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Gas Processing/LNG

Iraq cabinet OKs $17.2 billion Shell gas deal

The Iraqi cabinet Tuesday approved a deal worth up to $17.2 billion for Shell to capture and process gas from three giant southern oil fields - Rumaila, West Qurna phase 1, and Zubair in the southern governorate of Basra, a government spokesman said. The Iraqi Oil Ministry initialed the Iraq South Gas agreements last July with Shell and Japan's Mitsubishi Corp.

Atlas Pipeline to expand natural gas processing capacity in west Texas

Atlas Pipeline announced plans to construct a new 200 million cubic feet/day (MMCFD) cryogenic processing plant to accommodate rapidly increasing Permian production in Texas. Pioneer Natural Resources, which partners with Atlas on the WestTX system and owns a 27.2% interest in the facility - will participate in the projects costs and cash flows and will anchor the production growth behind the expansion.

Japan, Russia agree to boost ties, eye LNG project

Japan and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding Saturday aimed at boosting economic relations between the two countries in broad areas including energy, high technology and health care. The two ministers also agreed to work together in a project to build a liquefied natural gas plant in Vladivostok, Russian Far East, for natural gas produced in the island of Sakhalin.

IHS acquires downstream market research firm Purvin & Gertz

Consultancy group IHS has acquired Purvin & Gertz, a global advisory and market research firm that provides technical, commercial and strategic advice to international clients in the petroleum refining, natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil and petrochemical industries.

BHP Billiton to spend $4.5bn on US shale this year

BHP Billiton Ltd. plans to invest roughly $4.5 billion developing the shale oil and gas assets it bought in the US this financial year as it ramps up production, the head of the mining company's petroleum division said Monday. BHP is targeting US shale production of 90 million barrels of oil equivalent in the year through June or about 250,000 BOE/day.

US shale study finds no clear link between fracking, water contamination

Initial findings from a study on hydraulic fracturing in shale gas development suggest no direct link to reports of groundwater contamination. The project leader offered early observations from the study at a briefing in Fort Worth, attended by local government officials, regulators and energy company executives.

API launches new US advertising campaign against higher oil, gas taxes

American Petroleum Institute (API) chief executive Jack Gerard unveiled a new advertising campaign this week, which he says is to encourage lawmakers on the US Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to focus on job creation and revenues through economic growth rather than what the API calls “punitive tax increases” on industry. The new advertisements are available online for viewing.

IEA unveils 2011 World Energy Outlook, says policy changes needed to cut emissions

Without a bold change of policy direction, the world will lock itself into an insecure, inefficient and high-carbon energy system, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned as it launched the 2011 edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO). "Governments need to introduce stronger measures to drive investment in efficient and low-carbon technologies," said IEA executive director Maria van der Hoeven.

Carbon Sciences touts new gas-to-liquids process

Carbon Sciences Inc. announced a breakthrough technology to their gas-to-liquids (GTL) process that yields liquid transportation fuels from natural gas and carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon Sciences' proprietary catalyst technology is aimed at reducing the cost of syngas production by eliminating the expensive requirements for oxygen and steam.

GTC inks process technology deal with RATE for gas processing, sulfur recovery

GTC Technology announced a global agreement with Rameshni & Associates Technology and Engineering (RATE) for gas processing and sulfur recovery solutions. GTC expects this agreement to expand its offering to greater than 2,500 tons/day of sulfur and 4,000 MMSCFD (4,000,000 NM3/H).