A view of a quiet registration desk for the World Petroleum Congress in Houston, Texas, U.S. on December 5, 2021 as organizers grappled with the fallout of new virus travel restrictions
Mon, December 6, 2021
By Liz Hampton and Sabrina Valle
HOUSTON (Reuters) -A global energy conference devoted to future technologies and low-carbon strategies kicked off in Houston on Monday with top executives from energy companies affirming the need for more oil for decades to come.
The World Petroleum Conference's four days of discussion started with chief executives from global giants Exxon Mobil Corp, Saudi Aramco, Chevron Corp and Halliburton Co all promoting the need to deliver oil and gas globally even as the world transitions to cleaner fuels.
World fossil fuel demand has rebounded sharply in 2021, with natural gas already at pre-pandemic levels and oil nearing levels reached in 2019. As demand has soared, economies in Europe and Asia have had to face power and heating supply shortages, forcing them to scramble for fuel or limit demand, and prices have surged. At the same time, numerous large oil-producing countries have not been able to keep up with output targets.
"The world is facing an even more chaotic energy transition," said Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser. "Energy security, economic development and affordability are clearly not receiving enough attention. Until they are, and we clear the gaps in the transition strategy, the chaos will only intensify."
Large global majors, especially those based in Europe, are limiting exploration and production in an attempt to shift to renewable power development and as governments promote efforts to cut carbon emissions to deal with rising worldwide temperatures.
Anders Opedal, CEO of Norway's Equinor, said energy companies have a responsibility to bring down emissions and provide energy. "We will need oil and gas for many years to come but with reduced emissions," he said.
Exxon is targeting net zero greenhouse gas emissions from its U.S. Permian assets by 2030, as part of a plan to reduce upstream emissions.
"The fact remains, under most credible scenarios, including net zero pathways, oil and natural gas will continue to play a significant role in meeting society's need," Exxon CEO Darren Woods said at the conference.
More than 80% of the world’s energy demand is supplied by oil and gas, said Stephen Green, Chevron's head of North America exploration and production. Chevron is committed to reducing carbon emissions until "game changing technologies" allow a lower carbon energy environment, Green said.
"The world will continue to need energy to get us through the transition," he said.
FIRST MOVERS
U.S. officials took the opportunity to talk about President Joe Biden's clean energy agenda while insisting on the need to address high fuel prices. The Biden administration has had a strained relationship with the fossil fuel industry in its first year in office.
Oil majors need to "step on to the plate" and be part of the climate solution, said David Turk, deputy U.S. Secretary of Energy. "First movers will have significant advantages."
Washington will not "stand in the way" of companies willing to increase domestic oil production as the industry tries to fully recover, he said.
"We need to make sure everyone has affordable, reliable and resilient energy," he said.
The conference was sapped of some of its star power at the outset due to COVID-19 travel restrictions that forced OPEC's secretary general and energy ministers from top oil producing nations like Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan and Qatar, to bow out, along with the CEOs of BP , Sonatrach and Qatar Energy.
(Reporting by Erwin Seba, Marianna Parraga, Sabrina Valle and Liz Hampton; editing by Jason Neely and Marguerita Choy)
BlackRock, Saudi asset manager Hassana sign deal for Aramco's gas pipelines
General view of Aramco tanks and oil pipe at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal
Mon, December 6, 2021
By Saeed Azhar
DUBAI (Reuters) -Saudi Aramco said on Monday it has signed a $15.5 billion lease-and-leaseback deal for its gas pipeline network with a consortium led by BlackRock Real Assets and state-backed Hassana Investment Co.
Gulf oil producers are looking at sales of stakes in energy assets and raising cash through long-term leases, capitalising on a rebound in crude prices to attract foreign investors.
Earlier this year Aramco sold a 49% stake in its oil pipelines to a consortium led by U.S.-based EIG under a similar structure for $12.4 billion.
As part of the latest transaction, a newly formed subsidiary, Aramco Gas Pipelines Co, will lease usage rights in the state energy firm's gas pipelines network and lease them back to Aramco for a 20-year period, it said.
In return, Aramco Gas Pipelines Co will receive a tariff payable by Aramco for the gas products that will flow through the network, backed by minimum commitments on throughput.
Aramco will hold a 51% majority stake in Aramco Gas Pipeline Company and sell a 49% stake to investors led by BlackRock and Hassana, the asset management arm of the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI).
Other bidders in the race included EIG and Brookfield, sources told Reuters earlier.
"The deal unlocks additional value from Aramco's diverse asset base and has attracted interest from a wide range of worldwide investors, highlighting the compelling investment opportunity," it said in a statement.
Aramco will continue to retain full ownership and operational control of its gas pipeline network, and the transaction will not impose any restrictions on its production volumes, it said.
General view of Aramco tanks and oil pipe at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal
Mon, December 6, 2021
By Saeed Azhar
DUBAI (Reuters) -Saudi Aramco said on Monday it has signed a $15.5 billion lease-and-leaseback deal for its gas pipeline network with a consortium led by BlackRock Real Assets and state-backed Hassana Investment Co.
Gulf oil producers are looking at sales of stakes in energy assets and raising cash through long-term leases, capitalising on a rebound in crude prices to attract foreign investors.
Earlier this year Aramco sold a 49% stake in its oil pipelines to a consortium led by U.S.-based EIG under a similar structure for $12.4 billion.
As part of the latest transaction, a newly formed subsidiary, Aramco Gas Pipelines Co, will lease usage rights in the state energy firm's gas pipelines network and lease them back to Aramco for a 20-year period, it said.
In return, Aramco Gas Pipelines Co will receive a tariff payable by Aramco for the gas products that will flow through the network, backed by minimum commitments on throughput.
Aramco will hold a 51% majority stake in Aramco Gas Pipeline Company and sell a 49% stake to investors led by BlackRock and Hassana, the asset management arm of the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI).
Other bidders in the race included EIG and Brookfield, sources told Reuters earlier.
"The deal unlocks additional value from Aramco's diverse asset base and has attracted interest from a wide range of worldwide investors, highlighting the compelling investment opportunity," it said in a statement.
Aramco will continue to retain full ownership and operational control of its gas pipeline network, and the transaction will not impose any restrictions on its production volumes, it said.
GREENWASHING BLUE HYDROGEN FROM NATURAL GAS
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said in a statement Aramco and Saudi Arabia "are taking meaningful, forward-looking steps to transition the Saudi economy toward renewables, clean hydrogen, and a net zero future".
He added: "Responsibly-managed natural gas infrastructure has a meaningful role to play in this transition."
Saudi Aramco has increased its focus on hydrogen and renewables as it moves to net-zero carbon by 2050.
(Additional reporting by Davide Barbuscia and Hadeel Al Sayegh; Editing by Jan Harvey)
BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said in a statement Aramco and Saudi Arabia "are taking meaningful, forward-looking steps to transition the Saudi economy toward renewables, clean hydrogen, and a net zero future".
He added: "Responsibly-managed natural gas infrastructure has a meaningful role to play in this transition."
Saudi Aramco has increased its focus on hydrogen and renewables as it moves to net-zero carbon by 2050.
(Additional reporting by Davide Barbuscia and Hadeel Al Sayegh; Editing by Jan Harvey)
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