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EU settles on methane limits for fossil fuels imports

  • Market: Coal, Crude oil, Emissions, Natural gas, Petrochemicals
  • 15/11/23

The European parliament and EU states have agreed methane greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity thresholds, and penalties, for oil, coal and gas importers. Petrochemicals escape the new rules.

With a view to the upcoming UN Cop 28 climate talks in Dubai, parliament's chief lawmaker for methane regulation, Jutta Paulus, said it was "high time" to deliver on the global methane pledge.

"Not all fossil fuel exporting countries will appreciate it. But the US will appreciate the EU restricting imports to those countries that act on methane emissions," Paulus told Argus.

The text agreed between negotiators has to be formally adopted by parliament and by EU ministers. The regulation would then apply directly in the 27 EU states on publication in the bloc's official journal.

Oil, gas and coal importers would, from 1 January 2027, have to demonstrate equivalent monitoring, reporting and verification requirements at production level. And the European Commission would, within three years, have to propose delegated legislation setting methane intensity classes for producers' and companies' crude, natural gas and coal sold in the EU.

Individual EU states retain the right to set penalties. Parliament failed to have a provision for closing the EU market to non-compliant producers.

"On imports, I'm not so much worried about loopholes," said Paulus. "I'm more worried about a very very long timeline [till 2030]. The measures on imports will come pretty late and will not have an effect until at least 2028 when we have equivalency on monitoring, reporting and verification [of methane emissions]."

The regulation obliges oil and gas operators in the EU to detect and repair methane leaks, and to submit a methane-leak detection and repair programme to national authorities within nine months from the regulations' entry into force. A first leak-detection and repair survey of existing sites would have to take place within 12 months. There are strengthened repair obligations and general bans on venting and flaring methane from drainage stations and ventilation shafts.

For coal, EU countries have to measure and report methane emissions from operating underground and surface mines. For mines closed or abandoned in the past 70 years, countries have to draw up public inventories and measure emissions, except for mines flooded for more than 10 years. Coal mine flaring is banned from 1 January 2025 and venting from 1 January 2027, if those mines emit over 5t of methane per kilotonne of coal mined. Venting and flaring is banned from closed and abandoned mines from 1 January 2030.

Paulus regretted a "no go" from EU member states and commission for including methane emissions from the petrochemicals sector. But she said the commission will make sure that updated implementing rules to the bloc's Industrial Emissions directive, so-called Best Available Techniques (BAT), will be amended to include petrochemicals in 2030.

"The rules will be copy-pasted from the methane regulation," she said.

Paulus noted inclusion of an overarching methane target cut in the regulation would have excluded emissions from agriculture and waste, which the European Environment Agency (EEA) notes as responsible respectively for 53pc and 26pc of EU methane emissions compared with the energy sector's 19pc.


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11/02/25

BP promises strategy reset after sharp drop in profit

BP promises strategy reset after sharp drop in profit

London, 11 February (Argus) — BP today promised to "fundamentally reset" its strategy later this month after reporting a drop in underlying profit last year. The company alluded to what the reset might entail, noting that last year it had "laid the foundations for growth" by committing capital to new oil and gas projects and "refocusing" its investments in low-carbon assets. Details of the strategy shift will be outlined at a capital markets day for investors on 26 February. Key actions in 2024 included taking a final investment decision on the 80,000 b/d Kaskida oil field in the US Gulf of Mexico and raising its exposure to biofuels in Brazil . The company also took steps via a joint venture with Japanese utility Jera that will see it commit less capital to its wind energy investments. BP reported an underlying replacement cost profit — excluding inventory effects and one-off items — of $1.2bn for the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with $3bn a year earlier. For the full year, underlying replacement cost profit fell by 36pc compared with 2023 to $8.9bn, while cash flow from operations dropped to $27.3bn from $32bn. The company benefited from higher oil and gas production last year — up by 2pc on 2023 at 2.36mn b/d of oil equivalent (boe/d). But lower prices, a drop in refining margins and lower contributions from both oil and gas trading weighed on profitability. BP said it expects upstream production to be lower this year and refining margins "broadly flat". It expects a similar level of refinery maintenance in 2025, with the work "heavily weighted towards the first half" and the second quarter in particular. For now, BP is sticking with its share repurchasing programme, announcing a further $1.75bn of share buybacks for the fourth quarter. It has maintained its quarterly dividend at 8¢/share. The company's capital expenditure remained steady at $16.2bn last year. It will provide guidance on this year's investment budget at the strategy day later this month. By Jon Mainwaring Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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News

