LNG Journal

Feb 22 (LNGJ) - China imported 1.3 million tonnes of LNG in January, according to latest trade figures, putting it on track to overtake last year's total of 12.07 million tonnes. China finally overtook Taiwan in 2011 to become the third-largest Asian LNG importer after Japan and South Korea.

Feb 22 (LNGJ) - Japanese companies are making an effort to secure LNG from US projects under development in Texas, Louisiana and Maryland. Japan has already requested approval to import LNG from the US under free-trade rules. Japanese press reports have mentioned Mitsubishi Corp, Chubu Electric Power and Tokyo Gas as potential buyers of US LNG exports.

Feb 21 (LNGJ) - Gazprom hosted a meeting in Moscow between Alexei Miller, Gazprom Chairman, and Ichiro Takahara, Director General of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy under the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The parties discussed prospects for deepening the Russian-Japanese partnership in the energy sector. The meeting summed up the results of a feasibility study on the options for the Vladivostok LNG project, Gazprom said. It was agreed that Gazprom and the consortium of Japanese companies, including trading groups Itochu and Marubeni and LNG developer Inpex, under the company banner of Japan Far East Gas Co., will "move over to the investment rationale" for the LNG plant.

Feb 21 (LNGJ) - Malaysia's Dialog Group, a technical services provider in the nation's energy sector, said it set up a company called Pengerang LNG to break into the LNG storage and regasification businesses. Malaysia, an LNG exporter, is setting up a nationwide network of LNG regasification facilities to boost the provision of natural gas for domestic and industrial customers.

Feb 21 (LNGJ) - The US Congress rejected an amendment to a bill proposed by Massachusetts Republican congressman Ed Markey which would have restricted the export of LNG from the US.

Feb 20 (LNGJ) - The US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean and Antilles may consider LNG imports in the form of a floating storage and regasification unit, officials said. There are also reports of the region's smaller islands, including the British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten and Antigua coming up with a joint LNG plan.

Feb 20 (LNGJ) - Tokyo Gas Engineering Co said it won the front-end engineering and design contract from PetroVietnam for Vietnam's first LNG import terminal, expected to be completed by 2015. The engineering company, a subsidiary of Tokyo Gas group, will design the berthing, storage and vaporization facilities and equipment and come up with a cost estimate, a statement said. The terminal will be located on the Thi Vai river, about 100 kilometres southeast of Ho Chi Minh City in the south of the country.

Feb 17 (LNGJ) - Wartsila, the Finnish marine propulsion company, was awarded a contract to deliver an integrated propulsion system for two additional LNG-fuelled offshore support vessels to Harvey Gulf International Marine. This order takes Harvey Gulf to a fleet of four LNG OSVs on order. Harvey Gulf CEO Shane J. Guidry, said: "Harvey Gulf's decision to become the leader in Clean Gulf of Mexico operations has been enthusiastically accepted by oil company executives, and was the impetus for adding two additional LNG dual-fuel vessels to the fleet."

Feb 17 (LNGJ) - FMC Technologies of the US signed a definitive agreement to acquire Kansas-based Control Systems International. Terms of the transaction, which is subject to further due diligence and various closing conditions, were not disclosed. CSI is a supplier of control and automation systems for terminal automation and management. "The addition of CSI enhances FMC's automation and controls technologies and supports our long-term strategy to expand our subsea production and processing systems," said Robert Potter, FMC's Executive Vice President of Energy Systems.

Feb 17 (LNGJ) - Aker Solutions reported an 18 percent increase in revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011, reflecting strong market conditions and high activity in the energy industry. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose 4 percent to 3.4 billion Norwegian crowns ($600M). During 2011, Aker concluded a streamlining of the business. Parts of the Process & Construction business area were sold, the EPC project business was separated from Aker Solutions and listed as Kværner and the sale of the marine construction business was concluded.

Feb 17 (LNGJ) - LNG Ltd., the company trying to progress its plans for 3 million tonnes per annum coal-seam-gas-to-LNG project at Fisherman's Landing in Australia, posted half-year losses of almost A$4.4 million. Last month, an EPC services contract was signed in Beijing between Chinese engineering company HQC and LNG Ltd. in relation to the company's LNG project. LNG Ltd.'s total cost estimate for building a single LNG Train is $1.1 billion, including marine works and other development and financing costs.

