Politics & Regulation

Fortuna in the port of Mukran near Sassnitz, Germany (copyright by Shutterstock/ Karsten_1)
Fortuna in the port of Mukran near Sassnitz, Germany (copyright by Shutterstock/ Karsten_1)

The Difficult Birth of Russia's Gas Link to Germany, Nord Stream 2

Nord Stream 2, with but 15-km of undersea pipe laying to go, is back in the news this week with additional U.S. sanctions being imposed on ship Ostap Sheremeta, ship owner JSC Nobility and construction company Konstanta, the State Department said in a report to congressional committees. A copy of the report was seen by Reuters.

Flag of Ukraine (copyright by Shutterstock/E. S. Nugraha)
Flag of Ukraine (copyright by Shutterstock/E. S. Nugraha)

Ukraine Discussed Guarantees Over Nord Stream 2 with US and Germany

Following the completion of Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, the energy ministers of Ukraine, the United States, and Germany met on Monday to discuss guarantees for Ukraine's future as a transit country. Ukraine's energy minister said the discussions focused on Ukraine's future.

US cyber security concept (copyright by Shutterstock/Pixels Hunter)
US cyber security concept (copyright by Shutterstock/Pixels Hunter)

The United States Proposes Country Sanctions For Cyber Criminals Disrupting Pipelines

Countries that harbor cyber criminals directing ransomware attacks on critical U.S. infrastructure will be designated "state sponsor of ransomware" if new legislation planned in the Senate Intelligence Committee becomes law.

Hacker trying to breach a security system (copyright by Shutterstock/Pira25)
Hacker trying to breach a security system (copyright by Shutterstock/Pira25)

The US Reveals Its Pipeline Operators Have Been The Target Of Chinese Cyber Attacks

A recent statement by the White House, the FBI and the US Department of Homeland Security has revealed that two dozen companies that own and operate oil and gas pipelines in North America have been subjected to cyber-attacks by various Chinese based organisations.

Flags of Russia & Pakistan (copyright by Shutterstock/NINA IMAGES)
Flags of Russia & Pakistan (copyright by Shutterstock/NINA IMAGES)

New Pakistan Gas Pipeline Proposed

As part of efforts to tackle Pakistan’s energy shortages. It has been agreed, by both the Pakistan and Russian governments to explore the viability of building a 1,100-km gas pipeline from Port Qasim in Karachi to Lahore at an estimated cost of USD 2.5-3 billion by the end of 2023. The project is called the Pakstream Gas Pipeline Project commonly known as North-South Gas project.

Department of Homeland Security Seal located outside the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, DC (copyright by Shutterstock/Mark Van Scyoc)
Department of Homeland Security Seal located outside the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, DC (copyright by Shutterstock/Mark Van Scyoc)

The US To At Last Take A Stand On Cyber Security

It has been announced that the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday required owners and operators of critical pipelines that transport hazardous liquids and natural gas, will need to seriously upgrade their cyber security measures.

Ships passing through Panama canal (copyright by Shutterstock/Daniel Lange)
Ships passing through Panama canal (copyright by Shutterstock/Daniel Lange)

Trans-Panama Gateway Pipeline Project Proposed

A study has been announced by the Panamanian government and its partner Energy Transfer to study the prospects of building a liquid petroleum gas pipeline, running beside the existing Panama Canal that links the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean.

The US and German flags (copyright by Shutterstock/ruskpp)
The US and German flags (copyright by Shutterstock/ruskpp)

Nord Stream 2 And The Ukraine As A Transit Route For Russian Gas

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and U.S. President Joe Biden will hold talks in the White House on Thursday on a number of bilateral bones of contention, first and foremost being the imminent completion of Nord Stream 2 in the Baltic Sea and the continued use of the Ukraine as a transit route for Russian gas to Europe, which is the American preference.

Switching to renewable energies (copyright by Shutterstock/Olivier Le Moal)
Switching to renewable energies (copyright by Shutterstock/Olivier Le Moal)

New Ambitious Plans By GAIL India To Meet Paris Accord Targets

As part of India’s efforts to meet its various Paris Accord targets, its state-owned energy company and gas pipeline operator has announced ambitious plans to develop at least 1 GW in renewable power. In addition, it will invest in developing new biogas and ethanol plants as part of its green investment plans.

Gas flaring (copyright by Shutterstock/Leonid Ikan)
Gas flaring (copyright by Shutterstock/Leonid Ikan)

Methane Gas Emissions To Be Rolled Back After Trump Administration Chicanery

With a modicum of bipartisan support, the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted 229-191 to reverse the Trump administration's 2020 rollback of regulations to curb the emissions of greenhouse gas methane from oil and gas infrastructure, following a similar move by the Senate in April.

Flag of the People's Republic of China (copyright by Shutterstock/Tatoh)
Flag of the People's Republic of China (copyright by Shutterstock/Tatoh)

China Cutting Coal, Adding More Natural Gas To Its Energy Mix

China, the world's largest energy consumer and biggest emitter of climate warming greenhouse gases (and not coincidentally the world's biggest coal consumer), anticipates increasing the use of natural gas in its primary energy mix  to 12% in 2030 from 8.7% in 2020.

GAIL India website homepage (copyright by Shutterstock/Pavel Kapysh)
GAIL India website homepage (copyright by Shutterstock/Pavel Kapysh)

Why India cancels plans to privatise its pipeline network

India’s state-owned natural gas supplier and pipeline operator GAIL has decided to cancel plans to hive of its pipeline business. At present, GAIL owns and operates some 13,200 km of natural gas pipeline, which accounts for around 70% of the country’s natural gas pipeline network.

Flag of Israel (copyright by Shutterstock/Tatoh)
Flag of Israel (copyright by Shutterstock/Tatoh)

An Israeli Oil and Products Pipeline Seeks Exemption From Regulations

Israel's National Infrastructure Committee would like to exempt the Europe Asia Pipeline Company (EAPC), formerly the Eilat - Ashkelon Pipeline, from carrying out the customary environmental impact survey of its installation in Ashkelon.

Oil production in Libya (copyright by Shutterstock/Max Sky)
Oil production in Libya (copyright by Shutterstock/Max Sky)

Libya's Pipeline Infrastructure Showing Years of Neglect

Libya's long-standing neglected pipeline infrastructure sprang a leak this week when an aging 32-inch pipeline carrying crude from the Al-Samah oilfield to the Es Sider port burst, and some of the oilfield’s production may need to be shut in.

The flag of the USA (copyright by Shutterstock/Graeme Dawes)
The flag of the USA (copyright by Shutterstock/Graeme Dawes)

The Feds Put U.S. Pipeline Operators On Notice: Minimize Natural Gas Releases

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has submitted an advisory bulletin to the Federal Register underscoring to pipeline and facility operators requirements to minimize methane gas emissions in the Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2020.