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Corpus Christi, Texas: APGA Files Motion in Opposition to Cheniere LNG Export Application
APGA filed a motion to intervene and protest in response to the application by Cheniere Marketing, LLC to export approximately 2.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/day) of LNG from the proposed Corpus Christi Liquefaction Project to any country that the United States does not have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with.
To date, 20 applications have been filed at the Department of Energy (DOE) to export 28.67 Bcf/day of LNG to FTA countries. This equates to approximately 45 percent of our daily consumption. APGA members unanimously approved a resolution to oppose the export of LNG at the 2011 APGA Annual Conference.
In its filing APGA states that “proposed exports from Corpus Christi, Texas will increase domestic natural gas prices, burdening households and jeopardizing potential growth in the manufacturing sector, as well as the transition away from more environmentally damaging fossil fuels.” APGA’s comments also respond to a recently released DOE commissioned study on the macroeconomic impacts of LNG exports from the United States. Specifically, the comments state that although the study communicated that LNG exports will result in net economic benefits.
It also concluded that the higher the volume of LNG exports, the more domestic natural gas prices will rise. APGA’s filing concludes that “Cheniere’s proposal to export domestic LNG to non-FTA nations is inconsistent with the public interest because it will increase domestic natural gas and electricity prices to the detriment of all consumers, inhibit this nation’s ability to forge a path toward energy independence, and undermine sustained economic growth in key manufacturing sectors.”
USA: APGA Files Motion in Opposition to Cheniere LNG Export Application LNG World News.
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Corpus Christi, TX: Tamar Platform En Route to Israel
Tamar production platform has left the Keiwit Shipyards in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, and is now on the way to its location offshore Israel, according to Globes, the Israeli financial newspaper.
It took 18 months for the 280 m platform to be completed, and the project has been described as “the largest infrastructure project in Israeli history.”
Noble Energy, operator of the Tamar field, did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.
The Tamar platform will be located in approximately 800 feet of water and will be able to process 1.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day. The Tamar field is estimated to contain 8.4 trillion cubic feet of gas and will be produced through several subsea wells connected to the platform by 150 km long flow lines. The single-lift topsides facility has four deck levels and weighs nearly 10,000 tons.
Globes further reports that the platform is expected to reach its destination during the fourth quarter this year. First production is scheduled for March 2013.
Noble Energy operates Tamar with a 36 percent working interest. Other owners are Isramco Negev 2 with 28.75 percent, Delek Drilling with 15.625 percent, Avner Oil Exploration with 15.625 percent, and Dor Gas Exploration with the remaining four percent.
Corpus Christi, TX: Newly Built US Flag Vessel Makes First Call to Port Corpus Christi
Eagle Ford Shale continues to positively impact Port Corpus Christi and the U.S. economy. Yesterday, Wednesday, September 26, 2012, the M/V Pennsylvania, a newly built U.S. Flag vessel destined to move products related to Eagle Ford Shale in the region, made its first port of call to Port Corpus Christi. The tanker docked at Oil Dock 1.
The M/V Pennsylvania is one of two tankers purchased by Crowley Maritime Corporation’s petroleum and chemical transportation group as part of the Jones Act, from Aker Philadelphia Shipyard ASA (Oslo: AKPS). The Pennsylvania was delivered early this month marking Crowley’s re-entry into the Jones Act tanker market after its last tanker was retired in 2011. The tankers, capable of carrying nearly 330,000 barrels of a wide variety of petroleum products and chemicals, are destined to operate in U.S. coastal trade.
“Eagle Ford Shale has made a great impact on the port’s operations. We are glad to see more U.S. Flag vessels sailing around our coasts and we are honored to welcome the M/V Pennsylvania to the port.” Said Mike Carrell, Chairman Port of Corpus Christi.
The U.S.-flagged vessel is the 13th in the Veteran Class built at Aker. This proven design provides Crowley customers with ABS-classed vessels that have been thoroughly tested and refined for performance and reliability. With a length of 183.2 m, a breadth of 32.2 m, and a depth of 18.8 m, the tankers come in at 45,800 deadweight tons with a draft of 12.2 m. Powered by the first Tier II large-bore engines, MAN-B&W 6S50MCs, the speed of the Pennsylvania and the Florida is expected to average 14.5+ knots. In addition to being double hulled with segregated ballast systems, safety features also include water and CO2 firefighting systems, as well as a foam water spray system.