Feb 17 (LNGJ) - The Brent crude oil price, a benchmark for the global energy supply situation and an indicator for LNG spot prices in the Asia-Pacific region, jumped to more than $121 per barrel as tensions worsened between Iran and Western governments amid oil and other sanctions imposed because of Iranian nuclear policy. Iran has previously threatened to shut the Strait of Hormuz, which would close off LNG supplies from Qatar as well as Gulf crude.

Feb 17 (LNGJ) - The 145,500 cubic metres capacity LNG carrier, "LNG Oyo", is on its way from the Bonny Island LNG plant in Nigeria with a cargo delivery for the Map Ta Phut LNG terminal in Thailand, according to shipping data. Thailand's only LNg import facility has been receiving a cargo a month since opening in 2011.

Feb 16 (LNGJ) - Kentz Engineering and Construction was awarded the integrated commissioning services contract on the Queensland Curtis coal-seam-gas-to-LNG project in Australia. The contract is for an initial 12-month period, with an option to extend for a further two years. Kentz's scope includes the provision of multi-discipline commissioning and start-up services for the upstream facilities from 1,200 well sites, through 19 field compression stations, four central gas processing plants and 380 kilometres of pipeline supplying the LNG liquefaction plant. Christian Brown, Chief Executive of Kentz Group, commented: "We are delighted to have been awarded this contract by QGC, which builds on Kentz's core strength in Technical Support Services of providing commissioning solutions for oil and gas facilities. Kentz has worked in Australia since 1985 and we take great pride in continuing to deliver safe and successful projects for leading resource clients."

Feb 16 (LNGJ) - French utility EDF said its planned LNG import terminal at the Channel port of Dunkirk is on schedule to begin commercial operations in 2015. EDF's partners in the venture are French energy company Total and Belgium's Fluxys, owner of the Zeebrugge LNG import terminal. The Dunkirk facility will will three 160,000 cubic metres capacity storage tanks.

Feb 16 (LNGJ) -Tokyo Electric Power Co., the largest Japanese LNG buyer, is seeking more than $6 billion in further financing to stave off collapse following the compensation and repair cost consequences of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The latest 500 billion yen in new financing would be part of a loan package of over 1 trillion yen. The money is expected to be provided by Japan's leading banks and insurance companies.

eb 16 (LNGJ) - ShawCor Ltd. said its pipecoating division, Bredero Shaw, has received a contract with a value in excess of US$400 million to provide pipeline coatings and related products and services for the gas export pipeline on the Ichthys LNG Project in Australia being developed by Japan's Inpex and France's Total. The contract involves coating 889km of 42-inch pipe that will be protected with Asphalt Enamel coating, nternal coating and concrete-weight coating. In addition, Bredero Shaw has also received a contract for anode procurement and installation as well as custom coating. Work will commence during the third quarter of 2012, ShawCor said.

Feb 26 (LNGJ) - Peru LNG, the liquefaction plant owned by Spain's Repsol and Hunt Oil of the US, will deliver an LNG cargo to Tohoku Electric's Niigata import terminal in Japan on February 28 on board the 173,400 cubic metres capacity "Ribero del Duero Knutsen", shipping data showed. Peru LNG, in which Japan's Marubeni is also a shareholder, shipped about 50 cargoes to Japan last year.

Feb 16 (LNGJ) - The 216,200 cubic metres capacity Q-Flex LNG carrier, the "Al Mafyar", will deliver a cargo from Ras Laffan in Qatar on February 22 to the UK South Hook import facility at Milford, Haven, Wales, port authorities said.

Feb 15 (LNGJ) - FMC Technologies Inc., an LNG project player, reported fourth quarter 2011 revenue of $1.5 billion, up 36 percent from the year-ago quarter. Diluted earnings per share were $0.41, equal to a year ago. Reveneue for 2011 was $5.1 billion and operating profit was $619.3M. The Houston-based company said orders of $1.8Bln in the fourth quarter included $1.3Bln for the Subsea Technologies unit. Backlog stands at $4.9Bln. Subsea Technologies sales and orders are expected to increase in 2012 with improved operating margins, FMC said.

