2025-07-30 00:40
India's Seven Islands, GESCO seek release of ships, sources say Nayara trims refinery runs on storage constraints, sources say HPCL diverts vessel from Vadinar to Mangalore, sources say India is top importer of seaborne Russian crude NEW DELHI, July 29 (Reuters) - The owners of three vessels chartered by India's Nayara Energy have asked to end their contracts with company, six sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, under pressure from EU sanctions imposed on the Russian-owned refiner. Nayara, majority-owned by Russian entities including oil major Rosneft (ROSN.MM) , opens new tab, runs India's third-biggest refinery and exports refined products and also supplies them domestically. Sign up here. Fresh European Union sanctions unveiled on July 18 that target Russia and its energy sector over Moscow's war in Ukraine, have been increasingly disruptive to Nayara. Reuters earlier reported it has been forced to reduce operations at its 400,000-barrels-per-day refinery due to fuel storage constraints. India-based Seven Islands Shipping Ltd (SEVI.NS) , opens new tab and Great Eastern Shipping Co (GESC.NS) , opens new tab (GESCO) have asked Nayara to release the three clean products tankers from their contracts, citing concerns over the sanctions, five of the sources told Reuters. Seven Islands is seeking the release of its medium-range vessels Bourbon and Courage, while GESCO has sought the return of the Jag Pooja, the sources said. The sources declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media. Mumbai-based Nayara did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. It has previously criticised the EU sanctions, calling them "unjust and unilateral". Seven Islands and GESCO did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Bourbon is anchored near Vadinar port in western India, where Nayara's refinery is based, while Courage and Jag Pooja are floating off Kochi and Ennore ports, respectively, data from analytics firm Kpler showed. Another tanker, Sanmar Songbird, chartered by Indian state refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL.NS) , opens new tab, was scheduled to load gasoline from Nayara on Tuesday, according to three sources and LSEG data. But it has since been diverted to load from Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL.NS) , opens new tab, sources said. The diversion was due to the sanctions and the lack of available insurance cover for the voyage, they said. HPCL and Sanmar did not immediately respond to requests for comment. India has become the biggest importer of Russian seaborne crude since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Last week, Reuters reported that a tanker carrying Russian Urals crude was diverted from Nayara's Vadinar port following the EU sanctions announcement, while two other tankers skipped loading refined products there. Nayara's CEO resigned in the wake of the new sanctions, and the company filed a court case in India against Microsoft (MSFT.O) , opens new tab after the U.S. software giant suspended services to the firm. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/shippers-ask-end-contracts-with-russian-backed-refiner-nayara-sources-say-2025-07-29/
2025-07-30 00:30
July 29 (Reuters) - One of the U.S. Department of Energy's 17 national labs was attacked by hackers as part of a recent campaign seeking to exploit flaws in Microsoft's (MSFT.O) , opens new tab SharePoint software, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing a department spokesperson. "Attackers did attempt to access Fermilab's SharePoint servers," a Department of Energy spokesperson told Bloomberg, referring to the U.S. Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. Sign up here. "The attackers were quickly identified, and the impact was minimal, with no sensitive or classified data accessed," the spokesperson said, adding that Fermilab’s servers are back online and running normally. Microsoft, Fermilab and the U.S. Department of Energy did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. A security patch released by Microsoft last month failed to fully fix a critical flaw in the U.S. tech giant's SharePoint server software that had been identified in May, opening the door to a sweeping global cyber espionage operation. Fermilab, established in 1967, is "America's particle physics and accelerator laboratory," according to its website. Last week, a U.S. Department of Energy spokesperson told Reuters that on July 18 a SharePoint security flaw impacted its systems, including those of the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile. The department had stated that all affected systems were being restored. https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-fermilab-hit-cyberattack-targeting-microsofts-sharepoint-bloomberg-news-2025-07-29/
2025-07-29 23:59
SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO, July 29 (Reuters) - Brazilian state-run oil firm Petrobras (PETR4.SA) , opens new tab reported on Tuesday a total oil, gas and gas liquids production of 2.91 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) in the second quarter, up 7.8% from a year earlier. Petrobras' oil production in Brazil reached 2.32 million barrels per day (bpd), a 7.6% increase, with the firm noting that during the second quarter five floating production vessels increased output and one started operating. Sign up here. Sales of oil, gas and derivatives reached 2.98 million boed, a 1.6% increase, while exports of oil and derivatives rose 2.7%, to some 874,000 bpd, said the firm. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/petrobras-posts-q2-oil-gas-output-up-nearly-8-year-earlier-2025-07-29/
