Exports

In the wake of Congress holding three hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday, a number of business and industry leaders are voicing their support for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from the United States and legislation that could change the number of export permits approved by the Department of Energy (DOE).

The White House and the European Union (EU) issued a joint statement Wednesday saying they "welcome the prospect" of liquefied natural gas exports…

Lawmakers in both houses of Congress took up the issue of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from the United States in separate hearings on Tuesday, and aired discussion of a House bill that could fundamentally change the way the Department of Energy (DOE) grants approval to export to non-free trade agreement (FTA) countries.

Analysts said economic sanctions from the United States and the European Union (EU) designed to punish Russia for its actions in Ukraine were "modest" at best, and could potentially damage business relationships that western oil and gas companies spent years building with OAO Gazprom and OAO Rosneft, Russia's state-owned gas and oil companies.

An update of a study supporting the case for exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has found that the “more the better” argument is even more true when fresh, more optimistic data on U.S. gas production are considered, and that the manufacturing and chemicals sectors have nothing to fear from LNG exports.

The Obama administration may consider revamping an economic case-by-case analysis of projects to export U.S. natural gas to determine if a specific destination might benefit overseas allies, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz suggested Wednesday.

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Monday she plans to ask the U.S. Energy Information Administration for an economic analysis for lifting the U.S. crude oil export ban, and she also renewed a call to streamline regulations on condensate exports.

The new pattern of the North American natural gas trade is staying entrenched as northbound flows from the United States hold their gains, while southbound exports from Canada continue to shrink.

It is unlikely that the Obama administration will allow the wholesale export of U.S. crude oil, but there is more wiggle room under current law to allow for incremental and/or targeted export of domestic crude than many realize, an energy lawyer told a Houston audience.