Crowley has a long history of transporting petroleum products and chemicals by tanker and articulated tug barge (ATB). Until 2011, Crowley owned and operated Jones Act product tankers that safely carried petroleum products and chemicals. Crowley has also proven itself an innovator and leader in the industry through the development of an unrivaled ATB fleet, which includes some of the newest and most sophisticated ATBs in the market. As of 2013, Crowley will own and operate 17 ATBs, which include 155,000-barrel, 185,000-barrel and 330,000-barrel capacity tank vessels. Crowley has safely and reliably operated all of these Jones Act tankers and ATBs on the U.S. Gulf, East, and West coasts under voyage and time charters with leading companies in the petroleum and chemical industries.
World Maritime News – Newly Built US Flag Vessel Makes First Call to Port Corpus Christi.
Cheniere to sell Corpus Christi LNG under long-term contracts
Cheniere Energy Inc. (LNG) will sell as much as 90 percent of the output from its liquefied natural gas project in Corpus Christi, Texas, under long-term contracts.
The planned Corpus Christi site will produce 13 million to 15 million metric tons a year of LNG, Charif Souki, chief executive officer at Houston-based Cheniere, said today in an interview at a natural gas conference in Tokyo.
The company plans to follow the contracting model established at its Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana, Souki said. Sixteen million tons of LNG from Sabine Pass, from a total output of 18 million tons, will be sold on long-term contracts of as long as 20 years, with the rest to be offered on the spot market, he said.
“Those are the volumes that we’re not sure we can produce year after year so these will remain in the spot market,” he said. The first spot cargoes from Sabine Pass will reach the market in late 2015 or early 2016, he said.
Cheniere’s Sabine Pass site is the first in the contiguous U.S. to be able to export LNG. The project is expected to cost about $5.6 billion.
Related articles
- Corpus Christi, TX: Cheniere files permits to build terminal, export LNG (appliedagrotech.net)
Occidental unit to buy ex-naval station in Texas
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 9:28 am by Associated Press
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A unit of oil producer Occidental Petroleum Corp. has reached an $82 million deal to buy the South Texas site of former Naval Station Ingleside.
Port of Corpus Christi commissioners on Tuesday approved a contract with Oxy Ingleside Property Holdings for 815 acres.
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports Oxy has about 90 days to close the sale.
Spokesman Mark Evans says Oxy filed a permit application last week with Texas environmental regulators to build a fractionator at a nearby Oxy Chemicals unit. The new property would be used to help support the chemical plant’s natural gas operations and exports.
Houston-based Canyon Supply and Logistics earlier this year failed to make a $19 million down payment for 187 acres of the former naval facility, which closed in 2010.
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- Port Corpus Christi Gets New Director of Engineering Services (USA) (mb50.wordpress.com)
Port Corpus Christi Gets New Director of Engineering Services (USA)
Port Corpus Christi announced yesterday the promotion of David Krams to Director of Engineering Services under the supervision of the Deputy Port Director of Engineering, Finance and Administration.
Krams’ experience at the Port and in private practice made him well qualified for the responsibilities as the new head of the Port’s Engineering Department. Krams will replace Greg W. Brubeck, who officially retires July 31, 2012 after 23 years of service to the Port. “I am looking forward to working with David during this two month transition period. David is most qualified to become the next Director of Engineering Services.” said Brubeck.
David Krams joined the port in 1994, after first working as a consulting engineer in the Corpus Christi area for ten years, specializing in underwater engineering related to marine and waterfront facilities. Prior to his promotion as Director of Engineering Services, Krams was the port’s Senior Project Engineer, who in 2009, was promoted to Manager of Channel Development responsible for the Corpus Christi Ship Channel – Channel Improvement Project, a Federal navigation planning project to widen and deepen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel from -45 feet to -52 feet and to extend the La Quinta Ship Channel. Krams also serves as the project manager for the La Quinta Multi-purpose/Container Project to be served by the La Quinta Ship Channel Improvements.
David Krams is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas. He received his Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering from Texas A&M University – College Station. Krams is a resident of Corpus Christi since 1972, active in the local community, serving on various local executive and regular boards and committees.
Greg W. Brubeck joined the staff of the Port in 1989 as an Engineer Planner and was subsequently promoted to Deputy Director of Engineering and later to Director of Engineering Services. A Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas, Brubeck received his BSME from the United States Naval academy in 1969 and MSCE from Texas A&M University in 1980. A retired Commander, Mr. Brubeck proudly served twenty years in the United States Navy as both a Naval Aviator and Civil Engineer Corps Officer.
Mr. Brubeck has been a resident of Corpus Christi since 1986. In addition to several work related professional organizations, Mr. Brubeck is active in the local community and is a graduate of Leadership Corpus Christi Class XX, a Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Corpus Christi, a Past President of the Coastal Bend Post of the Society of American Military Engineers, and Past Board Member of the Navy–Army Federal Credit Union. Mr. Brubeck was born in Indiana and was raised in several States and in the Far East and Europe in the family of a career United States Army Corps of Engineers officer prior to becoming a Texan.