2025-07-29 23:59
First major LNG export facility in Canada faces startup challenges Western Canadian gas prices remain low despite LNG Canada startup LNG Canada expects export pace to increase after initial break-in period LONDON/HOUSTON/CALGARY, July 29 (Reuters) - Shell-led (SHEL.L) , opens new tab LNG Canada is experiencing technical problems as it ramps up production at its liquefied natural gas plant at Kitimat, with one LNG tanker diverting away from the facility without the superchilled fuel in recent days, according to four sources and LSEG ship tracking data. The plant is the first major LNG export facility in Canada and the first on the west coast of North America, providing direct access to Asia, the world's largest LNG market. Sign up here. The facility is expected to convert about 2 billion cubic feet of gas per day (bcfd) to LNG when fully operational, which market participants have hoped will boost Canadian natural gas prices. Western Canadian natural gas prices remain depressed, however, due to a persistent supply glut that has not yet been drawn down by fresh demand from LNG Canada's July 1 startup. The daily spot price at the Alberta Energy Company (AECO) storage hub closed at $0.22 per mmBtu on Tuesday, compared to the U.S. Henry Hub benchmark price of $3.12, according to LSEG data. LNG Canada, which took almost seven years to be built, has been operating at less than half the capacity of its first plant, also called a train, two of the four sources said. The facility's Train 1 has experienced technical issues with a gas turbine and with a Refrigerant Production Unit (RPU), according to two other industry sources. The sources all spoke on condition of anonymity because the information was not public. In response, a LNG Canada spokesperson said a new-build facility at the joint venture's size and scale may face operational setbacks as it ramps up production and stabilizes. There has been at least one diversion by Shell of an empty LNG vessel to Peru, while other tankers remain close to the facility, LSEG ship tracking data showed. Ferrol Knutsen, a 170,520 cubic meters LNG tanker, was signaling that it was headed to the Kitimat port but then changed directions and is now off the coast of California on its way to Peru, according to LSEG ship tracking data. LNG Canada is a joint venture between Shell, Malaysia's Petronas (PGAS.KL) , opens new tab, PetroChina (601857.SS) , opens new tab, Japan's Mitsubishi Corp (8058.T) , opens new tab and South Korea's KOGAS (036460.KS) , opens new tab. When fully operational, LNG Canada will have a capacity to export 14 million metric tonnes per annum (mtpa), according to company statements. So far the facility has exported four cargoes, including its first shipment on July 1. Another shipment is expected in the coming days, the LNG Canada spokesperson said. The pace of exports from the plant will increase as it moves through early operations and into a steady shipping cadence, the spokesperson said. "In regular operations in Phase 1, we anticipate loading one export cargo from our facility every two days," the spokesperson added. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/shell-led-lng-canada-faces-problems-it-ramps-up-production-sources-say-2025-07-29/
2025-07-29 23:59
RIO DE JANEIRO, July 29 (Reuters) - Brazilian state-run oil firm Petrobras (PETR4.SA) , opens new tab produced 2.32 million barrels of oil per day in Brazil during the second quarter, it reported on Tuesday, marking a 7.6% rise over the same period last year, as new production vessels increased output. In the second quarter, four floating production vessels increased output, one reached peak production and another started operations ahead of schedule, boosting output for the period, the firm said. Sign up here. Petrobras' total oil, gas and gas liquids production reached 2.91 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) in the second quarter, up 7.8% from a year earlier, and sales of oil, gas and derivatives reached 2.98 million boed, a 1.6% increase. Petrobras' exports of oil and derivatives rose 2.7% to some 874,000 barrels per day, the firm said. During the period, China was the main destination for the company's oil, receiving 54% of the total, four percentage points above the same period last year. The United States received around 8% of oil exports, up from 5% in the second quarter of 2024. Earlier this month Petrobras Chief Executive Magda Chambriard told Reuters that the firm may redirect the oil it sells to the U.S., sending more to Asia and Pacific markets if higher tariffs the U.S. announced for the South American country come into effect. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/petrobras-oil-output-rises-76-q2-boosted-by-production-vessels-ramp-up-2025-07-29/
2025-07-29 23:38
