Soaring costs tied to US tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum are straining liquefied natural gas project budgets, raising liquefaction fees and forcing developers to renegotiate engineering, procurement and construction contracts. Analysts say the uncertainty surrounding US trade policy, especially the standoff with China, is beginning to disrupt project timelines and complicate long-term investment planning.

America's natural gas abundance has created a generational opportunity for investing in low-carbon hydrogen -- which can contribute toward US energy dominance. That point and more were discussed during a ConservAmerica-hosted webinar last week.

Intensity Infrastructure Partners is holding an open season for the 208-mile second phase of its Intensity natural gas pipeline in the Bakken Shale, which would stretch east from McLean County to Casselton, N.D., and could come online in 2030. The first phase of the project is designed to move up to 1.5 Bcf/d with compression, offering potential relief to a region where limited pipeline capacity has kept gas production near 2.6 Bcf/d.

The energy sector is seeing a surge in cyberattacks, with some incidents linked to nation-state campaigns, according to Resecurity researchers. Hacktivism and espionage from actors in Iran, China and North Korea pose threats. Technological transformations such as cloud adoption and AI integration have made systems more vulnerable, researchers say.

Power demand for data centers is expected to more than double by 2035 as demand for artificial intelligence continues to surge, reports BloombergNEF. Data centers currently account for 3.5% of power demand, but that is projected to rise to 8.6%. Amazon Web Services, Google, Meta and Microsoft currently account for 42% of data center capacity, with PJM Interconnection the largest power market for data center demand. The trend is complicating energy build out in PJM's region, with companies vying for locations that have available grid capacity or can connect quickly.

The US oil and natural gas rig count climbed by two to 585 this week, the first increase in a month, according to Baker Hughes. Still, analysts from J.P. Morgan and Truist warn that up to 100 rigs -- mostly from private operators in costly basins like the Anadarko and Powder River -- could soon be idled if oil prices hold near $60 per barrel.

Occidental Petroleum's Oxy Low Carbon Ventures has added Tennessee-based Holocene Climate Corp. to its carbon removal portfolio, its second such acquisition in two years. Holocene recently signed a $10 million deal with Google and last year demonstrated a pilot plant that captured 80% of carbon dioxide using its amino acid-based direct air capture technology.

In response to industry pressure, the Trump administration will implement a pared-down fee structure on China-built ships in six months, limiting charges to six annual payments per vessel and sparing empty bulk carriers and ships serving the Great Lakes, the Caribbean and US territories. Additionally, starting in 2028, at least 1% of US liquefied natural gas exports must move on US-built vessels, with the share gradually rising to 15% by 2047 to incentivize domestic shipbuilding.

The Fundamentals of Auditing two-day course covers auditing fundamentals and processes unique to the API program. The multi-day Lead Auditor course offers additional information on leading an audit team. Participants will learn how to conduct effective audits by applying the key principles, procedures, and techniques as well as how to manage the audit process.

To register for this course including an August 25th training, visit the API-U Catalog.

Register now for the API at the 2025 Pipeline Conference and Expo, April 28-30 in Austin, Texas. This is your opportunity to connect with over 800 industry professionals to expand your knowledge, network, learn, and discover solutions for you and your organization. Acquire insights into the latest trends and technologies that are crucial for safe operations and business continuity. Visit the website for more details.