Feb 15 (LNGJ) - Tokyo Electric Power Co. said it bought around 70 spot LNG cargoes totalling 4.3 million tonnes in the period of April-December 2011 after the Fukishima nuclear plant was knocked out by the tsunami and earthquake disaster. Spot cargoes made up 25 percent of Tepco's total LNG purchases during the period of 17.4 million tonnes, the company said.

Feb 14 (LNGJ) - RWE has extending its production activities in North Africa by obtaining a permit to develop a total of six natural gas fields in the Algerian Sahara. The Hamburg, Germany-based company said Algeria issued permits to develop the Reggane, Azrafil South-East, Kahlouche, Kahlouche South, Tiouliline and Sali gas fields in the desert. "We are pleased that this project will enable us to further strengthen our long-term commitment in Algeria and North Africa," said Christoph Schlichter, Senior Vice President Production North Africa at RWE.

Feb 14 (LNGJ) - Kuwait's seasonal import facility at Mina Al-Ahmadi, set up by Royal Dutch Shell and Excelerate Energy of the US, has bought three cargoes for April delivery. Kuwait Petroleum Corp has an agreeement to source LNG cargoes until 2013 from Shell and energy trader Vitol for the dock-side regasification and storage vessel.

Feb 14 (LNGJ) - Bureau Veritas, the France-based LNG classification society, named Didier Michaud-Daniel as its new Chief Executive. Since 2008, Michaud-Daniel has been Chairman and President of Otis elevator company. Frank Piedelievre, who has been BV's CEO for 17 years and Chairman of the board since 2009, will remain Chairman and support Michaud-Daniel in his new role, BV said.

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Feb 14 (LNGJ) - The 149,600 cubic metres capacity carrier "LNG Borno" is scheduled to unload a cargo from Nigeria on February 16 at the Montoir-de-Bretagne import terminal in Western France, shipping data showed.

Feb 13 (LNGJ) - Milford Haven Port Authority, where two of the UK's LNG import terminals are located, said it completed a restructuring of its senior management team as it prepares for major investment across its operations. MHPA operates Britain's third largest Port and offers pilotage and navigation services to the UK's leading energy hub, comprising the South Hook LNG terminal, the Dragon LNG terminal and refinery facilities.

Feb 13 (LNGJ) - Korea Gas Corp., the world's largest corporate importer of LNG, said in a stock exhange note that it expected cargo deliveries in 2012 to amount to around 36.5 million tonnes in 2012, little changed from the 36.7 MT Kogas imported in 2011.

Feb 13 (LNGJ) - A new technology to remotely monitor conditions at Marcellus Shale gas wells, from where feed-gas is expected to be used for US LNG exports, will help ensure compliance with environmental requirements, said the US Department of Energy. The technology involving three wireless monitoring modules to measure organic compounds, dust, light and sound is currently being tested at a Marcellus Shale drilling site in Washington County, Pennsylania. It was developed by Michael McCawley, a researcher at West Virginia University, the DOE said.

Feb 13 – (LNGJ) - The construction of the Singapore LNG import terminal on Jurong Island is 80 percent complete and is on track to begin commercial operations in 2013, the island state's energy authority said.

Feb 13 (LNGJ) - The Shanghai LNG import terminal owned by China National Offshore Oil Corp. will receive a cargo on February 22 from the 155,000 cubic metres capacity BP-owned LNG carrier "British Emerald", according to port data.

Feb 10 (LNGJ) - Petrobras, the Brazilian state energy comkpany, named Maria das Graças Silva Foster as its new Chief Executive to replace Jose Sergio Gabrielli de Azevedo. Maria das Graças Silva Foster has worked at Petrobras for 31 years. She has been Director for Gas and Energy and CEO of Gaspetro - Petrobras Gás S.A since 2007. She has a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the Federal Fluminense University, a master's degree in chemical engineering and a graduate degree in nuclear engineering from the Rio de Janeiro Federal University.

Feb 10 (LNGJ) - Chubu Electric Power Co. of Japan said it signed a fully termed LNG sales and purchase agreement with the Singapore trading office of BP of the UK. The agreement is for Chubu to purchase LNG supplied from BP's global LNG portfolio. Chubu said it would buy around 8 million tonnes per annum for 16 years on a delivered basis, with BP suppling the shipping from its global fleet and beginning this year. "Chubu believes that this LNG supply from a variety of BP's portfolio sources will contribute to the procurement of stable and flexible LNG supply," a statement said.

