Corpus Christi LNG advances expansion’s final train

Spanish Market: Natural gas
23/06/26

US LNG producer Cheniere received federal approval today to advance the commissioning process for the final train of the 14mn t/yr (1.9bn ft³/d) stage 3 expansion at its Corpus Christi export terminal.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) signed off on Cheniere's request to feed propane into part of train 7's equipment. Based on previous FERC approvals and the timeline of train 6, train 7 could start producing LNG in early August before beginning commercial service in September.

The stage 3 project adds seven mid-scale trains to the existing 17.4mn t/yr Corpus Christi export terminal in south Texas, where Cheniere is also building a 5mn t/yr expansion that it plans to bring complete in 2028.

Cheniere has been bringing stage 3's trains on line since last 2024 and is one of two developers adding new US LNG export capacity in 2026. The other project is the 18.1mn t/yr Golden Pass LNG terminal in southeast Texas, a joint venture between QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil.

By Tray Swanson

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02/07/26

Texas leads US push to power data centers with gas

Houston, 2 July (Argus) — Texas is at the epicenter of a growing wave of gas-fired power plants proposed to serve artificial intelligence (AI) and data center projects, according to an environmental watchdog. At least 74 gas plants are planned nationwide to directly power data centers, and 32 of them, or 43pc, would be built in Texas, more than any other state, the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) said in a report Wednesday. The projects could collectively emit 662mn tons of greenhouse gases annually, roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of Australia, while generating about 143GW of electricity, enough to power California nearly three times over, the group estimates. The plants are being proposed as technology companies race to secure electricity for artificial intelligence operations, which require vast amounts of computing power and around-the-clock energy supplies. Many developers are opting to build dedicated gas-fired generation alongside new data centers rather than rely on increasingly constrained power grids. Of the 74 plants EIP identified, 71 would be newly built and three would be expansions. Most of the projects identified are so-called "behind-the-meter" plants, meaning they are connected directly to data centers and primarily serve those facilities instead of supplying electricity to the broader grid. Developers say the approach can speed up project development and avoid competing with households and businesses for grid power, although critics argue the plants increase demand for natural gas and add significant emissions. "Fossil fuels should not power a technology of the future," the report said, arguing that additional data centers should instead rely on cleaner sources such as solar and wind power paired with battery storage. Many hyperscalers contend that renewables sources are still too variable to solely power their 24-7 operations. The Lone Star state has emerged as the leading destination for such projects because of its abundant natural gas production, extensive pipeline network, large tracts of available land and incentives designed to attract both data centers and power generation. Texas hosts 296 operating data centers, second only to Virginia, and faces more demand than the grid can currently handle. State grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), has said that electricity demand in Texas could more than quadruple by 2032, nearly all of which would come from data centers. Several of the proposed Texas projects would be built in areas already struggling with air quality, EIP said. The report identified a planned power plant in San Antonio and another north of El Paso that would be located in regions that fail to meet federal ozone standards. Texans are increasingly taking a dim view of data centers as they begin to encroach on communities. A poll conducted recently by the University of Texas found that a majority oppose the construction of a data center in their community, while a number of municipalities and counties are taking steps to limit construction within their environs. State-level politicians are making note of the growing popular discontent as some face elections in November. Earlier this week, Governor Greg Abbott (R) said at a campaign stop in east Texas that the state should "prohibit" AI data centers from being built in rural Texas neighborhoods and repeated calls to eliminate tax breaks for the industry. By Jasmina Kelemen Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Trump seeks to rewrite USMCA terms by 2036

01/07/26

Trump seeks to rewrite USMCA terms by 2036

Washington, 1 July (Argus) — President Donald Trump's administration will attempt to substantially revise terms of the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement in the next decade, triggering a protracted negotiation period that could end with the treaty expiring in 2036. The USMCA, negotiated during Trump's first term in 2018-20, set 1 July 2026 as a deadline for the three countries to agree on an extension, or to seek to revise its terms. The Trump administration has decided not to renew the deal in its current form, said Jamieson Greer, who heads the US trade representative's office (USTR), on Wednesday. That decision does not immediately terminate the USMCA. The three countries will now hold annual reviews to seek consensus on a long-term extension beyond 2036, but any country can withdraw from the pact with six months' notice. Greer's counterparts, Mexico's economy minister Marcelo Ebrard and Canada's trade minister Dominic LeBlanc, issued statements on Wednesday stressing that the agreement remains fully in force despite the US decision. Public comments submitted to the USTR and US congressional hearings earlier this year showed broad support from energy, agriculture and other sectors for renewing the trade deal without changes. But Trump has made it clear he was opposed to the renewal. "I'm not a big fan of" USMCA, he said last month. "We do better without an agreement." The USTR has cited rising US trade deficits with Mexico and Canadian countermeasures during last year's trade war the White House launched with its neighbors as reasons for the decision not to automatically renew the USMCA. Greer told US lawmakers previsously USTR will push to shore up US content requirements in products covered by the USMCA, especially in auto manufacturing. The agency will maintain its policy of exempting North American trade in energy, fertilizers and minerals from future tariffs. USTR officials also told lawmakers that the US administration may seeks separate agreements with Mexico and Canada instead of a three-way deal. Ottawa and Mexico City have shown little support for that approach. The USMCA provided a buffer against tariffs that Trump's administration leveled on Canadian and Mexican imports last year and is trying to recreate after the US Supreme Court in February struck down his ability to impose tariffs at will. Canada and Mexico still face higher steel and aluminum tariffs than before Trump returned to office, but the USMCA has exempted most trade between the three countries from tariffs. Trump's decision not to automatically renew the deal will weigh on investment and business decisions in the next decade, private sector executives have said. "Once we get past 1 July, the forecasts change and economic conditions will gradually worsen every month no resolution is reached," said Victor Herrera , chief economist at Mexico's finance executives' association IMEF. "Investment will not pick up until that renewal is final." The USTR will hold another round of trade talks with Mexico on 20 July to discuss possible changes, Greer said. Canada will focus USMCA review discussions with the US "on addressing sectoral tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, autos and lumber," LeBlanc said. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Enterprise co-CEO Teague to retire in January

