for CO2 reduction

12/11/26

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12/11/26

Cop: Colombia backs gas for CO2 reduction

Bogota, 12 November (Argus) — Colombia is pushing the use of natural gas "for an energy transition that balances environmental protection with energy security" during the UN Cop 31 climate summit, its environment ministry said. According to the Colombian natural gas association Naturgas' 2025 Carbon Footprint Report, the country's gas industry produced 1.86mn metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) in 2025, a 35pc drop from 1.86mn tCO2e in 2022. Natural gas usage alone avoided 19.67mn tCO2e in 2025 by replacing coal, diesel, fuel oil, gasoline and LPG in thermal power generation, industry, households and transport, the report shows. Colombia is facing dwindling gas reserves and a potential gas shortfall. Naturgas estimates a national shortfall of around 190mn cf/d in 2026, up from 50mn cf/d in 2025. Proven gas reserves currently stand at 1.717 Tcf, a lifespan of 5.9 years, a recent study by energy think tank the regional center for energy studies Cree showed. Climate minister Fabio Arjona argued that Colombia's loss of gas self-sufficiency came due to decisions by the past federal administration that "pushed part of its industry toward more polluting fuels and raised national emissions". Previous president Gustavo Petro — whose term ended on 7 August — vowed to wean the country off fossil fuels, halting the issuance of new oil and gas exploration contracts. During his presidency, Colombia took the international lead on talks on the topic, including hosting a transition summit in April . But current president Abelardo de la Espriella has taken a different stance, seeking to restart exploration. He has also pledged to authorize hydraulic fracturing — banned under Petro — to increase gas production and reduce rising gas imports. Colombia's newly-elected government has already advanced measures to improve natural gas availability, including a 58mn cf/d increase in capacity at the Spec port and progress in the Komodo project, an ultra-deepwater offshore exploration project in the country's Caribbean waters, Arjona said. Brazilian state-controlled Petrobras also has a gas project in Colombia's Caribbean deep waters. Colombia is not the only country to push gas usage as an energy transition measure. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese in September said his country's "ambitious" climate target is "achievable" thanks to its "abundant renewable potential firmed by gas". Nigeria's nationally determined contribution (NDC) — or climate plan — reiterates its reliance on oil and gas, which account for two-thirds of government revenue and 90pc of foreign exchange earnings. The country expects the sector to grow, while "adopting sustainability measures" such as phasing out routine flaring and cutting fugitive emissions. "Natural gas use will be boosted, serving as a key transition fuel in Nigeria's move towards increased adoption of renewable energy," the NDC said. By Lucas Parolin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Germany weighs up reserve power plant market return

12/11/26

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12/11/26

Germany weighs up reserve power plant market return

London, 12 November (Argus) — The German energy ministry has prepared draft legislation that would allow coal and oil-fired power plants in the grid reserve to participate temporarily in the open market, sources in government circles have told Argus . The return to the open market of 7.45GW of coal-fired and 805MW of oil-fired reserve capacity would only be possible in the event of a gas shortage, namely if the level is raised to "alarm" or "emergency" status, according to the draft document — dated 16 October — seen by Argus . Any return would be temporary, with the document stating that plants' participation in the open market would end by 31 March 2028, although this is not yet confirmed. Participation in the open market would be voluntary, but should operators choose not to, they would be required to keep their plants ready for "continuous operation" and to maintain "appropriate fuel stocks". This would correspond to stocks to run a coal-fired plant at maximum net capacity for 30 days and for 10 days for an oil-fired plant, the draft states. Costs would be reimbursed and passed on through grid fees. This measure would be introduced through a change in the energy industry act, while the alert level under the gas emergency plan would be changed through an ordinance. The measure is intended to secure energy supply by reducing power-sector gas burn. Germany has around 30GW of gas-fired capacity in the open market and just over 23GW of combined coal and lignite-fired capacity in the open market. Generating margins for 40pc-efficient coal-fired plants and 36pc-efficient lignite-fired plants were last assessed at significant advantages to those for 55pc-efficient gas-fired plants for all four quarters of next year. By John Horstmann Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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