Trump imposes new tariffs on steel, aluminum


11/02/25
News
11/02/25

Trump imposes new tariffs on steel, aluminum

Washington, 10 February (Argus) — US president Donald Trump today imposed a 25pc tariff on all US imports of steel and aluminum, although he said he would consider making an exemption for imports from Australia. In remarks to reporters at the White House Trump complained that many of the steel and aluminum tariffs he imposed since 2018 have been moderated or reduced for some countries. Currently Australia and Canada can export any steel and aluminum they want to into the US without tariffs, while Mexico can export steel melted and poured in the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) agreement region into the US without tariffs, while any material with an origin outside of USMCA is subject to 25pc tariffs. "Our nation requires steel and aluminum to be made in America, not in foreign lands," Trump said. "It's 25pc without exceptions, and that's all countries, no matter where it comes from, all countries." But Trump, prompted by reporters, confirmed that he may make an exemption for Australian-sourced steel, after Canberra threatened to take reciprocal measures. "We have a surplus with Australia, one of the few," Trump said, referring to an overall trade surplus the US runs with Australia. "And the reason is they buy a lot of airplanes." Trump said he spoke with Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese earlier today. "I told him that [steel tariff exemptions] is something that we will give great consideration." A similar exemption for the UK is unlikely since the US already is running a trade deficit with that country, Trump said. Trump contended that his initial volley of tariffs in 2018 led to the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs in the US and boosted economic growth. A 2019 study from the Federal Reserve Board that was updated in 2024 estimates that taking into account retaliatory tariffs, there was a net decrease in US jobs and economic growth from the tariffs. US oil and gas midstream companies were among the industries hit by the 2018 tariffs, which led to higher costs for pipeline steel. Most steel imports from non-tariffed US steel imports are heavily reliant on the countries that are currently not subject to US tariffs, with their volumes making up 80pc of the 26.2mn metric tonnes (t) of steel products imported in 2024, according to US Department of Commerce data. Steel tariff rate quota (TRQ) systems are in place for Argentina, Brazil, the EU, Japan, South Korea and the UK for steel products, with specifics dependent on the country. The CME Midwest hot-rolled coil (HRC) futures market jumped today, after Trump said on Sunday he would impose new tariffs, by $51/short ton (st) for March to $856/st, while April increased by $48/st to $858/st. Steel costs would rise by $6.38bn based on the $25.5bn value of 2024 steel imports from those nontariffed countries, if volumes remained the same. Those higher costs would lead to more US steel mill price increases, with one buyer expecting another round of price increases coming soon from US steelmakers. Steelmaker Nucor has increased its published hot-rolled coil (HRC) spot price by $40/short ton (st) in the last three weeks to $790/st. Other steelmakers like ArcelorMittal USA, Cleveland-Cliffs, and US Steel are at $800/st offers for their spot HRC. Canada key aluminum supplier In the aluminum market, the US imported over 6mn t of products in 2024, according to customs data. Canadian aluminum exporters currently have no restrictions on their volumes into the US. They shipped the highest volumes into the US and are responsible for an even larger share of primary aluminum imports. Current US primary aluminum smelting capacity, excluding idled operations, is around 795,000t/yr, which equaled less than one-third of Canadian imports and one-fifth of total imports. There are multiple idled primary aluminum facilities and a greenfield plant currently under construction, but observers and company representatives challenged the feasibility of idled plant restarts in the past. TRQ systems exist for US aluminum imports from Argentina, the EU, and the UK. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Natural gas industry hedges US-Canada tariff risk


10/02/25
News
10/02/25

Natural gas industry hedges US-Canada tariff risk

New York, 10 February (Argus) — North American natural gas producers and LNG importers are evaluating their exposure to impending tariffs on Canadian gas flowing into the US, including how they could benefit from uncertainty around the policy. Marketers responsible for managing gas supplies across the US-Canada border and at least one North American LNG importer are holding internal meetings to discuss risks and opportunities related to the potential tariffs, according to sources who asked to remain anonymous because they are not allowed to speak publicly. President Donald Trump on 3 February delayed 10pc tariffs on energy from Canada and Mexico by a month, a day before they were set to be imposed. One of the largest US gas producers is reviewing its supply contracts with Canadian customers to evaluate its exposure to possible retaliatory tariffs by Canada, a person with knowledge of the matter told Argus . The company is particularly concerned with its ability to achieve price certainty given a lack of clarity around which party would pay the tariff and how such a transaction might be audited by regulators, the person said. Some large US gas producers are also looking to exploit the so-called "uncertainty premium" by strategically timing when they hedge their output — ideally, when rhetoric and anxiety over tariffs mounts, so they can lock in higher prices, sources in the banking sector said. Internal meetings to discuss potential tariffs are also being held at US utility Constellation Energy, owner of the Everett LNG import terminal near Boston, Massachusetts, sources said. Tariffs could make Everett LNG more competitive by modestly raising New England pipeline gas prices, thereby making LNG imports more economical when the price for local pipeline capacity is high. Tariffs could also hurt demand for gas from the Saint John LNG import terminal in New Brunswick, Canada, owned by Spanish energy conglomerate Repsol, since most of Saint John's imported gas supplies are shipped via pipeline across the US border into New England. Constellation and Repsol did not respond to requests for comment. New England relies on gas imported from abroad by Everett LNG and Saint John LNG during particularly cold winter days because of insufficient pipeline capacity connecting the region to prolific gas fields in Pennsylvania and the surrounding states. Goldman Sachs estimates Trump's 10pc tariffs on Canadian energy products would reduce Canadian gas exports to the US by about 160mn cf/d (5mn m³/d), while investment bank RBC Capital Markets said the tariffs could cause "mildly higher US gas prices". By Julian Hast Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Most nations miss NDC deadline, while ambition varies


