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Singapore’s AG&P to buy Australian LNG developer Venice

  • : Freight, Natural gas
  • 24/10/24

Singaporean firm Atlantic Gulf & Pacific (AG&P) LNG has agreed to acquire Australian LNG import terminal developer, Venice Energy, the operator of the 2mn t/yr Outer Harbor LNG terminal in Adelaide, South Australia (SA) state.

The US-based investment firm Nebula Energy, which bought a majority stake in AG&P in January this year, will fund the acquisition, AG&P LNG said in a statement.

AG&P plans to convert a 145,000m³ LNG carrier to a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), with a peak send-out capacity of 400mn ft³/d (4.12bn m³/yr).

Describing the project as "shovel-ready" with key permits in place, AG&P chairman Peter Gibson said the Outer Harbor terminal held advantages over other LNG import plans in the southeastern Australia region, with plans to bring the terminal online over January-March 2027 — about 13 months later than Venice anticipated in late 2023

"Together, we will develop this very timely and pivotal project to bridge the accelerating decline in gas supplies and help reinforce energy security for SA and Victoria," Gibson said on 24 October.

Venice had been seeking investors for its project since February, after the firm's initial agreement with domestic utility Origin Energy expired because of a lack of offtakers.

Fellow LNG import developer, Fortescue-owned Squadron Energy said this week that it was targeting LNG imports into Australia's southeast in mid-2026, when shortfalls could reach as high as 500 TJ/d (13.35mn m³/d) because of depletion at Bass strait fields offshore Victoria.


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25/07/08

Tokyo unlikely to yield on car levy despite US pressure

Tokyo unlikely to yield on car levy despite US pressure

Tokyo, 8 July (Argus) — The Japanese government is unlikely to offer concessions to the US for an automobile deal in stalled trade talks between the countries, even after Washington announced plans to raise tariffs on Japanese imports. Each government has its own interests to defend, the country's minister for trade and industry (Meti) Yoji Muto said on 8 July, reiterating that the automobile sector is a key industry for the Japanese economy and is vital to national interests. Muto reiterated Tokyo's intention to pursue a resolution through negotiations, but without compromising its core economic priorities. This suggests that there is little space for Tokyo to accept auto tariffs imposed by the US. This comes after US president Donald Trump announced plans to impose additional tariffs of 25pc on all imports from Japan from 1 August, slightly higher than the initial rate of 24pc set in April. Trump threatened to impose an even higher levy if Tokyo moves to retaliate against the measure. "We have had years to discuss our trading relationship with Japan, and have concluded that we must move away from these long-term, and very persistent, trade deficits engendered by Japan's tariff, and non-tariff policies and trade barriers," Trump said in his official letter to the Japanese government. "Our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from reciprocal." Tokyo and Washington have held seven trade talks on the US tariff since mid-April without reaching an agreement. Japan was initially seen as a frontrunner among other US trading partners in the negotiation, but progress has stalled partly because of disagreements over the auto sector. The Trump administration has long expressed strong dissatisfaction against the imbalance in US-Japan car trade. Japan exported around 1.3mn automobile units to the US market in 2024, and only purchased 14,724 units of US vehicles during the same period, according to Japanese customs and industry group the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, respectively. Tokyo has declined to disclose the details of the ongoing negotiations, but the country's prime minister Shigeru Ishiba in mid-June reiterated that the automobile sector is vital to Japan's national interests, underscoring the car sector as a key sticking point in the trade talks. By Yusuke Maekawa and Kohei Yamamoto Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Alberta, Ontario to study oil pipelines, port, rail


