Industry body Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) announced, in a statement sent to Rigzone this week, that it will host a “cross spectrum” energy policy debate. “OEUK is to bring together key voices for a public debate on the UK’s energy future,” the industry body said in the statement. “With decisions due on major oil and gas projects, ongoing public concern about energy bills, and debate over net zero policy, the trade body has said conversation and collaboration are needed instead of confrontation, if the UK is to tackle these issues properly,” it added. OEUK noted in the statement that representatives from groups on all sides will be invited to speak at a public debate in London as OEUK “kicks off another series of open debates around the country”. The London event comes as renewed attention is focused on the development of the Rosebank oil field in the North Atlantic west of Shetland, OEUK said in the statement, adding that the group “has been calling for a pragmatic discussion on energy which allows room for facts and all points of view to be heard”. In the statement, OEUK Chief Executive David Whitehouse said, “the challenges facing the country, and indeed the world, when it comes to energy are significant and complex”. “The decisions made by government will impact people’s pockets, families, communities, and futures. We owe it to them and to ourselves to have a proper debate focused on conversation not confrontation,” he added. “OEUK believes that if we are serious about finding solutions, we must take the polarization out of the debate and find a pragmatic way through. By bringing these groups together I hope we can develop a better approach,” he went on to state. In a statement posted on its site back in April, OEUK announced that it

Woodside Energy Group Ltd has roped in another partner for the under-construction Louisiana LNG with Williams Companies Inc acquiring a minority interest and entering into an offtake agreement for 1.5 million metric tons per annum (MMtpa). “The strategic partnership involves the sale by Woodside of a 10 percent interest in Louisiana LNG LLC (HoldCo) and an 80 percent interest and operatorship of Driftwood Pipeline LLC (PipelineCo) to Williams for a purchase price of $250 million at the effective date of 1 January 2025”, Woodside said in an online statement Thursday. “The total proceeds received are $378 million including proportionate capital reimbursement since the effective date”. The companies expect Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Williams to invest $1.9 billion. “As part of the investment in Louisiana LNG, Williams assumes LNG offtake obligations for 10 percent of produced volumes”, Australian oil and gas company Woodside said. “Williams’ total share of LNG production from Louisiana LNG will be 1.6 million tonnes per annum. This LNG production will be supplied to Williams under an LNG SPA [sale and purchase agreement] for approximately 1.5 Mtpa and Williams will also receive the proportionate benefit (10 percent) of the Louisiana LNG 1.0 Mtpa SPA previously signed with Uniper”, Woodside said. It was referring to its agreement with the German power and gas utility for up to two MMtpa – one MMtpa from Louisiana LNG for 13 years and up to one MMtpa from Woodside’s global LNG portfolio for a term starting with Louisiana LNG’s start of commercial operations until 2039. “Woodside’s total capital expenditure for the Louisiana LNG Project is now expected to be $9.9 billion reduced from $11.8 billion at final investment decision (FID)”, Woodside added. Williams, which currently operates over 33,000 miles of pipeline and markets of over seven billion cubic feet a day of gas at the Sequent platform, will build

In a statement sent to Rigzone recently, the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) noted that, according to its analysis, “the estimated employment trajectory in the Texas upstream sector through September 2025 illustrates a precarious balance between operational resilience and mounting headwinds, as declining global oil prices collide with tariffs and geopolitical flashpoints”. TIPRO said in the statement that, due to the ongoing federal government shutdown and suspension of related services, the Current Employment Statistics (CES) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for the month of September has been delayed until the government resumes operations. The industry body added, however, that Texas oil and natural gas extraction jobs are projected to dip modestly to 69,650 in September compared to August, “buoyed by Permian Basin efficiencies, yet tempered by corporate consolidations and workforce reductions amid rising costs per barrel”. That dip would represent a drop of 0.5 percent month on month, TIPRO highlighted. “Support Activities employment in Texas, estimated at 134,425 in September (-0.5 percent month on month), face sharper volatility from rig count erosion (down 7.6 percent year on year) and service sector streamlining, exacerbating a net Q3 contraction despite high job postings,” TIPRO said in the statement. “Combined, Texas upstream sector employment is estimated at 204,075 in September (-0.5 percent month on month) … underscoring the Permian’s outsized role in sustaining Texas’ upstream employment at ~205,000 while navigating tariff uncertainties, various global supply and demand scenarios, and federal furloughs,” it added. “These dynamics highlight the industry’s indispensable economic engine, while fortifying U.S. energy security through Texas production dominance,” it continued. In the statement, TIPRO noted that, from January to September 2025, employment in the Texas upstream sector “displayed early resilience followed by late-summer softening”. “Oil and Gas Extraction added a net 1,450 jobs (+2.1 percent), peaking