10/02/25
News
10/02/25

Most nations miss NDC deadline, while ambition varies

London, 10 February (Argus) — The majority of countries that are party to the Paris climate agreement have missed the deadline to submit new national climate plans, while research group Climate Action Tracker (CAT) found that several are not aligned with Paris accord goals. Just 12 countries had submitted new climate plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), by time of writing today — the UAE, Brazil, the US, Uruguay, Switzerland, the UK, New Zealand, Andorra, Saint Lucia, Ecuador, Singapore and the Marshall Islands. UN climate body the UNFCCC had set 10 February as the deadline for countries to submit their third NDCs, setting out climate action and targets up to 2035. CAT said that of the six NDCs it analysed, just the UK's was aligned with the Paris agreement. The UK plan is "about the only bright spot" among the countries it tracks, CAT noted. But it warned that the UK government "has inherited a vast implementation gap" and must take "urgent action" to introduce and strengthen policies to ensure emissions reduction targets are reached. The UK aims to cut emissions by 81pc by 2035, from a 1990 baseline. The country should support its goals with more international climate finance to be "a fully 1.5°C aligned contribution", CAT said. The Paris agreement seeks to limit the rise in global temperature to "well below" 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and preferably to 1.5°C. CAT noted "a significantly more ambitious" target for 2035 from the UAE , compared with its 2030 goal, but flagged the need for details on the country's planned emissions cuts. It noted a "lack of transparency" in Brazil's NDC and found that, despite an increase in ambition, New Zealand's 2035 NDC "falls short". Switzerland's new NDC "is diverging from a 1.5°C aligned pathway", CAT said. And it said that while the US is leaving the Paris agreement, the country"s NDC "can still be a guiding document for the roughly half of the US states who support continued climate action." But many climate policy observers have emphasised that higher ambition and comprehensive plans are far more important than timeliness. The EU, Canada, Mexico and Norway committed to new, Paris-consistent NDCs at the UN Cop 29 climate summit in November. Climate Action Tracker tracks around 40 countries and the EU, covering around 85pc of global emissions and 70pc of global population. The Paris agreement has a ratchet mechanism, which requires countries to review and revise climate plans every five years, increasing ambition. The UNFCCC deadline for NDC submissions is not enforceable. By Georgia Gratton Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Nigeria Dangote targets full capacity within a month


10/02/25
News
10/02/25

Nigeria Dangote targets full capacity within a month

London, 10 February (Argus) — Nigeria's privately-owned 650,000 b/d Dangote refinery could reach maximum operating capacity within a month, according to sources with knowledge of the matter who said the plant touched 85pc of nameplate capacity at the end of January. The stated goal appears ambitious, with data from Kpler and Vortexa showing Dangote ran at an implied range of 395,000-430,000 b/d to date this month, which is between 61-66pc of capacity. The implied range was 350,000-400,000 b/d in January, or 54-62pc operating capacity. Argus pegged Dangote's crude receipts at 405,000 b/d in January, a record. Dangote runs may be boosted by upstream regulator NUPRC's decision in early February to ensure Nigeria's crude is supplied to meet domestic refinery demand, before it issues crude export permits. Routine maintenance at state-owned NNPC's 125,000 b/d Warri refinery could have made more domestic crude available for Dangote use. Crude allocations to Warri were cancelled and offered out to the wider market last week, according to a market participant. But this would have been a short-term measure, with a source saying the work at Warri was completed as of 9 February, and around 1.15mn bl of crude are scheduled to be pumped to the plant. Downstream regulator NMDPRA projected that Dangote will require 550,000 b/d of Nigerian crude grades for the period January–June 2025, while NNPC's 210,000 b/d Port Harcourt and 125,000 b/d Warri plants will require 60,000 b/d and 75,000 b/d, respectively. Nigeria produced 1.51mn b/d of crude in January, according to Argus' estimate. Warri restarted at the end of 2024, having been offline since 2019. Diesel loadings from the refinery have averaged eight trucks per day, sources said last week, with sufficient supply available to sustain ongoing truck load-out operations. Warri has not started producing gasoline, according to sources. By George Maher-Bonnett, Adebiyi Olusolape and Sanjana Shivdas Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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