Feb 9 (LNGJ) - Royal Dutch Shell has opened a representative office in Papua New Guinea, which is developing two LNG projects, one led by ExxonMobil and another by US-listed PNG refinery owner InterOil. The Anglo-Dutch energy major pulled out of PNG six years ago, but now says it is seeking to invest in PNG energy as a partner of state asset holding company Petromin. In 2006, InterOil acquired Shell's PNG asset porfolio, including various depots, terminals and 28 gasoline retail sites. InterOil is seeking another major investor in its stalled LNG project, though Shell is unlikely to be interested because of the current development plan as it stands, analysts said.

Feb 9 (LNGJ) - The 266,000 cubic metres capacity Q-Max LNG carrier "Mozah" is scheduled to deliver a Qatargas cargo on February 16 to the UK's South Hook import terminal in Milford Haven, Wales, according to port data.

Feb 9 (LNGJ) - The US Department of Energy plans to update the permitting process for LNG export applications. Currently eight US LNG export projects have entered the permitting process from Texas and Louisiana in the South, to Maryland in the Northeast and Oregon in the Northwest. Christopher Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the DOE's Office of Fossil Energy, said: "One of the mandates that we have gotten from the administration is to look at all the processes that we manage as regulators, look at all the requirements we are putting on businesses and make sure the things we are asking of businesses are consistent with the risks that we need to mitigate."

Feb 9 (LNGJ) - The 140,620 cubic metres LNG carrier "Galicia Spirit" has just delivered a cargo to the Elengy-operated French import terminal at Fos Cavaou, near the southern city of Marseille, port data showed.

Feb 9 (LNGJ) - The 138,000 cubic metres capapcity LNG carrier the "Castillo de Villalba" will deliver a cargo on February 22 from Nigeria to the Petronet-run Indian import terminal at Dahej, north of Mumbai, port authorities said.

Feb 8 (LNGJ) - Norwegian energy group Statoil said development of natural gas in the Snohvit gas field in the Barents Sea for LNG exports was still a key part of its strategy. It pointed to changing dynamics in the LNG market, including exports to Asia. Statoil also holds assets in the Marcellus shale in the US which could be part of an LNG export project from Cove Point in Maryland. The basics of the strategy were outlined with its latest earnings that saw fourth-quarter profits almost double from the year-ago period to the equivalent of about $4.5 billion as it sold some assets and benefited from higher energy prices.

Feb 8 (LNGJ) - The 138,000 cubic metres capacity LNG carrier "Lusail" will deliver a cargo from Qatar on February 23 to the Zeebrugge LNG import terminal in Belgium, port authorities said.

Feb 7 (LNGJ) - Belgian natural gas transmission system operator Fluxys, operator of the Zeebrugge LNG import terminal, and energy exchange APX-ENDEX said they would cooperate in developing the new Zeebrugge Trading Point when Fluxys switches to a new entry/exit model for its transmission grid by the end of 2012. APX-ENDEX will provide the exchange services for the new trading point. The new model will be fully in line with the objectives of the European Third Energy Package and is to give grid users full flexibility in booking and using capacity in the Belgian grid for the entire range of transmission services.

Feb 7 (LNGJ) - Spanish LNG import terminal owner and network operator Enagas posted net profits of 364.6 million euros ($480M) , a rise of 9.3 percent on the previous year. Figures for 2011 included the 40 percent proportionate consolidation of the BBG regasification terminal in Bilbao, 40 percent of the new Enagas stake in the Altamira LNG import terminal in Mexico. Spanish domestic natural gas usage rose, but demand from gas-fired power stations declined because of adverse economic conditions, Enagas said.

Feb 7 (LNGJ) - The Adriatic floating LNG import terminal off the northern coast of Italy, owned by Qatar Petroleum, ExxonMobil and Italy's Edison, has seen a shipment fall off since the start of February 2012, apparantly because of rough sea conditions. That's as Italy's natural gas demand has been rising along with other countries in southern Europe hit by freezing temperatures.

