LNG Pause Causes Stir at Meeting

LNG Pause Sparks Controversy at BKR Meeting (Turbomachinery Magazine)
Drew Robb (Jan. 30): President Biden’s unexpected pause on new USLNG permitting approvals caused a stir at the Baker Hughes Annual Meeting in Florence, Italy. Several speakers and panels  expressed disappointment with the announcement. Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO of Baker Hughes, strongly opposed the moratorium and called on the administration to approve pending export applications without further delays. Mike Sommers, API President & CEO, labeled it the worst energy decision made by the administration. The decision has raised concerns about potential price increases and environmental impact, but Cheniere CEO Jack Fusco rebutted these claims, noting that CO2 levels in the United States have decreased by 15% since 2007 due to coal-to-gas switching. Despite the controversy, some industry leaders remained optimistic. Bechtel’s Paul Marsden believed the situation would pass, while Fusco, expressed hope that the pause would be short-lived. Link to Content