Shale Drilling boosts South Texas sales tax revenues
By Mike D. Smith Posted January 2, 2012 at 6:32 p.m.
CORPUS CHRISTI — Cities across South Texas are coasting atop rising sales tax revenues strongly driven by two factors: retail and shale.
The Texas Comptroller‘s Office allocated more than $4 million to Corpus Christi in December.
The payment brings the city’s yearly total to more than $62.7 million, or 12 percent higher than what the city received by late 2010, figures show.
Monthly sales tax revenue payments are staggered. The December figures reflect taxes collected in October, which vendors reported in November.
Retail activity has shown an increase, but the totals also show impacts of Eagle Ford Shale drilling more than 50 miles away are rippling into the city, interim Finance Director Constance Sanchez said.
“That would be the different companies that are needed for the Eagle Ford Shale and they’re buying equipment and things they need for that,” Sanchez said.
For the city’s fiscal year, which began Aug. 1, the city has collected 11.9 percent more revenue than what was collected during the same time in 2010 and 7.4 percent above what the city budgeted, Sanchez said.
While the city is happy with the positive difference, the windfall doesn’t mean officials can relax headed into the next budget season.
Property tax revenue increased at a much lesser rate than in previous years, Sanchez said. Preliminary property values will arrive in April.
Even with cuts, some city expenses have also increased such as utilities and contractual obligations, Sanchez said.
“We have to take all this into account,” Sanchez said. “It’s really too soon to say things are looking good because of the overall big picture.”
Eagle Ford’s effects are more pronounced in some of the cities at or near the heart of production.
George West in Live Oak County, for example, received a monthly allocation of more than $57,000, which is 56 percent higher than December 2010’s payment.
Through the December payment, George West is up 54 percent with more than $616,000, figures show.
Beeville‘s monthly allocation increased about 40 percent over December 2010, and the city is up 26 percent in collections with about $3.4 million.
Alice, away from the heart of drilling activity in Jim Wells County, continues to enjoy the retail and other side benefits of drilling as hotels are built and stores expand.
Alice’s allocations top $15.3 million, which is 44 percent higher than by the same time in 2010.
Statewide, the Comptroller‘s Office remitted $478.3 million to local governments in December — a year-to-year increase of 9.7 percent.
Related articles
- Eagle Ford Shale Drilling Permits Soar 150 Percent From a Year Ago (ibtimes.com)
- Marubeni Buys Eagle Ford Shale Assets (USA) (mb50.wordpress.com)
- 10% boost in S.A. home building predicted for 2012 (mysanantonio.com)
USA: SAC Capital Buys 5.7 Percent Stake in Cheniere
SAC Capital Advisors, a hedge fund run by US investor Steven Cohen, purchased a 5.7 percent stake in Cheniere Energy, according to a filing with SEC.
Cheniere is a Houston-based energy company primarily engaged in LNG related businesses, and owns and operates the Sabine Pass LNG terminal and Creole Trail pipeline in Louisiana.
The company has initiated a project to add liquefaction services that would transform the Sabine Pass LNG terminal into a bi-directional facility capable of exporting LNG.
Cheniere recently also announced that it is developing a LNG export terminal at one of the company’s existing sites that was previously permitted for a regasification terminal, located in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Articles
- USA: Cheniere Declares Quarterly Distributions
- Cheniere Energy Partners Initiating Project to Add Liquefaction Capabilities at the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal (USA)
- Societe Generale Says Cheniere Can Make Sabine Pass Export Decision After Fenosa Deal (USA)
- Cheniere Signs MOU with Gas Natural SDG for Bi-Directional Processing Capacity at the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal (USA)
- Cheniere Energy and Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. Agree to Restructure Marketing TUA Arrangements to Improve Capital Structure (USA)
Related articles
- USA: Cheniere Plans Corpus Christi LNG Export Terminal (mb50.wordpress.com)
- Lithuania: Cheniere Eyes LNG Exports by 2015 (mb50.wordpress.com)
- Gas Natural Fenosa Deals with Cheniere Energy to Buy US Shale Gas Sourced LNG (mb50.wordpress.com)
- USA: Cheniere Enters into Contract with Bechtel (mb50.wordpress.com)
- USA: Cheniere, BG Ink LNG Sale and Purchase Deal (mb50.wordpress.com)
- USA: Societe Generale Says Cheniere Can Make Sabine Pass Export Decision After Fenosa Deal (mb50.wordpress.com)
- Chesapeake CEO Opposes US LNG Exports (mb50.wordpress.com)
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