Feb 7 (LNGJ) - Two of Europe's largest LNG buyers, France and Spain, are seeing soaring natural gas demand as temperatures drop. France's send-out volume of natural gas in the first five days of February gained almost 30 percent from a year before to 15,793 GWh as freezing temperatures persisted in southern Europe. Demand in Spain has reached new records in the past week. On February 3 Spanish demand was 1,249 GWh and underground storage operated at full capacity to meet demand.

Feb 7 (LNGJ) - Milaha, previously known as Qatar Navigation, said its fully-owned subsidiary, Qatar Shipping Co., signed an agreement to increase its stake in two LNG carriers. signed an agreement to buy Maersk LNG's 15 percent stake, out of their total holding of 26 percent, in two LNG carriers, the "Maersk Ras Laffan" and the "Maersk Qatar". The two carriers will also be renamed "Milaha Ras Laffan" and "Milaha Qatar." They are on long-term charter to RasGas.

Feb 6 (LNGJ) - Production at the Atlantic LNG plant at Point Fortin in Trinidad fell around 8 percent in 2011 to around 14.6 million tonnes, the Energy Ministry said. Trinidad is sending fewer cargoes to the US, but more are being diverted to higher-priced markets. Canada also receives contracted Trinidad LNG shipped by Spain's Repsol to the Canaport import terminal on the Canadian east coast.

Feb 6 (LNGJ) - Petrobangla, the Bangladesh state energy company, has extended the final bid deadline to mid-April, for companies short-listed to provide a floating storage and regasification import facility at Moheshkhali Island. The bidders include companies such as Norway's Golar LNG, Excelerate Energy of the US, and South Korea's Samsung C&T Corp.

Feb 3 (LNGJ) - LNG engineering company Fluor Corp. elected David T. Seaton as the company's new Chairman. Seaton, aged 50, was named Chief Executive company director in February 2011. Seaton will hold both the chairman and CEO positions.Alan Boeckmann retires from Fluor's board having served the last year as the non-executive board Chairman and the previous nine years in the role as Fluor's Chairman and CEO. The leadership change was voted on and approved during the company's February board meeting.

Feb 3 (LNGJ) - The Argentine Bahia Blanca LNG import terminal, near the capital Buenos Aires, is scheduled to receive an LNG cargo on February 10 from Atlantic LNG in Trinidad on board the 155,000 cubic metres capacity BP-owned carrier "British Ruby", according to port data.

Feb 3 (LNGJ) - The US has more than 400 natural gas storage fields, the largest in the world, according to the latest survey by the American Gas Association (AGA). "Up to 20 percent of all requirements for natural gas winter heating season are met by underground storage," said Dave McCurdy, President and Chief Executive of AGA. "The massive storage capacity that our nation possesses is one of the critical tools that enables our members to reliably offer clean natural gas to their consumers at stable prices throughout the year." Underground storage reached record levels in November 2011 at nearly 3.9 trillion cubic feet of stored working gas.

Feb 3 (LNGJ) - Hoegh LNG of Norway said it exercised an option for a new Floating Storage and Regasification unit to be built at Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea following a successful private placement of shares. The new FSRU will be delivered in the second quarter of 2014, "and its specifications will be adapted to comply with relevant project requirements," Hoegh said. The company, listed on the Oslo stock exchange, earlier raised $200 million in a sale of shares to preferred investors. Hoegh LNG's President and Chief Executive, Sveinung Stohle, said: "With our two FSRUs on order allocated to specific projects in Indonesia and Lithuania, the company continues focusing its growth plans at the floating regasification market, and is currently participating in several tender processes for additional FSRU projects. We have therefore decided to place an order for a third FSRU to be built at Hyundai.Our strategy to expand in the floating regasification market worldwide remains firm and we believe in strong continued growth in this segment."

Feb 3 (LNGJ) - Inpex Corp. of Japan confirmed its transfer of 30 percent equity in the Masela natural gas field in the Arafura Sea in Indonesian waters to Royal Dutch Shell. Feed-gas from Masela will form Inpex's Abadi Floating LNG project. The Japanese company also said in its latest earnings report that first LNG from the Ichthys project in Australia would be delivered at the end of 2016.

Feb 2 (LNGJ) - The South Hook LNG import terminal in Milford Haven will receive a Qatargas LNG cargo on February 8 from Ras Laffan on board the 165,500 cubic metres capacity carrier the "Maersk Magellan", according to port data.