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has granted final authorization for Venture Global Inc’s CP2 LNG project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, to export to countries without a free trade agreement (FTA) with Washington, following a conditional permit in March. “Under President Trump’s leadership, DOE has authorized more than 13.8 Bcfd [billion cubic feet a day] of LNG exports – greater than the volume exported today by the world’s second-largest LNG supplier”, DOE said in an online statement Wednesday. “Today, U.S. exports are approximately 15 billion Bcfd, an increase of approximately 25 percent from 2024 levels”. The Arlington, Viriginia-based developer said separately, “The CP2 project construction is well underway and we look forward to continue advancing the project safely and quickly to bring new LNG to the global market at a record pace beginning in 2027”. CP2 LNG already secured an FTA permit April 22, 2022. It can now export a cumulative 1.45 trillion cubic feet a year of natural gas equivalent or about 28 million metric tons per annum of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to FTA and non-FTA nations through 2050. “Because the export volumes authorized in CP2 LNG’s FTA order and this [non-FTA] order reflect the maximum liquefaction capacity of the project as approved by FERC, the non-FTA volume in this order is not additive to CP2 LNG’s FTA order”, DOE said in the order dated October 21, 2025, referring to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) siting, construction and operation permit. “Additionally, this final order brings DOE’s cumulative total of approved non-FTA exports of LNG from the lower-48 states to 52.81 Bcfd of natural gas (across 42 final orders, including this order)”. On July 28, 2025, Venture Global announced a positive final investment decision and the closing of $15.1 billion in financing for phase 1 of CP2 LNG and the associated CP Express

In a Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (SEB) report sent to Rigzone by the SEB team on Thursday, SEB Commodities Analyst Ole R. Hvalbye outlined that “fresh U.S. sanctions reignited strong upside momentum” in the oil market. “The U.S. has now announced sanctions targeting Russia’s two largest oil producers, Rosneft PJSC and Lukoil PJSC, effectively blacklisting both companies,” Hvalbye said in the report. “Washington cited Moscow’s lack of progress toward peace in Ukraine, marking a significant escalation in pressure on President Vladimir Putin to enter negotiations,” he added. Hvalbye stated in the report that a full blacklisting would, at least in theory, make it very difficult for Rosneft and Lukoil barrels to reach the market. “Rosneft produced nearly 3.7 million barrels per day during the first half of 2025, while Lukoil’s Russian assets contributed roughly 1.6 million barrels per day of oil and condensate output (2024 data),” he noted. “Together, the two companies account for almost half of Russia’s total crude exports, underscoring the scale and impact of Washington’s move. Rosneft, led by Igor Sechin, and privately held Lukoil are by far Russia’s largest oil producers and central to the country’s energy income,” he added. “It is worth noting that oil and gas revenues make up around 24 percent of Russia’s federal budget, highlighting the strategic importance of these sanctions,” Hvalbye continued. The SEB analyst went on to state that, while the sanctions’ effectiveness remains uncertain, the move represents a clear shift in tone from the Trump administration and opens the door for even tougher measures ahead. “Trump has also stated his intention to raise the issue of Chinese purchases of Russian oil when he meets President Xi Jinping in South Korea next week,” Hvalbye highlighted. “Earlier this week, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly signaled that India would begin to

The European Union adopted a new package of sanctions targeting Russia’s energy infrastructure, joining a new US push to chip away at Moscow’s ability to wage its war against Ukraine. The EU measures will ban LNG imports from 2027, according to a statement from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The EU will also impose a full transaction ban on two major Russian oil companies, Rosneft PJSC and Gazpromneft, and sanction 118 additional so-called shadow fleet vessels, which have enabled Russia to evade previous measures. The move adds momentum to western allies’ renewed push to punish Moscow. On Wednesday, the US announced sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil producers, Rosneft and Lukoil PJSC, after a potential summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin was called off. Those penalties came a week after the UK also hit the same Russian oil giants. “The 19th package is very important,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told reporters on Thursday before joining EU leaders at a summit in Brussels. “But American sanctions are also very important. And this is a good signal to other countries in the world to join the sanctions.”  The potential Trump-Putin gathering had unnerved European officials, who feared Trump may be adopting a more Putin-friendly stance after several months where he publicly threatened Russia with sanctions and appeared receptive to Ukraine’s pleas for additional weapons.  Still, Zelenskiy left a meeting with Trump last week without desired commitments on long-range missiles. Instead, Trump urged both Zelenskiy and Putin to declare an immediate ceasefire and begin negotiations. Zelenskiy is open to that approach and joined a statement with European leaders this week, when they all endorsed the suggestion. “A ceasefire is possible, of course, and I think all of us need a ceasefire,” Zelenskiy said Thursday. “But we need more pressure