Repeal to end limits on vehicle and power plant emissions, hinder future US climate efforts EPA's action marks largest deregulatory move in US history Proposal could save $54 bln annually by repealing standards -Zeldin Environmental groups predict legal challenges to the proposal Finding upheld in several legal challenges since 2009 WASHINGTON, July 29 (Reuters) - The Trump administration said on Tuesday it will rescind the long-standing finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health, removing the legal foundation for all U.S. greenhouse gas regulations. If finalized, the repeal would end current limits on greenhouse gas pollution from vehicle tailpipes, power plants, smokestacks and other sources, and hamper future U.S. efforts to combat global warming. Sign up here. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency's plan to rescind the "endangerment finding" at an event at a car dealership in Indiana, alongside Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and called it the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history. The proposal, which needs to undergo a public comment period, would cut $54 billion in costs annually through the repeal of all greenhouse gas standards, including the vehicle tailpipe standard, he said. Under President Joe Biden, the EPA said the tailpipe rules through 2032 would avoid more than 7 billion tons of carbon emissions as it prodded automakers to build more EVs and provide nearly $100 billion of annual net benefits to society including $62 billion in reduced fuel costs, and maintenance and repair costs for drivers. Environmental groups blasted the move, saying it spells the end of the road for U.S. action against climate change, even as the impacts of global warming become more severe. "With today’s announcement, the EPA is telling us in no uncertain terms that U.S. efforts to address climate change are over. For the industries that contribute most to climate change, the message is 'pollute more.' For everyone feeling the pain of climate disasters, the message is 'you’re on our own,'" said Abigail Dillen, president of Earthjustice. The move is expected to trigger legal challenges, according to several environmental groups, states and lawyers. Zeldin said a 2024 Supreme Court decision that reduced the power of federal agencies to interpret the laws they administer, known as the Chevron deference, means that the EPA does not have the ability to regulate greenhouse gases. "We do not have that power on our own to decide as an agency that we are going to combat global climate change because we give ourselves that power," Zeldin said. He added that if Congress decides it wants to amend the federal Clean Air Act to explicitly state the U.S. should regulate carbon dioxide, methane and other planet-warming gases, the EPA would follow its lead. SHAKING THE FOUNDATION The endangerment finding's roots date back to 2009, when the EPA under former Democratic President Barack Obama issued a finding that emissions from new motor vehicles contribute to pollution and endanger public health and welfare. That assessment followed a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision in its landmark Massachusetts v. EPA case that said the EPA has the authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and required the agency to make a scientific finding on whether those emissions endanger public health. The endangerment finding was upheld in several legal challenges and underpinned subsequent greenhouse gas regulations, ranging from tailpipe standards for vehicles, carbon dioxide standards for aircraft, and methane standards for oil and gas operations. Zeldin and Wright challenged the global scientific consensus on climate change that global warming and its impacts have since been unfolding faster than expected and that policymakers need to step up action to curb global greenhouse gas emissions. They also contradict the advisory opinion issued last week by the International Court of Justice, which said failure by governments to reduce emissions could be an internationally wrongful act, and found that treaties such as the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change should be considered legally binding. The administration has already dismissed all authors of the U.S. National Climate Assessment, which detailed climate change impacts across the country. "Now the public is open to engage in a thoughtful dialogue about what is climate change? It is a real physical phenomenon. It's worthy of study. It's worthy of even some action, but what we have done instead is nothing related to the actual science of climate change or pragmatic ways to make progress," Wright said. Zeldin said on a podcast earlier Tuesday that the endangerment finding never acknowledged "any benefit or need for carbon dioxide." Industry reaction was limited on Tuesday, with some trade groups weighing in and some companies remaining quiet. American Trucking Associations welcomed the announcement, saying that Biden-era vehicle emissions standards "put the trucking industry on a path to economic ruin and would have crippled our supply chain," said its president, Chris Spear. Ford (F.N) , opens new tab said in a statement that Biden-created tailpipe standards did "not align with the market," and America needs "a single, stable standard to foster business planning." "The standard should align with science and customer choice, reduce carbon emissions by getting more stringent over time, and grow American manufacturing," Ford said. Other automakers Toyota (7203.T) , opens new tab, GM (GM.N) , opens new tab, Stellantis (STLAM.MI) , opens new tab declined to comment. Marty Durbin, president of the Global Energy Institute at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said it welcomed the administration's focus on affordable energy but said it is still weighing the proposal. "While we did not call for this proposal, we are reviewing it and will consult with members so we can provide constructive feedback to the agency,” he said. California Air Resources Board chair Liane Randolph said the EPA move chooses "polluter fantasyland over proven science. Meanwhile, back on Earth, the planet continues to suffer the consequences of unchecked carbon pollution." https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/trumps-epa-targets-key-health-ruling-underpinning-all-us-greenhouse-gas-rules-2025-07-29/