01/07/26

Enterprise co-CEO Teague to retire in January

Houston, 1 July (Argus) — Enterprise Products Partners co-chief executive Jim Teague will retire on 4 January from the US midstream company he has helped lead for 28 years. Co-chief executive Randall Fowler will continue as chief executive after Teague's departure. Under Teague's leadership, Enterprise has expanded its pipeline operations and crude and LPG export facilities in Houston, Texas, as part of a larger strategy to capitalize on an integrated "wellhead to water" fee-based footprint. Enterprise became the first midstream company to provide wellhead to water natural gas liquids (NGL) services in 2009, facilitating higher US production that has contributed to the renaissance of the US petrochemical industry while providing affordable US ethane and propane supplies to international markets, said Randa Duncan, non-executive chairman of Enterprise Products Holdings, the company's general partner. Teague joined Enterprise in 1999 after 22 years with Dow Chemical. He was promoted from Enterprise's chief operating officer to chief executive in 2016, and was joined by Fowler as co-chief executive in 2020. Following Teague's departure, Enterprise's general partner will expand the role of the management oversight group that serves as a liaison between its general partner and the company's management. That committee includes Duncan, the general partner's vice chairman Richard Bachmann, Fowler, commercial officer Michael Hanley, and chief financial officer R. Daniel Boss. Under Teague's leadership Enterprise and other midstream operators advocated for the expansion of the Houston Ship Channel, a project that is currently underway . Enterprise's moves follow leadership changes at rival midstream operator Energy Transfer announced in June, with its co-chief executive Marshall McCrea set to depart by the end of the year . By Amy Strahan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US will still pursue EU methane law amendments

30/06/26

US will still pursue EU methane law amendments

London, 30 June (Argus) — The US is still calling for a delay to the implementation of the EU's methane regulation, a US Department of Energy (DOE) representative told Argus following EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen's comments last week that there would be no changes to the law. The commission is not working on amendments to the law , but is pursuing a "compliance solution", Jorgensen said, stating that amendments would increase uncertainty on markets. There are 16 EU member states calling for a three-year delay to the implementation of the law: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden. The DOE representative told Argus they were "confident the commission will move forward with the necessary legislative fix", given the growing consensus across Europe. The US effort to delay the implementation of the methane law is also supported by Algeria, Guyana, Nigeria and Qatar. Unlike similar EU regulations, the methane law outlines no verification system or standards through which methane emissions can be calculated. This ambiguity has led to uncertainty in the industry, with monitoring, reporting and verification requirements scheduled to come into effect on 1 January 2027. The methane law puts the onus of MRV standard on the importing entity, but LNG importers may not have a long-term contractual relationship with upstream suppliers, adding complexity to the requirement for methane measurement, as methane emissions typically occur upstream of LNG liquefaction terminals. And if the absence of clear protocols to meet methane reporting obligations, importers themselves would be subject to non-compliance penalties. The DOE called the methane regulation a "non-tariff trade barrier". By Annemarie Pettinato Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Japan to introduce new energy plan in August

29/06/26

Japan to introduce new energy plan in August

Osaka, 29 June (Argus) — The Japanese government plans to introduce an improved energy strategy in August, tapping on lessons from unexpected disruptions to fuel shipments through the strait of Hormuz following the US-Iran conflict, it said. The resource-poor country seeks to improve energy resilience, meet rising electricity demand and accelerate decarbonisation. Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi tasked the country's trade and industry Meti minister Ryosei Akazawa late last week to recommend policies by the end of August that aim to improve Japan's energy supply-demand structure by expanding its energy options through crisis management investment. Easing crude oil prices offer a timely opportunity to further improve Japan's energy security in co-ordination with Asia and the G7, she added. Details of the policy package remain unclear. But the new plan may place greater emphasis on oil security and its diversification, given that Takaichi has been promoting the recently introduced Power Asia framework , which aims to ensure stable oil supply across Asia, as well as the well-established green transformation (GX) strategy, which is focused on energy security, economic growth and decarbonisation. This would build on the existing Strategic Energy Plan (SEP), which is in line with the country's green transformation plan, emphasising gas security and expanding the use of non-fossil domestic energy such as nuclear and renewables. The plan aims to consolidate measures that can be implemented without waiting for the next review of the SEP, which will likely take place in the April 2027-March 2028 fiscal year. Tokyo typically reviews the SEP every three years and updates it as needed, with the current plan last revised in February 2025 . The plan to compile the package by August is also broadly aligned with the usual timing of Japan's initial budget requests. Under the current SEP, Japan aims to have renewable energy making up 40-50pc of the country's power generation in 2040-41, up from 22.9pc in 2023-24. The share of nuclear power will increase to around 20pc from 8.5pc, and thermal power will fall to around 30-40pc from 68.6pc during the same period. Japan will need to replace its nuclear capacity to maintain nuclear power's 20pc share in the power mix because a few of its reactors are expected to be decommissioned. It will need to replace around 2.2-5.5GW of nuclear capacity — equivalent to 2-5 reactors — by the 2040s. It will then need to replace a total of 12.7-16GW — or 11-14 reactors — by the 2050s, with this figure inclusive of the capacity that it replaced in the 2040s. By Motoko Hasegawa Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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