Bahrain Inaugurates First LNG Terminal

Bahrain’s completes its first LNG regasification terminal.
Bahrain’s completes its first LNG regasification terminal.
TT

Bahrain Inaugurates First LNG Terminal

Bahrain’s completes its first LNG regasification terminal.
Bahrain’s completes its first LNG regasification terminal.

Bahrain’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal has been completed, Oil Minister Sheikh Mohamed Al Khalifa announced on Sunday.

It houses a floating storage unit (FSU), an offshore LNG receiving jetty and breakwater, a regasification platform, subsea gas pipelines from the platform to shore, an onshore gas receiving facility and an onshore nitrogen production facility.

The Kingdom may not need to import LNG after the reserves that have been recently explored in the Gulf of Bahrain field, Al Khalifa announced.

He revealed serious talks with the Gulf Cooperation Council, especially Saudi Arabia, to establish a network of gas pipelines to link Bahrain to the rest of the Gulf states.

This step will have positively impact the expansion of oil and industrial projects in Bahrain, he stressed during an online interview hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce in Bahrain to discuss the latest developments in Bahrain’s oil sector, in light of the global coronavirus outbreak.

He stressed Bahrain’s keenness to boost cooperation in this field with various partners to exchange ideas and expertise and learn about the latest developments in modern technologies to develop the oil, gas and energy sector in the Kingdom.

Al Khalifa said the pandemic has led to an unprecedented decrease in oil demand, leading to concern in the oil industry and development projects.

“On this basis, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) adopted decisions during its last meeting in March to reduce oil production by 10 million barrels per day from May 1, for an initial period of two months.”

He expressed hope that the global pandemic will soon recede and the economy will flourish again.



Oil Heads for Weekly Gains on Anxiety over Intensifying Ukraine War

Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oilfield in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. Picture taken August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File Photo
Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oilfield in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. Picture taken August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File Photo
TT

Oil Heads for Weekly Gains on Anxiety over Intensifying Ukraine War

Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oilfield in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. Picture taken August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File Photo
Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oilfield in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. Picture taken August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick Oxford/File Photo

Oil prices extended gains on Friday, heading for a weekly uptick of more than 4%, as the Ukraine war intensified with Russian President Vladimir Putin warning of a global conflict.
Brent crude futures gained 10 cents, or 0.1%, to $74.33 a barrel by 0448 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 13 cents, or 0.2%, to $70.23 per barrel.
Both contracts jumped 2% on Thursday and are set to cap gains of more than 4% this week, the strongest weekly performance since late September, as Moscow stepped up its offensive against Ukraine after the US and Britain allowed Kyiv to strike Russia with their weapons.
Putin said on Thursday it had fired a ballistic missile at Ukraine and warned of a global conflict, raising the risk of oil supply disruption from one of the world's largest producers.
Russia this month said it produced about 9 million barrels of oil a day, even with output declines following import bans tied to its invasion of Ukraine and supply curbs by producer group OPEC+.
Ukraine has used drones to target Russian oil infrastructure, including in June, when it used long-range attack drones to strike four Russian refineries.
Swelling US crude and gasoline stocks and forecasts of surplus supply next year limited price gains.
"Our base case is that Brent stays in a $70-85 range, with high spare capacity limiting price upside, and the price elasticity of OPEC and shale supply limiting price downside," Goldman Sachs analysts led by Daan Struyven said in a note.
"However, the risks of breaking out are growing," they said, adding that Brent could rise to about $85 a barrel in the first half of 2025 if Iran supply drops by 1 million barrels per day on tighter sanctions enforcement under US President-elect Donald Trump's administration.
Some analysts forecast another jump in US oil inventories in next week's data.
"We will be expecting a rebound in production as well as US refinery activity next week that will carry negative implications for both crude and key products," said Jim Ritterbusch of Ritterbusch and Associates in Florida.
The world's top crude importer, China, meanwhile on Thursday announced policy measures to boost trade, including support for energy product imports, amid worries over Trump's threats to impose tariffs.