Feb 2 (LNGJ) - Australian engineering and construction company Clough Ltd. Said it was awarded a contract worth A$350 million (US$375M) for the offshore hook-up and commissioning component of the Chevron-operated Wheatstone LNG project. The services will be provided over a 40-month period starting immediately. Project management will be executed from Clough's head office in Perth, while engineering and technical teams will be deployed to the fabrication yard in Korea. "As an Australian contractor, Clough is proud to be selected by Chevron for this significant Western Australian project," said Chief Executive Kevin Gallagher.

Feb 2 (LNGJ) - Marathon Oil, operator of the Equatorial Guinea LNG plant, said its integrated natural gas division income was $20 million in the fourth quarter compared to $33M in the same period last year. This decline was a result of lower LNG volumes, primarily due to the third quarter 2011 sale of Marathon's interest in the Kenai LNG plant in Alaska, and weak Henry Hub gas prices for EG LNG sales. For the full year, income was $178M, compared to $142 million in 2010. The full-year natural gas division increase was primarily related to higher volumes of LNG and methanol, somewhat offset by lower Henry Hub gas prices. Net sales of LNG from the EG LNG plant were 6,984 metric tonnes per day in the fourth quarter compared with 7,918 tonnes per day in the same period a year ago.

Feb 2 (LNGJ) - Aker Solutions acquired Norwegian engineering company Sandnessjoen Engineering. The acquisition will strengthen Aker's engineering capacity for offshore projects, a statement said. "Over the past 20 years, Sandnessjoen Engineering has established a strong and experienced team, which supplies engineering and project management services to the oil and gas and construction industries," it added.

Feb 2 (LNGJ) - Malysian energy company Petronas and electric utility Tenaga Nasional said they planned to invest in an LNG reception facility and associated power plant on Borneo island to improve power distribution in the region. LNG exporters Malaysia and Indonesia are planning a network of domestic LNG reception terminals as their own natural gas needs grow.

Feb 1 (LNGJ) - Gazprom, the world's largest natural gas company, saw third-quarter profit decline by around 4.5 percent. Net profits for the pipeline gas company, which also owns the Sakhalin II LNG plant, declined to 151 billion roubles ($5 billion) from 158Bln roubles in the same quarter a year ago. Revenues rose more than 20 percent to 950Bln roubles because of price increases, but its dollar-denominated debts cost more to service as the Russian currency weakened and hit profits.

Feb 1 (LNGJ) - Santos, the Australian energy company, said natural gas production started from its Wortel project in Indonesia. The venture was sanctioned in November 2010, and is located in the Sampang Production Sharing Contract (PSC), offshore East Java in Indonesia. The Wortel development includes two gas wells, an unmanned wellhead platform and a 10-kilometre gas pipeline to the existing Santos-operated Oyong facilities. Gross gas production from the combined Oyong and Wortel fields is expected to be 90TJ/day. Gas will be exported via an existing pipeline to the Grati processing plant, where it is sold for domestic power generation.

Jan 31 (LNGJ) - Ortec, the UK consulting and software development company, signed a contract with Shell Global Solutions to work closely together on a worldwide basis. The deal between Shell and Ortec focuses on the optimization of supply chain processes in upstream and downstream engineering disciplines such as natural gas field production capacity optimization. Paulus Steenkamp, Vice President of Manufacturing, Production and Engineering Software at Shell, said: "In Shell's drive to help secure a responsible energy future, Ortec, with their high-quality software development and technical consultancy services supports us in underpinning Shell's strategic objective to deliver leading technology solutions."

Jan 31 (LNGJ) - Origin Energy, a shareholder in the Australia Pacific coal-seam-gas-to-LNG project, said its quarterly E&P business output was 29 petajoules equivalent and sales revenue amounted to A$198 million. APLNG, Origin's joint venture with ConocoPhillips and Sinopec of China, continued to reach milestones with the project, with Origin noting the deal with Kansai Electric for the sale of around 1 million tonnes per annum of LNG for 20 years. Origin Chief Executive for Upstream, Paul Zealand, said: "Production for the December Quarter was 29 PJe, compared with 31 PJe in the prior corresponding period," due to planned maintenance shutdowns.