25/07/07
25/07/07

Alberta, Ontario to study oil pipelines, port, rail

Calgary, 7 July (Argus) — Alberta and Ontario plan to study new trade routes to boost economic activity between the two provinces and beyond, with an interest in exporting oil and gas through Hudson Bay, leaders said today. Alberta premier Danielle Smith and Ontario premier Doug Ford signed two memorandums of understanding to drive interprovincial trade and major infrastructure development, including pipelines and rail lines. The broad intent is to further connect Alberta's energy resources to Canada's most populous province, and on to foreign partners, using steel from Ontario. "Built using Ontario steel, new pipelines would connect western Canadian oil and gas to existing, and potential, new refineries in southern Ontario," said Ford during a joint press conference in Calgary, Alberta. A "potential" new deep sea port at James Bay on the south side of Hudson Bay in northern Ontario would also enable further export opportunities for land-locked Alberta, which is trying to get more pipelines built before growing oil sands production fill existing capacity. Oil and gas would need to flow across Saskatchewan and Manitoba to get to Ontario. Alberta has taken an all-of-the-above strategy in its pipeline pursuits, calling for more egress in all directions, including enhanced access to Pacific Rim markets via a 1mn b/d bitumen pipeline to British Columbia's (BC) coast. "Having access to the northwest BC coast is essential to being able to get to Asian markets, and that's the one that we hear the most enthusiasm for," said Alberta premier Danielle Smith, who expects to have some "good news" on that front in a few months. Federal regulations need to be undone: premiers Smith and Ford called on the federal government to significantly amend or outright repeal the onerous Impact Assessment Act and other legislation that has stifled investment, including the oil and gas emissions cap, Clean Electricity Regulations and the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act that currently prevents an oil pipeline to BC's northwest coast. "No one will build a pipeline to tidewaters if there is a ban on tankers," said Ford. "It is the craziest thing I've ever heard of . . . a ban on tankers." Ford is the latest premier to side with Alberta's stance on federal oversight after Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe did in June . Ford's automobile , steel and aluminum sectors have been caught in US president Donald Trump's crosshairs, spurring the premier to look elsewhere to shore up trade, including within Canada. But hostilities from south of the border are not new for Ontario, whose refining sector relies on Enbridge's 540,000 b/d Line 5 cross-border pipeline. "We have the governor of Michigan constantly threatening to close down the pipeline," said Ford. "Do you know the disaster that would create in Ontario?" To both kickstart a lagging economy and pivot away from the US, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney fast-tracked Bill C-5 through Parliament last month to allow "nation building" projects to bypass regulatory hurdles. To be considered for the new "National Interest Projects" list, a project should strengthen Canada's autonomy, provide economic benefits, have a high likelihood of completion, be in the interests of Indigenous groups, and contribute to meeting Canada's climate change objectives. "The days of relying on the United States 100pc, they're done, they're gone," said Ford. By Brett Holmes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Red Sea attacks hit second ship


25/07/07
25/07/07

Red Sea attacks hit second ship

New York, 7 July (Argus) — A second Liberia-flagged vessel transiting the Red Sea was attacked today, with two crew members missing and two injured in the latest incident, according to maritime security firm Ambrey. The dry bulk carrier, which has not yet been named, was adrift off the coast of Hodeidah, Yemen, following the attack. Yemen-based Houthi militants earlier Monday claimed responsibility for a 6 July attack on the Liberia-flagged Magic Seas dry bulk carrier approximately 62 nautical miles west of Hodeidah, a Houthi-controlled part of Yemen. The vessel began taking on water and was subsequently abandoned by its crew. While Houthi rebels have not yet claimed responsibility for the latest attack, Ambrey reports the attack meets the "established Houthi target profile as the listed beneficial owner appears on open-source platforms to have called Israel". The vessel attacked on 7 July was transiting the Red Sea north bound in when it was approached by two skiffs and unmanned aerial vehicles, with the vessel's armed security team returning fire, Ambrey reported. The vessel's engine has been disabled and it has started to drift, according to Ambrey. The UK Maritime Trade Operations has advised vessels to transit the area with caution. Ambrey recommended vessels reduce deck crew movements and bridge manning to a minimum while operating in the vicinity. Israeli fighter jets struck Houthi-controlled infrastructure in Yemen overnight, targeting ports and a power plant used in the group's military operations, the Israel Defense Forces said Monday. By Charlotte Bawol Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Drilling slowdown undermines Trump’s energy dominance


