B07 Oil and Gas Extraction

IEA head warns low oil prices may threaten energy security

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 10-Feb-16

The International Energy Agency’s executive director, Fatih Birol, says investment in oil production is expected to fall by 16 per cent in 2016, following a 20 per cent downturn in 2015. He has warned that some higher-cost projects may be delayed or put on hold if the crude oil price remains at current levels. This in turn could increase reliance on oil from the Middle East, where geopolitical tensions could affect global oil supply. Birol also noted that Australia’s LNG projects will benefit global energy security in the long-term.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE

High LNG exports help wipe fuel import costs

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 9-Feb-16

EnergyQuest estimates that strong growth in LNG exports reduced Australia’s petroleum deficit to about $A4m in December 2015. It was the smallest petroleum deficit since August 2010, and followed the commencement of production at the three LNG processing plants at Gladstone in Queensland. Australia’s LNG production rose by 48 per cent year-on-year in December, although the downturn in the crude oil price resulted in LNG export revenue falling by 0.5 per to $A1.575bn.

CORPORATES
ENERGYQUEST PTY LTD, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, CONOCOPHILLIPS, CHEVRON CORPORATION

Unlock gas reserves, states told

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Original article by Annabel Hepworth
The Australian – Page: 19 : 8-Feb-16

A report by the Office of the Chief Economist highlights the gas industry’s contribution to the Australian economy. It estimates that gas accounted for 407.6 petajoules of the manufacturing industry’s final energy consumption in 2013-14, compared with just 225.6 petajoules of electricity. It also notes that the gas industry has a workforce of about 155,000. Australian Pipelines & Gas Association CEO Cheryl Cartwright says the report demonstrates the need for a greater focus on supplying gas for domestic use rather than to export markets.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ECONOMIST, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN PIPELINES AND GAS ASSOCIATION, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, NEW SOUTH WALES MINERALS COUNCIL, ENERGY USERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

RIP for CSG as AGL exits

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 19 : 5-Feb-16

AGL Energy will write down the value of its coal seam gas assets by $A795m after announcing that it will cease all gas exploration and production. AGL will not proceed with the $A1bn Gloucester CSG project in New South Wales, while it will terminate production at the Camden project 12 years ahead of schedule in 2023. MD Andy Vesey has attributed the decision to exit the gas sector to factors such as the fall in commodity prices and lower demand for gas in New South Wales.

CORPORATES
AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, THE GREENS NSW INCORPORATED, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, ARROW ENERGY LIMITED, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, PETROCHINA COMPANY LIMITED, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Oil, gas jobs on the skids

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 4-Feb-16

A survey of oil and gas industry executives by Norwegian consulting firm DNV GL shows that nearly 75 per cent of respondents expect the crude oil price to remain weak for some time. Meanwhile, 31 per cent indicated that they will shed staff in 2016 to reduce costs, compared with 25 per cent a year ago. The survey also found that 74 per cent of companies with a capitalisation of at least $US5bn intend to reduce their capital expenditure in 2016.

CORPORATES
DNV GL, EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION, BP PLC, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, BEACH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX BPT, DRILLSEARCH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX DLS

Blackstone expects oil price to ‘self-correct’

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 33 : 2-Feb-16

The price of Brent crude oil was trading at $US35 a barrel in early February 2016, having reached a low of $US28 in January. Blackstone Group president Hamilton James says the current price of crude oil is unsustainable and he expects it to rebound to around the $US75 level in coming years. James adds that the global oil surplus may not be sustained, as US oil supply is likely to fall if the crude oil price remains low.

CORPORATES
THE BLACKSTONE GROUP LP

Gorgon to start up – soon

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Original article by Brian Robins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 1-Feb-16

US-based Chevron Corporation has advised that production at the $US54bn ($A76bn) Gorgon LNG project in Western Australia is slated to commence shortly. The first shipment is now expected before the end of the March 2016 quarter, after the initial target of late 2015 was pushed back. Meanwhile, Chevron anticipates that the first shipment from its Wheatstone LNG project will occur by mid-2017.

CORPORATES
CHEVRON CORPORATION, GORGON PTY LTD

Moody’s may cut Woodside, Origin ratings

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Original article by Brian Robins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 25-Jan-16

Ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service has scaled back its Brent crude oil price assumptions by $US10 per barrel in both 2016 and 2017, to $US33 and $US38 respectively. The firm notes that there is a risk of a further downturn in the crude oil price. Meanwhile, Moody’s has indicated that it expects to complete a review of the credit ratings of Origin Energy and Woodside Petroleum by the end of March, which could potentially result in downgrades.

CORPORATES
MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, SCHLUMBERGER LIMITED

Woodside takes $1.7bn hit as oil prices slump

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 17 : 22-Jan-16

Oil and gas producer Woodside Petroleum has reported revenue of $US1.105bn for the December 2015 quarter, which is 37 per cent lower than the same period in 2014. Revenue for the full year also fell by 37 per cent to $US4.5bn, due to the downturn in the crude oil price. Woodside has advised that its full-year accounts will be marred by asset write-downs of up to $US1bn ($A1.2bn). Its shares closed $A0.39 lower at $A25 on 21 January 2016.

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, APACHE CORPORATION, DEUTSCHE BANK AG

More oil, gas write-downs set to follow BHP’s lead

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 18-Jan-16

The downturn in the crude oil price prompted a number of Australian-listed energy groups to announce write-downs in 2015. The price of Brent crude oil closed at $US28.94 per barrel on 15 January 2016, coinciding with BHP Billiton’s announcement that its 2015-16 interim results are likely to include a $US7.2bn impairment charge on its oil and gas assets. Mark Busuttil of JP Morgan has forecast that Santos could announce a pre-tax write-off of about $A2bn.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, BEACH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX BPT, SENEX ENERGY LIMITED – ASX SXY, AWE LIMITED – ASX AWE, DRILLSEARCH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX DLS, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, BLOOMBERG LP, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, BG GROUP PLC, GLADSTONE LNG PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LNG LIMITED