-Mexico moved closer to opening its oil and gas sector to private investment this week, as legislators approved bills designed to end the 75-year monopoly held by Pemex. Via the Houston Chronicle, Pemex’s production has fallen precipitously in the past decade, and it has reported losses in its last seven fiscal quarters. The company hopes private investment will spark a turnaround.
-LyondellBasell lifted a force majeure on acetic acid deliveries to Europe after it resolved raw material and feedstock issues at its La Porte, Texas, facility, Platts reports. The company declared the force majeure in June.
-As expected, the Cameron LNG export project received final investment approval this week. The project is co-owned by Sempra Energy, Japanese firms Mitsui & Co., Mitsubishi Corp. and Nippon Yusek KK and GDF Suez SA of France. The partners have secured $7.4 billion in loans from Japanese banks and other institutions.
-Two electric utilities in Kentucky are reviving a delayed plan to build a 700-megawatt natural gas plant at the site of an existing coal plant they plan to retire next year. Via Platts, Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities are meeting with state regulators next week to discuss the $736 million plan, which would also include a 10-megawatt solar array.
-The Energy Information Administration on Wednesday introduced a new mapping tool that allows users to view energy infrastructure that may be vulnerable to floods caused by extreme weather. The map combines information from FEMA and the EIA’s existing energy mapping system to show power plants, refineries, crude oil rail terminals and other infrastructure.
