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Gas Processing/LNG

US NGL production to rise over 40% by 2016 - study

US natural gas liquids (NGL) production is expected to increase more than 40% over the next five years, according to a new joint market study from BENTEK Energy and Turner, Mason & Company (TM&C). Current levels of NGL infrastructure are inadequate to handle the surge in NGL production and significant new investment is needed to relieve bottlenecks, according to the authors.

Praxair to supply oxygen for Uruguay pulp mill

Praxair has signed a 15-year contract to supply oxygen to a new pulp mill complex being built in Punta Pereira, in the department of Colonia, Uruguay. Praxair will build, own and operate a non-cryogenic vacuum-pressure-swing-adsorption (VPSA) plant with a capacity of 126 tpd of gaseous oxygen.

UOP technology used to process natural gas on FPSO vessels in Brazil

Honeywell’s UOP said Tuesday that MODEC has commissioned a UOP Separex membrane system for processing natural gas on a new floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in Brazil. The FPSO was commissioned in July 2011.

Foster Wheeler inks engineering, construction pact for Qatargas LNG

Foster Wheeler and joint venture partner Qatar Kentz have signed an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) framework agreement with Qatargas Operating Co. (Qatargas). The agreement will be for three years with an option to extend for a further two years.

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.