25/07/07
25/07/07

Drilling slowdown undermines Trump’s energy dominance

New York, 7 July (Argus) — US shale producers expect to drill fewer wells in 2025 than they initially planned to at the start of the year, dealing a potential blow to President Donald Trump's goal of unleashing energy dominance. Almost half of the executives quizzed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas in its second-quarter 2025 energy survey have scaled back their anticipated drilling in response to lower crude prices. The decline was most notable among the large operators — or those with output of at least 10,000 b/d — that now account for about 80pc of total US production, according to the bank. The anonymous survey, which gauges the pulse of the shale heartland, has become an outlet for industry insiders to vent their growing frustration at the Trump administration, and executives from exploration and production (E&P) firms offered a withering criticism of the president's tariff policies and unrelenting push for lower oil prices that have contributed to an industry-wide slowdown. "It's hard to imagine how much worse policies and DC rhetoric could have been for US E&P companies," one unidentified executive wrote. "We were promised by the administration a better environment for producers but were delivered a world that has benefited Opec to the detriment of our domestic industry." The survey found that activity contracted slightly in the three months to the end of June, with firms becoming increasingly uncertain about the outlook. "The key point from this survey release is that conditions deteriorated for companies in the oil and gas sector this quarter, with survey responses pointing to a small decline in overall activity as well as oil and gas production," Dallas Fed senior business economist Kunal Patel says. The deteriorating outlook for shale comes as the Opec+ group has stepped up efforts to unwind past output cuts, which might help it to regain market share. But the White House argues that efforts to remove permitting obstacles will help the homegrown oil industry to thrive over the longer term, bolstered by Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill that paves the way for expanded oil and gas leasing. Still, that did not stop executives in the latest Dallas Fed survey from complaining that Trump's " Liberation Day chaos " has jeopardised the sector's prospects, and recent volatility is inconsistent with the president's "Drill, baby, drill" mantra. One drew attention to calls from some within the White House for a price target of $50/bl. "Everyone should understand that $50 is not a sustainable price for oil," the executive said. "It needs to be mid-$60s." Firms were also asked about how their production would change at lower prices. A slight decline was expected if oil prices hovered around $60/bl over the next 12 months, while a significant pullback was anticipated if oil retreated as far as $50/bl. Steel yourself About a quarter of producers estimated that tariffs have increased the cost of drilling and completing a new well by as much as 6pc. And about half of the surveyed oil field services firms expect a recent increase in US steel import tariffs to result in a slight decline in customer demand in the next year. "Despite efforts to mitigate their impact, the scale and breadth of the tariffs have forced us to pass these costs on to our customers," one services firm executive wrote. "This comes... when the economics of oil and gas production are already challenged due to the dynamics of global oil supply and demand." On top of this, firms expect challenges related to the huge volumes of water produced alongside oil in the top Permian basin of west Texas and southeastern New Mexico to act as a constraint on drilling in the next five years. "Water management continues to disrupt plans and add significant costs," one executive said. By Stephen Cunningham Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US to lay out tariff demands in coming days: Trump


25/07/04
25/07/04

US to lay out tariff demands in coming days: Trump

London, 4 July (Argus) — The US will lay out its tariff demands on foreign trade partners in the coming days, President Donald Trump said today. From tomorrow, 5 July, Trump will send letters to 10-12 countries a day, with the aim that all countries will be "fully covered" by 9 July, Trump said. That rate will not cover the amount of tariff deals still to be done by the US, which to date has struck three deals — of 10pc with the UK and China and of 20pc with Vietnam. "[The tariffs will] range in value from maybe 60pc or 70pc tariffs to 10pc and 20pc tariffs," Trump said. Countries will start paying them on 1 August, he said. Since 5 April Washington has been charging a 10pc extra tariff on imports — energy commodities and critical minerals are exceptions — from nearly every foreign trade partner, and those rates could go higher after 9 July. Trump has justified those tariffs by citing an economic emergency caused by allegedly unfair trade practices in foreign countries, and his administration is engaged in talks with foreign governments with the nominal goal of lowering their trade barriers. By Haik Gugarats and Ben Winkley Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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