Allseas Completes 163-Mile Barossa Export Pipeline in Timor Sea
Allseas has completed the 163-mile (262 km) Barossa gas export pipeline in the southern Timor Sea.
The Audacia team, supported by Allseas’ Australian fleet, finished the offshore campaign by installing the second pipeline end termination (PLET). Operating in challenging conditions, including high humidity and extreme tidal fluctuations, the project navigated a complex supply chain spanning thousands of miles.
Having installed pipeline systems in Australian waters for over 20 years, Barossa marks Allseas’ first project in the Northern Territory.
With the installation phase complete, responsibility now shifts to the Fortitude team, tasked with surveying and testing the newly installed export pipeline.
The Barossa natural gas field is located in the Commonwealth waters, roughly 177 miles (285 km) offshore from Darwin. Infrastructure for the project includes a subsea production system comprising of up to eight wells and a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility.
FERC Approves Mountain Valley’s Virginia Gas Pipeline
Mountain Valley got the go ahead to operate its $7.85 billion Virginia natural gas pipeline from the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), according to a filing.
“We find that Mountain Valley has adequately stabilized the areas disturbed by construction and that restoration and stabilization of the construction work area is proceeding satisfactorily,” FERC said in its filing.
The project — the only large gas pipeline under construction in the U.S. Northeast — had to overcome a plethora of regulatory and court battles along the way, which resulted in several work stoppages that dated back to 2018.
Mountain Valley asked federal regulators to authorize its pipeline project from West Virginia to Virginia to be in service by June 11.
“Final preparations are underway to begin commercial operations,” a company spokesperson at Equitrans told Reuters.
The 303-mile (488-km) project is owned by units of Equitrans, NextEra Energy, Consolidated Edison, AltaGas and RGC Resources. Equitrans will operate the pipeline.
Nigeria’s 384-Mile AKK Pipeline Expected Ready in 2025
Construction of Nigeria’s 384-mile (614 km) natural gas pipeline is expected to finish up by the first quarter of 2025, the state oil firm NNPC said. That would be about two years after the initial planned completion date.
Managing Director Mele Kyari joined three cabinet ministers touring the project in the northern state of Kaduna and said major parts were already finished, according to Reuters.
“Our mission is to work toward delivering it by December this year, but we are confident this project will be delivered by the first quarter of 2025,” Kyari said.
Africa’s largest energy producer says it will help generate 3.6 gigawatts of power and support gas-based industries along the route when completed.
The route of the AKK pipeline runs from Ajaokuta in central Nigeria to Kano, passing through Kaduna, all in the north of the country.
China’s Wison Leaving Russian Projects; Arctic LNG 2 Affected
Chinese engineering firm Wison New Energies discontinued all of its ongoing Russian projects and said it will “indefinitely stop” taking any new Russian business.
The move will affect the already-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project by Russia’s Novatek, which planned to build a gas turbine power station for the LNG plant using equipment from Wison and Harbin Guanghan Gas Turbine Co. Ltd.
“We appreciate the good relations we have built with our Russian partners in the past and value the work we have done together,” Wison said in a LinkedIn post. “However, in view of the strategic future of the company, we have to make this difficult decision.”
Commercial deliveries were expected to begin in the first quarter of this year, following the initial production at the first train at Arctic LNG 2 in December.
Russia’s biggest LNG producer said the Arctic LNG 2 plant in the Gydan peninsular would become to become the nation’s biggest plant with eventual production of 19.8 mtpa of LNG and 1.6 mtpa of stable gas condensate from three trains.
Enbridge Faces Another Line 5 Challenge from Michigan Court
Michigan’s attorney general claimed a jurisdictional win over Enbridge in the state’s effort to halt the operation of the Line 5 oil pipeline, beneath the Straits of Mackinac in the Great Lakes.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio, ruled the case may be pursued in state rather than federal court, saying the owner waited too long in asking for a change of venue to a federal court.
A three-judge panel reversed an August 2022 decision by the U.S. District Court that favored the Canadian company.
Enbridge said it was disappointed by the ruling but that it remained confident that state courts would ultimately rule the state could not shut down Line 5.
The four-mile (6.4 km) section of the pipeline, which runs underwater, has raised concerns from residents and environmental groups concerning the possibility of leaks.
The 540,000 pipeline ships 540,000 bpd of crude oil and refined products from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Ontario.
Pipeline Shutdown Triggers Force Majeure in Ecuador
Petroecuador, the state oil company of Ecuador, declared force majeure following the shutdown of a important pipeline and oil wells, due to heavy rains hitting the country.
Intense rains in late June forced the shutdown of three hydroelectric plants, the suspension of a key Napo heavy crude exports from pipeline, operated by private companies, and a temporary closure of heavy oil-producing wells.
A nationwide electricity outage that struck residential users, hospitals and the capital’s subway system followed the rains in late June.
Privately operated OCP pipeline initially stopped pumping heavy crude as a preventative measure, due to fear of erosion around its infrastructure, OCP said.
Chesapeake Utilities Begins Renewable Gas Injections in Florida
Chesapeake Utilities started injecting renewable natural gas (RNG) at its Radio Avenue site in Yulee, Florida, sourced from its Full Circle Dairy facility in Madison County.
FPU Renewables, a subsidiary of Chesapeake Utilities, built and operates the RNG facility. The injections mark the commissioning phase of Chesapeake’s first RNG project, which converts dairy manure to biogas at the dairy. In June, the facility began producing and delivering RNG, with approximately 4,700 dekatherms transported to the injection site by Marlin Gas Services, another subsidiary.
“This RNG project builds on Chesapeake Utilities’ strong foundation and operational excellence,” said Justin Stankiewicz, general manager. “It showcases our role in the RNG value chain, from production to transportation and distribution.”
Construction of the RNG facility began in February 2023, capturing methane from dairy cow manure. It is expected to produce 100,000 dekatherms annually, representing a $22 million investment.
The facility aims to capture and redirect about 1,116 metric tons of methane per year — equivalent to 27,900 metric tons of carbon dioxide — reducing emissions comparable to removing over 6,000 gasoline-powered cars from the road for a year or the annual energy use of more than 3,500 homes. P&GJ