ENERGY INDUSTRIES – AUSTRALIA

Gorgon’s maiden gas shipment

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 22-Mar-16

Bulk cargo carrier "Asia Excellence" has left Australia with the first shipment of LNG from Chevron’s $A55bn Gorgon project. The joint venture project was originally slated to cost $US37bn, but was beset by cost over-runs and construction delays. The first of three processing lines has been completed, with the other two trains slated to commence production in the next 12 months. The inaugural shipment comprises 160,000 cubic metres of LNG and will be delivered to buyers in Japan.

CORPORATES
CHEVRON CORPORATION, CHEVRON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GORGON JOINT VENTURE, EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, OSAKA GAS COMPANY, TOKYO GAS COMPANY LIMITED, CHUBU ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY INCORPORATED, WOOD MACKENZIE

New Santos chief executive wields axe as senior execs go

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 22-Mar-16

Santos has appointed Vince Santostefano to the post of COO, while Angus Jaffray will become executive vice president for strategy and corporate services. Meanwhile, James Baulderstone will step down as vice president of corporate development. Santos’s vice president for Queensland, Trevor Brown, will also leave the group. Both had been seen as potential successors to ex-CEO David Knox. New CEO vice president Queensland has commenced a restructuring program.

CORPORATES
SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, AZURE CONSULTING, THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP PTY LTD, CROWN CORK AND SEAL COMPANY

Price rout casts doubt on expansion

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 14-Mar-16

EnergyQuest’s Graeme Bethune has downplayed suggestions that some of the Queensland LNG production trains may be put on hold. The three projects will eventually have six trains, and Credit Suisse and RBC Capital Markets are among the firms which believe that at least one train could be mothballed amid a downturn in commodity prices. Santos and Origin Energy have indicated that the second trains of their LNG projects are expected to commence production on schedule.

CORPORATES
ENERGYQUEST, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LNG LIMITED, GLADSTONE LNG PTY LTD, QUEENSLAND CURTIS LNG PTY LTD, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED

Firing up: Chevron ready to ship first Gorgon gas cargo to Asia next week

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Andrew Burrell, Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 19 & 20 : 9-Mar-16

Production of LNG condensate has commenced at the Gorgon project in Western Australia, and project operator Chevron has advised that exports to customers in Asia will begin in mid-March 2016. It is estimated that the $US54bn ($A72.6bn) project will contribute some $A440bn to national GDP over the next three decades, while the Federal Government will receive about $A69bn in tax revenue from the project. The Gorgon project was beset by delays and cost over-runs.

CORPORATES
CHEVRON CORPORATION, GORGON JOINT VENTURE, EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, OSAKA GAS COMPANY, TOKYO GAS COMPANY LIMITED, CHUBU ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY INCORPORATED, CHEVRON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ACIL ALLEN CONSULTING PTY LTD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Origin Energy chief open to discuss merger offers

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 24 : 4-Mar-16

Market watchers have suggested a number of future strategies for Origin Energy, including a demerger or merging its oil and gas assets with Santos. Origin MD Grant King says the group has not ruled out any of the options that have been mooted, but he notes that all such deals would be complex and take time to complete. Meanwhile, King has downplayed concerns about a modest delay in progress on completing the first two production trains at the Australia Pacific LNG project in Queensland.

CORPORATES
ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LNG LIMITED, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, CONOCOPHILLIPS, SINOPEC CORPORATION, BECHTEL GROUP, KANSAI ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY INCORPORATED, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

Origin Energy strikes China LNG deal

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 2-Mar-16

Australian-listed Origin Energy has secured a preliminary agreement to supply 500,000 tonnes of LNG each year to the trading arm of China-based ENN Energy Holdings. The proposed five-year deal is the first that Origin has negotiated in its own right, rather than as part of the Australia Pacific LNG venture. Michael Dargue of Citigroup has questioned whether it is an appropriate time for Origin to become an LNG trader due to the potential risks.

CORPORATES
ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, ENN ENERGY HOLDINGS LIMITED, AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LNG LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, SINOPEC CORPORATION, KANSAI ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY INCORPORATED

Origin shareholders hit with dividend cut

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 21 : 19-Feb-16

Shares in Origin Energy closed 8.7 per cent higher at $A4.23 on 18 February 2016, despite posting a 2015-16 interim loss of $A254m. The result was marred by a sharp decline in the crude oil price, which has impacted on Origin’s LNG project in Queensland. Origin’s underlying profit for the half-year fell from $A346m to $A254m. Shareholders will receive an interim dividend of $A0.10 per share, compared with $A0.25 previously.

CORPORATES
ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, CONTACT ENERGY LIMITED – ASX CEN, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION

Oil rout hinders Browse outlook

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 19 & 20 : 18-Feb-16

Oil and gas producer Woodside Petroleum has slashed its full-year dividend payout after posting a 2015 net profit of $US26m, compared with $US2.41bn previously. The group’s underlying profit of $US1.126bn exceeded market forecasts, although it was 53 per cent lower than in 2014. Woodside’s full-year result was marred by factors such as a $US865m write-down and the downturn in the crude oil price. Shareholders will receive a full-year dividend of $US1.09 per share.

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, CHEVRON CORPORATION, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, BP PLC, MITSUBISHI CORPORATION, MITSUI AND COMPANY LIMITED, PETROCHINA COMPANY LIMITED, ORGANISATION OF PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Coates plans board shake-up at Santos

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Damon Kitney, Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 18 : 15-Feb-16

Oil and gas producer Santos has indicated that its 2015 financial results could include write-downs of up to $A3bn. Meanwhile, chairman Peter Coates has stressed the need for board renewal, noting that some directors have been on the board for a long time. However, he says there are no plans for further board changes in 2016, although there has been speculation that several could step down before the end of the year. Coates has also identified recruiting his eventual successor as a priority.

CORPORATES
SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, SCHLUMBERGER LIMITED, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, COCHLEAR LIMITED – ASX COH, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, CGI GLASS LEWIS PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, CONOCOPHILLIPS

Unlock gas reserves, states told

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

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